A week-long search has been going on in Shenandoah National Park for a missing man.NBC 29 TV, “Search for missing man expands,” (Oct. 5, 2008); Charlottesville Daily Progress, “Search for Staunton man continues,” (Oct. 5, 2008).
The Appalachian Search & Rescue Conference (ASRC) has been providing volunteers to assist local police and the National Park Service. On Sunday, October 5, about half of the 94 searchers were volunteers, most from ASRC member groups that included the Maryland-based DelMarVa Search and Rescue (DMVSAR) and Potomac Valley Rescue Group (PVRG).

The DelMarVa group has canine search capabilities, including certified air-scent & tracking/trailing dogs and handlers. Virginia authorities, however, refused to allow DMVSAR to bring their dog teams. Even after almost a week of fruitless searching, Virginia authorities limited canine participation to about four local teams, and instead relied mostly on sweeps by foot to cover Cedar Mountain and the surrounding area.

On Monday, October 6, ASRC volunteers were called out for an additional search in Virginia for two children, 8 and 12 years old, who were lost in George Washington National Forest the prior evening. Temperatures dropped into the 40’s overnight, and the danger of hypothermia intensified the critical need to find the children quickly. Fortunately, both children were found alive that afternoon [News Virginian (Oct. 6, 2008)], however, this illustrates the truly life-and-death implications of cooperation (or lack thereof) between government and volunteer search and rescue organizations.