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FINAL UPDATE - June 15, 2014 – All parties have returned safely. The coordination between YCSO, the YCSRT Back Country Unit, and DPS Ranger Crews, were pivotal to a successful resolution in this rescue operation.The man who was transported to Verde Valley Medical Center has been identified as Ken Barnum, 70, from Casa Grande. His son, and another teen not part of the family, were airlifted to safety – see photo. The Boy Scout Troop is based out of the town of Maricopa.

The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office now utilizes CodeRED® as its Emergency Notification System. With this service, we can send messages to residents and businesses within minutes with specific information when an emergency or time-sensitive issue arises such as wildfire evacutation notices.  Click the link below for more information:

The Doce and Yarnell Hill Fires devastated lives, homes, and tasked the County's emergency response and recovery capabilities. From these events which occurred from June 18th to July 7th, 2013, nineteen lives were lost in the Yarnell Hill Fire response, as well as 134 structures burnt to the ground. It is in times like these we find our strength, and it is in times like these we rise to the occasion. From this event, the strength and resiliency of Yavapai County, our people, our friends, and our communities were clearly demonstrated.

On July 27, 2013, members of the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Response Team, Back Country Unit (BCU), competed in statewide swift water rescue competition and “swam” away with first place. The BCU contains a specially trained group of Swift Water Technicians. This 12th annual event was held at the Saguaro Lake Ranch in Mesa, Arizona, and involved teams representing 7 counties.