Cal-ESAR Information

California Explorer Search & Rescue (or Cal-ESAR) is a part of the Explorer Program of the Boy Scouts of America. This co-ed program is for ages 15-20, and is designed "to promote the ability of boys, young men and women, to do things for themselves and for others, to train them in Scoutcraft, and to teach them patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred virtues." Post 12 was chartered in 1969, and is sponsored by the San Mateo Elks Club. Members 21 years and older serve as adult advisers for the Explorer Post. Each Explorer Post has an area of specialty or emphasis. Some of the more common ones are:PoliceFireAviationRailroadingEmergency MedicineSeamanshipOutdoor AdventureSearch & RescueIn March of 1972, Post 12 decided to change its emphasis from Outdoor Adventure to Search & Rescue (SAR). At that time, Explorer SAR (ESAR) units were virtually unknown in California, but had been active and thriving in the State of Washington since 1955. To get more information, a group of members contacted the Washington ESAR coordinator to find out what the program was all about. What resulted was two years of intense organization and training, with assistance from Special Forces and Green Beret units. In 1974, Post 12 became the first certified ESAR unit in California, and adopted the name of San Mateo Explorer Search and Rescue, or SMESAR. SMESAR began responding to SARs and performed other public service activities from that time. In 1986, Post 12 changed its name to California Explorer Search & Rescue, or Cal-ESAR to reflect its change of affiliation from the County of San Mateo to the State of California Office of Emergency Services in Sacramento. In doing so, Post 12 became the first and only ESAR unit in California that has a statewide area of response. In the years that have followed, Cal-ESAR has assisted in over 200 SAR and community service missions, and has responded from one end of the state to the other. Some of the more publicized missions include:The Loma Prieta EarthquakeOakland FirestormVietnam BabyliftJason Rother SearchYosemite Foresta FirePapal Visit SupportFirst Aid SupportXiana FairchildPolly KlaasSandra CantuNina ReiserJames ArthurAnd many others...Cal-ESAR members also teach classes for the community at large as a form of community service, and as a means of preventive search and rescue (PSAR). These classes include First Aid, CPR, Hug-A-Tree, Wilderness Navigation, Outdoor Survival, Amateur Radio Training, to name but a few. California Explorer Search & Rescue's mission is three-fold, namely:To pursue the goals of ScoutingTo provide search and rescue services to the State of California and other agenciesTo provide service to the local community. The activities we've pursued during the last 30+ years have been directed towards these objectives. We hope that if you are interested, you'll join us in our journey, and help us to write the next chapter in the history of Cal-ESAR.