California

Four-Legged Members of Search and Rescue Team Awarded State Farm Grant

Some of Kern County’s finest four-legged heroes were the happy recipients of a $2,500 State Farm Good Neighbor Grant that will assist in their training and the purchase of equipment used when sniffing out a lost hiker in the mountains.

Rescue dogs Freda and Copper are canine members of the Kern County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue team, and recently paid a visit to the State Farm Bakersfield Operations Center annual Health & Safety Fair. Grant money will also be used for a canine first aid kit, if the dogs should get injured in the field.

“We just want to thank State Farm for their continued support of Search and Rescue, particularly our Canine team,” said Sergeant Mark Baldwin. “These dogs are highly trained to find people, young and old alike, in dire situations. That type of training and the equipment requires continued funding.”

Several of the dogs’ human counterparts are familiar faces to State Farm,  since they also work in the Bakersfield Operations Center – employees John Amoroso, Christina Amoroso and Tammie Sullivan – make up half of the canine “human” rescue team of six. The team is summoned several times throughout the year when a search for a missing person is requested in the county. 

Safety has always been a priority at State Farm and the Search and Rescue team’s Canine Unit is in line with those values to bring someone back to safety in the event they need assistance in a life threatening situation.