Don't Wait - Call 911 Immediately!

From the moment your family member/friend is missing, Time is Working Against You!

We have created a Quick Action Checklist to help you and your family speed up the search process. Teams like Missouri Valley Search and Rescue ARE NOT able to respond directly from the calls and requests of family and friends of a missing person. WE MUST BE CALLED IN BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OR ANOTHER AGENGENCY THAT IS IN CHARGE OF THE CASE/SEARCH!

QUICK ACTION CHECKLIST:

1) Report to Police Immediately: Don't wait 24 hours; file a missing person report with detailed info (description, medical conditions, last seen). Inform them that professional search and rescue teams, such as Missouri Valley Search and Rescue, are available 24/7 to assist the search, only with their direct request! As we are not typically in your community, the faster we are contacted the sooner the sar teams will be able to respond due to travel.

2) Document Everything: Keep a log of dates, times, people contacted, and information gathered.

3) Contact Friends, Family, Work: Ask when they last saw the person, their demeanor, and any plans mentioned.

4) Check Local Hospitals, Jails, Shelters: They might be there without identification; call regularly.

5) Create & Distribute Flyers: Include a clear photo, description, last known location, and police contact/case number.

6) Utilize Social Media: Share information and flyers, using relevant hashtags to reach a wider audience. The more people that can see the information, the better the chance that someone may have remembered seeing them!

7) Register with NamUs: Enter details into the National Missing & Unidentified Persons System.

8) Alert Local Media: Get TV, radio, and news outlets to spread the word publicly. Some LE agencies can help with this.

9) Gather Key Information: Have photos, DNA (hairbrush, toothbrush), dental records, and clothing descriptions ready. DO NOT WASH CLOTHING or other items that could have the persons scent on it, as they will be needed for search K9 teams!

10) Build a Support Team: Get help from friends, family, victim advocates, or other missing persons organizations.

DO NOT GIVE UP!

After calling for help, things may seem like they are going slower than you would like, but know that many times there are things going on behind the scenes that are trying to help find your family member/friend, but until additional steps are taken, there is not much to report yet. Ensure that you are requesting that a SAR Team is called in sooner than later as the more people that the local authorities have in the field, the harder it is for trained/professional SAR Teams to perform their skills in the field. Don't take NO for an answer if they indicate that they don't want to bring in outside help!

WE DON'T CHARGE FOR OUR SERVICES

Our team is comprised of volunteers that take their time and personal resources to help ensure that we are trained and ready to respond day or night, and in any kind of weather. We never charge for our services! We greatly accept donations as we are a 501(c)(3) Not for Profit organization as we use the donations to help us train and purchase needed equipment to be able to better respond to future search events.