Stuebe Bill to Support Search, Rescue Efforts Receives Public Hearing

The House Technology, Economic Development, and Veterans Committee held a public hearing on Tuesday for Rep. David Stuebe‘s first bill as a Washington state legislator.

House Bill 1625 would create a grant program to support backcountry search and rescue organizations and volunteers.

“I’m happy to see this bill receive a hearing because we need to help the agencies and responders who answer the call to rescue people in emergency situations,” said Stuebe, R-Washougal.

The Washington State Military Department Emergency Management Division estimates that approximately 1,000 search and rescue missions occur annually in Washington.

“Natural disasters and other emergencies are becoming more common, especially, when people head out to explore wilderness areas in Washington,” added Stuebe. “This grant program would create a way to help fund these backcountry search and rescue efforts and prevent the state from taking on more expenses.”

HB 1625 would create the Backcountry Search and Rescue Account and a mechanism to fund the grant account through legislative appropriations, donations, grants, or funds from other public or private sources. Sen. Keith Goehner, R-Chelan, introduced a companion bill in the Senate, SB 5631.

The Washington State Military Department would administer the program, creating the account in the state treasury.

If the legislation passes, the new rescue grant program would provide grants to search and rescue organizations for backcountry search and rescue volunteers’ planning, equipment, training, exercise, and operation costs. It would also allow counties, cities, and towns to recover backcountry search and rescue costs that are not reimbursed through other sources.

“This bill makes sense for everyone involved,” said Stuebe. “If we can use this program to fund these emergencies, rescuers would have a better chance of saving people in need. This program would provide better training, better resources, and better outcomes.”

The bill now waits for a vote by the committee.