COVINGTON, GA - Just days after the search for a missing hiker in north Georgia, the Department of Natural Resources hosted the state’s annual Search & Rescue (SAR) Conference where safety personnel train for such incidences.

More than 100 park rangers, first responders, firefighters and other emergency management workers from Georgia, North Carolina and Florida covered topics such as K-9 use, ATV training, helicopter safety, rope rescue, Alzheimer’s searches, and numerous other actions used to save lives and recover bodies.

The conference was held January 9-13 in Covington and was organized by the DNR, Georgia Emergency Management Agency and a support group called The Friends of DNR’s Search & Rescue Team. Members of the DNR’s Search & Rescue Team are volunteers who sometimes pay for their own equipment. To assist the team, the Friends group contributed a $2,500 grant and is accepting additional donations from the public. To help, call 1-888-948-2092 or visit www.friendsofgastateparks.org.