Dry Suits Help Libby Sustain Local Search and Rescue Operations

The aging out of volunteers and a decline in volunteerism has hit rural communities in the Mountain West hard, including in Libby where the loss of certified volunteer divers left the local David Thompson Search and Rescue unable to perform dive rescues. Without new certified volunteers, David Thompson Search and Rescue had to relinquish its dive responsibilities to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, a problem since the sheriff’s office lacked the equipment for safe and effective dive operations. After their grant for new equipment was denied, Lincoln County’s sheriff reached out to LOR for help. LOR’s funding will support the purchase of two new dry suit sets for the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, keeping local search and rescue up and running.