Emergency Contact

Any emergency around the state which may involve a search and rescue response should be reported to the nearest law enforcement agency (call 911).

Please be aware that all requests for CARDA search dog teams must come from State, County, or local agency (police, fire, ranger, etc.), through the State of California Office of Emergency Services (Cal-EMA) Law Enforcement Division. As much as our teams want to assist in many of the recent missing persons cases throughout the state, we can not respond collectively or as individuals to assist without the expressed request from an authorized agency.

If you represent a qualifying agency, we may well have teams in your area who are available. The 24-hour phone number for the Cal-EMA is (916) 845-8911. The following information is helpful in determining CARDA's response to a request:

• Location and type of terrain in the search area (urban or wilderness, elevation, steepness, etc.)
• Type of search: lost person, drowning, cadaver, avalanche or disaster
• In the case of missing persons:
  • How long has the subject been missing?
  • Is an item belonging to the subject available at the scene?
  • Who is the contact person who can provide more information on the missing person's background?