31 Years of Service

Last week, a 31 year veteran of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department celebrated his retirement. While serving as a Police Officer for LVMPD, Sgt. Mike Petricka was a member of the specialized and highly acclaimed Canine and Air Support Units, ultimately serving as Chief Pilot for air patrol and search and rescue. Mike's unparalleled leadership and piloting skills left an unforgettable impression on anyone who had the pleasure of working with him.

It goes without saying that Mike will be sorely missed by all Officers and Volunteers that have worked with him over the years. We wish you the best in all that you do!

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From the Archives - A&E Investigative Report

A number of years ago, A&E aired an investigative reports special on our Unit. Although personnel and equipment has changed, one thing has remained the same - the dedication and passion of this Unit is insurmountable.

Enjoy the footage!

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2010 Year in Pictures

Colorado River - Air Search



Mt. Charleston - Fastrope Training


Red Rock - 800' Lower


Hangar - Medical Training


Middle of Nowhere - Land Navigation / Patient carry-out



Mt. Charleston - Fire


Mt. Charleston - Search / Canine Huey Insertion



Lake Mead - Huey Penetrator Training


To see more SAR pictures, visit our Flickr site.

Happy Holidays!

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Unit Overview

A little taste of what we do:

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Thanksgiving Day Rescue - Update

The 42-year-old female climber that was rescued on Thanksgiving Day was identified as Heather Gray of Vancouver, B.C. It is reported that Heather died on Monday.

LVMPDSAR sends its deepest condolences to friends and family.

An article outlining the latest news can be found here.

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Thanksgiving Day Rescue

On Thursday afternoon, Mountain Rescue Volunteers were called to the Red Rock Canyon Overlook in response to initial reports of a fallen climber in Oak Creek Canyon.

Two SAR Officers were flown to the scene and were hoisted to a ledge approximately 400 feet off of the canyon floor. From there, the Officers extracted the 42 year old climber from a crack where she had landed after falling what was estimated to be 45-50 feet. The climber was hoisted out of the canyon and delivered to flight, who transported the victim to the hospital.

The female climber had been climbing with a friend and suffered from multiple skull fractures, cervical fractures, and massive brain swelling as a result of the fall. Rescue personnel took less than an hour to respond and extract the injured climber from the the area that she was located.

News Channel 13 was on scene. Their report of the incident can be found here.

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Snow and Freezing Temperatures are Here!

If you haven't dusted off your winter gear yet, this weekend is the time to start unpacking!

Five reasons why this is a task that you should accomplish this Holiday weekend:

1. This morning, many people reported snow flurries in various parts of the Las Vegas Valley.
2. Temperatures are expected to dip below freezing tonight.
3. The Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort is scheduled to open this Friday, November 26th.
4. Last weekend it snowed on the Mountain Rescue Team during training.
5. You'll need something to do after eating all of that turkey!

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving weekend!

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