Washoe County Sheriff's Air Squadron
WE SEARCH FOR THE LOST, OVERDUE, OR MISSING.
We are a quick-responding resource reporting to the Sheriff.
Washoe County occupies approximately 6608 square miles in the northwest corner of Nevada, stretching from just north of Carson City all the way north to the Oregon border. The southwestern part of the county encompasses a portion of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Lake Tahoe. The northern half of the county is the western edge of the Black Rock desert. The Truckee River cuts through the southern portion of the county from west to east, turning north at Wadsworth, and terminating at Pyramid Lake.
​
The Washoe County Sheriff's Aero Squadron was organized by the late Sheriff Ray J. Root in the spring of 1937 with 11 members. It continued until his death in December 1951. Sheriff C. W. Bud Young re-activated the Squadron with 16 members on July 20 1953. Valuable service was provided until August 1979. Sheriff Vincent G. Swinney re-activated the current Washoe County Sheriff's Air Squadron, Inc., on February 21, 1983 and it has remained active ever since. The Air Squadron is the senior volunteer group within the Search and Rescue arm of the Sheriff's Office. The squadron currently is made up of all volunteer pilots and observers. All aircraft are owned by the volunteer pilots who fly them, maintain them and provide insurance for them.
We normally fly out of Reno/Stead Airport (KRTS).