Is PMR a government organization?
No. Portland Mountain Rescue is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, all volunteer
organization. We receive no direct funding from government agencies.
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Does PMR charge for search and rescue missions?
No. As a non-profit, all volunteer organization, PMR does not charge for its services.
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Who pays for search and rescue missions?
Many search and rescue groups participating in the missions, including PMR, are
volunteer and self-funded, so they do not charge for their
services. In most cases, only government agencies and contracted
participants, such as the attending Sheriff's Office or an ambulance
company, contribute to taxpayer costs. The charges involved are actually
quite similar to search and rescue activities conducted away from the mountains.
It is important to note that the costs can be theoretically higher if victims are
charged for their rescue. The Mountain Rescue Association has developed a
position statement
against charging for rescues. Click
here
to view the statement on the MRA website.
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In what types of missions does PMR participate?
Generally, Portland Mountain Rescue is mobilized for SAR missions on high angle
rock and snow and hazardous terrain - often in inclement weather. For more
information, please see our What Is PMR? section.
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What areas does PMR cover?
Our Unit responds to missions for much of the popular climbing areas on
Oregon's Mount Hood. We are also called out to help on other Oregon
and Washington mountains, such as Mount Adams, Broken Top, the Coast Range
and the Three Sisters. Out Unit also responds to technical high
angle SAR missions and, occasionally, to less technical SAR missions
away from mountainous areas. For more information, please see our
What Is PMR? section.
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How is PMR mobilized?
PMR is called out by the Sheriff's Office in the County where the rescue is
taking place. Individuals requiring rescue should call 911. The
911 dispatcher will route the call to the local Sheriff who will mobilize the
appropriate SAR units. For more information, please see our
What Is PMR? section.
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Who else do you work with on the mountain?
Depending on the type of rescue, PMR may be the only rescue unit in
the field or we may partner with many other SAR groups. We
always work with the Sheriff's Office in the particular County where
the rescue is taking place, but certain missions may involve one or
more of the following groups:
· MRA units (e.g. Corvallis, Eugene, etc.)
· Field paramedics (e.g. American Medical Response)
· Pro and/or Volunteer Ski Patrol units
· Military groups (e.g. 1042nd Nat'l Guard, 939th Air Wing)
· Low elevation SAR units (e.g. PNW SAR, Mountain Wave)
· Sheriff's Office Search Groups (e.g. Explorer Posts)
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When are helicopters called in for a rescue mission?
Though helicopters (military, civilian or otherwise) may be used when patients are
critically injured, the decision to use them is not up to PMR. Our on-scene
rescuers may suggest that a patient needs air evacuation, but the ultimate decision
rests with Oregon Emergency Management, the attending Sheriff's Office SAR
Coordinator, as well as the administrating body for the helicopter unit.
Using helicopters in mountainous terrain is inherently risky, so they are only
dispatched in true life-and-death situations. Since weather and other
conditions can prevent helicopters from participating in rescue missions, air
evacuations are not always possible. In these situations, ground-based
rescuers, such as PMR, may be the only resources able to conduct the rescue mission.
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Are mountain climbers required to be licensed or insured?
Climbers in the Pacific Northwest are not required to be licensed or
insured before they climb. However, on Mount Hood, they must complete
a USDA Forest Service Wilderness Permit and carry a copy with them on their
trek. Along with this permit, climbers are requested - and strongly
encouraged - to complete a climbers' registration form, providing essential
information about the party if rescue is needed. Other Pacific Northwest
mountains have different registration methods, but most require a permit of some type.
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Who enforces the rules and regulations on Mount Hood?
There are several government organizations that have jurisdiction on Mount
Hood. The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office (South & West sides)
and Hood River Sheriff's Office (North & East sides) are the state law
enforcement agencies for their respective portions of the mountain. The
USDA Forest Service creates the rules and regulations for the entire mountain, as
the mountain is part of the Mount Hood National Forest.
PMR does not create or enforce rules and regulations. Our role is to
provide SAR services, to the extent we have available volunteer members, when
the appropriate government authorities request our help. PMR does assist
the USDA Forest Service in educating climbers about Leave No Trace and other
wilderness issues, as well as informing unprepared or inexperienced climbers
how to seek professional instruction on safe climbing techniques.
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Does PMR guide climbers or provide route information?
PMR is not a guiding service and we do not generally provide route
information for Pacific Northwest climbers. However, we do patrol the
popular climbing routes on Mount Hood during climbing season, providing
safety education to climbers. This "preventative SAR" activity
can include the distribution of general route condition information and the
discussion of possible risks on the mountain that day.
