SAN LUIS VALLEY-Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue, the non-profit organization providing search and rescue services to Alamosa County under the direction of the Sheriff’s Department, has received $32,800 from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) to replace an outdated “rescue rig” vehicle. The funding comes from DOLA’s new Backcountry Search and Rescue Flexible Fund (BSARFX) grant program.

Currently, the all-volunteer back country search and rescue team responds to call outs in Alamosa County and around the San Luis Valley in a well-used 22-year old GMC Yukon. With funding from DOLA, alongside roughly $20,000 fundraised by the team, AVSAR will purchase a new full-sized pickup truck, an equipment drawer system, and a truck bed cap. This new rig will greatly assist AVSAR in responding to missions, often life or death situations in the backcountry, in a timely manner for many years to come.

For more information about Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue, please visit the team’s website at avsar.us. You can also help fund search and rescue efforts by purchasing a Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue Card (CORSAR). For as little as $3 for a one-year card, or $12 for a five-year card the life you save may be your own. Visit www.cdola.colorado.gov