SANTA ANA, Ca. (Jan. 16, 2018) -The Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) will serve as the County’s primary responders for remote-area rescues as an agreement with the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) for a dual-agency approach expires today.
A 2016 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) took a dual-agency approach for air search and rescue missions in remote wilderness and park areas. The MOU was set to expire in August 2017, however Sheriff Sandra Hutchens has extended the MOU multiple times. Sheriff Hutchens announced today she will not issue another extension. Continue reading