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What does PMR do besides rescuing people?
PMR's mission is "Savings lives through rescue and education," so
public education is a very important function of our Unit. Examples of
our activities include informational lectures and slide shows on avalanche,
backcountry and mountain safety. For more information, please see our
What Is PMR? section.
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How many members are in PMR?
While our membership numbers can vary from time to time, PMR usually has
between 70 and 80 total volunteers. About 40 to 50 of these members
are considered "field deployable" and can enter the field on
search and rescue missions. The remaining membership contributes
to the support and administrative functions of the organization.
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Do PMR members have "real" jobs?
Yes, most of our members work regular jobs like everyone else. We have a very
diverse group of volunteers, including business people, firefighters, health care
workers, teachers, mountaineering guides and even one U.S. National Park Service
Ranger. The common threads between our team is our deep love for the outdoors
and mountaineering, as well our desire to make a difference in the lives of others.
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Is PMR "hiring"?
No, we do not hire our rescuers. PMR is a completely volunteer
organization and none of our members are reimbursed for their
services. We do actively recruit new volunteers and conduct a
yearly "training academy," and all qualifying persons are
welcome to join. Please see our
How to Get Involved and
Application Process sections
for more information.
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How do I become a mountain rescuer?
Though we are a volunteer organization, not every Applicant is
qualified for membership in PMR. Mountain rescuers require
technical mountaineering skills, great stamina and calmness under
pressure, among other qualities. They also must own their own
climbing gear, as PMR does not provide this basic equipment. For
the full details on membership requirements, please see the
How to Get Involved section
of this website.
Please note that PMR does have non-field-deployable members, called
Associates, who play a key role in the administration and support of
the organization. Examples of Associate roles include truck and
equipment maintenance, fundraising, graphic design and SAR base
operations. If you feel that you have specific skills to contribute
in this non-field-deployable capacity, we invite you to
apply as an Associate.
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If mountaineering is dangerous, why do people do it?
Comments such as these are very subjective and are up to the individual
person. In mountaineering, what is dangerous to one person may be
relatively safe for another person with the proper training and
knowledge. PMR does not place judgment on the mountaineering
community, but we stand ready to help if accidents happen - regardless
of how they may have occurred.
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Why do you go after these
"morons"?
This is something we are frequently asked - in this rather judgmental
manner. The fact of the matter is that many of the people we
rescue are generally good people who simply made a mistake. If
you ask most active outdoor enthusiasts, they can probably list one
or two incidents where they made a mistake, were lucky, and learned
from their experience. For those who make an error and are not
so lucky, PMR is there to help.
This being said, we are occasionally requested to rescue individuals
who repeatedly display poor judgment and get themselves into difficult
situations in mountainous terrain. Even for these people, PMR stands
ready to help.
In all cases, the Rescue Leader on the scene must determine if the mission
can be conducted without risking harm to the rescuers themselves.
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May I get a patch or other insignia for my collection?
The PMR and MRA logos are trademarks and are not sold or
distributed to the general public.
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May I use photos, graphics or text from your website?
Requests such as these are handled on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the
Webmaster outlining your
request and you will be contacted as soon as possible. If permission is
granted, all reproductions of media from the PMR website must be credited to
"Portland Mountain Rescue". Please note that our PMR logo is a
Servicemark of our organization and unauthorized use of this logo will meet a
vigorous legal challenge.
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May I link to your website?
Generally, all websites interested in PMR's search and rescue functions may
feel free to link to our site. However, if a commercial or non-reputable
website is found using a link to our site in an inappropriate manner, PMR reserves
the right to have that link removed from the website in question. Please
contact the Webmaster
for more information.
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What kind of equipment and training do I need to mountaineer?
Since PMR does not teach climbing, we council nascent mountaineers to enroll in
basic mountaineering courses through local climbing clubs or other reputable
organizations. In the Portland area, group that teach mountaineering include:
The Mazamas
climbing club, Timberline Mountain Guides and Portland Parks and Recreation.
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I'm planning a climbing trip to Mount Hood. Where can I learn more about the mountain?
There are many resources for learning more about mountaineering
on Mount Hood or the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. One
site of note is the USDA Forest Service's web page on
Climbing Mount Hood. For
other interesting websites, please see our
Links section.
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How can I donate to PMR?
As a non-profit organization, we welcome tax deductible donations from the
general public. For information on helping toward our mission, please see
Make A Donation section
of this website.
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I have a question that wasn't answered here. Who can I contact for more information?
Please send an e-mail to info@pmru.org.
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