Union County Search and Rescue to Conduct Rope-Rescue Drill at Riverside Park

Residents may notice an influx of emergency personnel at Riverside Park in La Grande this Saturday, March 7. Union County Search and Rescue (SAR), along with other local agencies, will be conducting a large-scale rope rescue training exercise, an announcement said.

The announcement was published March 5 by Elkhorn Media Group reporter Shannon Weidemann and repeats the SAR advisory that officials want to assure the public this is a planned drill only. The Elkhorn notice said, “Officials want to assure the public that this is a planned drill only and there is no cause for alarm regarding the search and rescue activity in the area.”

Organizers have described the exercise as a rope-rescue training designed to test responders' skills in difficult terrain. National Today reported that the training will involve practicing rope rescue techniques and procedures at Riverside Park, with the drill intended to test responders' ability to safely access, stabilize, and extract victims from difficult-to-reach areas.

Union County Search and Rescue is an all-volunteer organization that supports the Union County Sheriff’s Office. The SAR’s public materials list its primary mission as supporting the Sheriff with emphasis on search and rescue operations and providing specialized search and rescue equipment. The organization says, “Search and Rescue is called out between 16 and 20 times a year,” and that the busiest times are hunting season and mushroom season. The SAR also states that it uses the Incident Command System (ICS) for search operations and recommends volunteers wait until after orientation to purchase a 24-hour survival pack.

Practical details provided by Union County SAR include its contact and location information: 1109 K Ave, La Grande OR 97850; info@unioncosar.org; (541) 963-1017. The SAR site lists office hours Monday–Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and repeats the sheriff’s contact line, sheriff@union-county.org and (541) 963-1017, for broader county inquiries.

The public notice does not list start or end times for the March 7 training, nor does it name the other participating agencies or indicate whether portions of Riverside Park will be closed to visitors. Media or residents seeking specific timing, parking impacts, or media access are directed to contact Union County Search and Rescue at the phone number or email above or the Union County Sheriff’s Office at the same address and phone number.

Officials have emphasized preparedness and reassurance ahead of the exercise; again, “Officials want to assure the public that this is a planned drill only and there is no cause for alarm regarding the search and rescue activity in the area.” The drill is a routine part of local responder training aimed at maintaining readiness for the county’s 16 to 20 annual callouts.