Yavapai County Jeep Posse ( YCJP )
The Yavapai County Jeep Posse is an all volunteer organization dedicated to serving the needs of the citizens of Yavapai County in Search and Rescue missions, as well as County-wide Forest Fire evacuations.
Working under the direction of the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, the Posse provides the 4X4 mobile units required in these life saving activities through the dedication of Posse members’ time, vehicles and equipment on a 24-hour-a-day, 7-days-a-week, year-round basis. In addition, the Communications Squad staffs the Sheriff’s Mobile Command Post (MCP) or the Posse’s Forward Communication Vehicle (FCV) during search, rescue, fire evacuation and other missions.
Yavapai County comprises 8,123 square miles of some of the most varied terrain in the state – from low desert and valleys to high desert/ranch land to forested mountains. Each year, thousands of residents and visitors venture out to enjoy the numerous roads, trails and waterways. When something goes wrong and people get lost or injured, the Yavapai County Jeep Posse is one of a number of specially trained volunteer groups that is called upon to assist the Sheriff’s office in search and rescue operations.
Each year, since 1952, the Posse participates in numerous search missions, assists in evacuation of small communities bordering the urban Prescott area that are threatened by forest fire, devotes hundreds of hours to civic activities, and patrols thousands of miles on the county’s back roads.
Yavapai County Jeep Posse Forward Communications Vehicle (FCV)
On many search missions, as many as 20 plus Posse members may respond in 10 or more 4X4 vehicles, all of which are fully Search and Rescue (SAR) outfitted including radios, GPS and phone equipment. Up to 6 members of the Communications Squad may be called upon to provide base-command to field unit communications from either the Sheriff’s MCP or the Posse’s own CCV, or both.
Posse members come from all walks of life and many have been involved in SAR activities for more than 10 years. Each Posse 4X4 vehicle is manned by a two person crew – a driver and an observer. These highly qualified individuals are trained to function as a well-knit team in order to accomplish the mission. Posse members are required to be fully qualified in CPR and First Aid, and they have all completed both the Basic and Advanced Academies of the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Training Program. When called out for search missions by the Yavapai County Sheriff, all Posse members function as Special Deputy Sheriffs and perform a valuable service to the community at no cost to the taxpayers.
The Posse has a highly mobile four-wheel drive tactical Forward Communications Vehicle (FCV) which, when called, rolls immediately upon a search call-out. Often, the Sheriff’s Mobile Command Post (MCP) serves as the base of operations, but the Posse’s FCV is the “go-anywhere” vehicle and is used in conjunction with the MCP, especially into areas where the MCP is unable to travel. This rolling FCV contains the Posse’s maps, generators, radios, first aid equipment, and computers. The FCV provides communication frequencies needed to talk to the Search Dog Teams, Air Group Search Planes, Rescue Helicopters, Back-Country Units and Mounted (Horse) Posses, Quad (ATV) units, 4X4 teams, the U.S. Forest Service, local Police Departments, Arizona DPS, and Yavapai County Sheriff’s Deputies.
Regular monthly business and training meetings are held in the Posse-owned headquarters building. Also, there are monthly in-the-field training events throughout the year.
In its quest to serve the public, the Yavapai County Jeep Posse is always in need of new members – both drivers and observers. While drivers are required to furnish their own 4X4 vehicles, observers are asked to bring a good set of eyes and a determination to be the Posse Team member who has the good fortune to be able to say: “There he is!” If you are in good health and have the ability to devote the time demanded by this life-saving work, please contact us for more information.