How We Got Started

Pine Tree Equestrian Search and Rescue was originally the brain storm of two women who were trail riding in the 70's and who were approached by the Bangor Police Department on a couple of occasions, asking questions about things they had seen on the trail that particular day. The women went to the sheriff's department and asked about starting a Mounted Posse type patrol that would work with the different law enforcement departments in the area, which would be similar to today's Mounted Search and Rescue Team. The head of the sheriff's department at the time thought that would be a good idea, and wanted to do more with it after the upcoming election. He was not re-elected and the dream went down the drain.

After meeting others out west that belonged to a mounted search and rescue unit, one of the women decided to attempt the idea once again. She wrote to several units, got the information together, called some of her friends who she knew were experienced trail riders, and that was the beginning of the PINE TREE EQUESTRIAN SEARCH AND RESCUE, the first meeting being February 1, 1995.

The friends that got together that night not only had trail riding experience, but all had other areas of expertise that would assist in search and rescue missions such as snowmobiling, swimming, boating, canoeing, skiing, biking, fishing, hunting, and all around outdoors people who take a great interest in working to help in any way they can to save people's lives by volunteering and training for the mounted search and rescue team.