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A missing hiker. A cold night. A single clue: the faint scent left on a car’s gas cap. That’s enough for Jan Friedrichsen and her K9 partners to turn uncertainty into a plan—and a plan into a save. We sit down with Jan, commander of Humboldt County Search and Rescue and a CARD-certified evaluator, to unpack how volunteer teams mobilize fast, work with the Sheriff’s Special Services, and blend K9 skills with tech like drones, UTVs, and real-time mapping to bring people home.

Jan walks us through the anatomy of a modern search: triage from the first ping or 911 call, building sectors, deploying trailing dogs to lock direction of travel, and sending area dogs to sweep for any live human. She explains the difference between trailing and area work, why recertification every two years keeps teams sharp, and how human remains detection brings closure when outcomes turn tragic. We talk mental health first aid—keeping found subjects warm, fed, and calm—and why most rescues hinge on quiet judgment more than heroics.

The conversation also zooms out to community. Jan’s Humboldt story runs from Cal Poly Humboldt days to land trust projects and a life lived close to the marshes and trails. She shares a multi-day search near the McKay area that rallied multiple counties, lessons from a difficult river recovery, and a leadership style shaped by service over spotlight. For hikers, families, and civic-minded listeners, this is a clear-eyed look at how K9 search science, volunteer grit, and local generosity save lives in Humboldt County.

If this resonated, support Humboldt County Search and Rescue at HumboldtSar.org, then subscribe, share with a friend who hikes, and leave a review so more neighbors can find their way to the show.

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About 100% Humboldt with Scott Hammond

Humboldt County CA USA is the home of some of the most iconoclastic, genuine, and interesting folks in the world.

We are getting curious about the movers, shakers, and difference makers in Humboldt County CA-Home of the giant redwoods, 6 Rivers, and the vast Pacific Ocean.

We will discover what makes people live/evolve in the beautiful, diverse, isolated, and ever-changing North Coast of California 100%!

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