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$15,865 raised by 46 donors
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$25,000 Goal
Founded in 1957, Arapahoe Rescue Patrol (ARP) stands as Colorado's largest and most unique search and rescue (SAR) organization. It is the only SAR team entirely staffed, and commanded by highly trained high school students, offering an unparalleled model of youth empowerment and community service.
The mission is simple yet profound: find missing people, provide aid, and bring them safely home. Available 24/7/365, all services are provided completely free of charge. This commitment is captured in ARP's powerful motto: "So that others may live!"
An Extraordinary Commitment
ARP members are not just students; they are dedicated emergency first responders-in-training. Before they even graduate high school, members collectively volunteer an astonishing 30,000 service hours. This dedication translates into immense value for our community; it is estimated that it would cost a government agency over $1,000,000 annually to duplicate the services ARP donates to the community and Colorado.
Professional Training, Real-World Impact
ARP members undergo extensive, professional-level training in core competencies of mountain search and rescue and field emergency services including:
This rigorous training allows ARP members to capably support local fire departments and law enforcement agencies with a wide array of emergency services support, from scene security and perimeter control to evidence searching and operational assistance on active fire lines. Members frequently embed with the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, Littleton Police Department, and South Metro Fire Rescue to assist with daily operations and learn emergency response firsthand.
For its search and rescue efforts, Arapahoe Rescue Patrol received the coveted 2025 Colorado Mountain Club "Valor Award."
Building Future Leaders
The skills and discipline learned in the Patrol extend far beyond the rescue field. ARP acts as a powerful incubator for future leaders; many ARP graduates go on to excel in college, the military, and professional emergency services, continuing to improve themselves and their communities throughout their lives.
Your Support Saves Lives
ARP is extremely grateful for philanthropic support from the community as it enables this important work. Donations directly offset the critical costs of:
By supporting Arapahoe Rescue Patrol, you are investing in immediate emergency response services, empowering the next generation of community leaders, and helping us ensure that when the call for help comes, ARP is mission ready.
"I went on a search a few years ago and our patient had been gone for multiple days. It was one where we didn't know if we would have a good outcome. We found our patient alive and her saying thank you, her just talking to us afterwards, changed everything for me! It showed me what it meant to serve and to give back to the community that raised me up. I would not be half the person I am today without Arapahoe Rescue Patrol." -- ARP Alumna from the Class of 2025
"Words cannot express our gratitude for your help in the search for my sister . . . Your dedication to the search touched our family deeply . . . Thank You for making a difference in people's lives." --Sister of Victim.
" . . . our office requested assistance from the Arapahoe Rescue Patrol in the search of an extensive area where the car of a missing person was found. . . . upon arrival, it was obvious that your team was well trained, organized, and professional in the approach to the mission . . . " --Jefferson County District Attorney's Office.
"I am writing to express my appreciation to the Arapahoe Rescue Patrol. Members of the Patrol were instrumental in three evidence searches concerning a recent active homicide case in Arapahoe County. Two of the three searches were in Southern Colorado. A member of your team actually located the key piece of evidence we were looking for." --Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office.
Arapahoe Rescue Patrol, Inc. is a search and rescue (SAR) unit whose primary mission is to find missing persons, give them aid, if needed, and bring them to safety. In addition to this primary mission, the Patrol is committed to helping local authorities and other emergency units to the limit of its ability.
Arapahoe Rescue Patrol Founding Story
In the fall of 1957, a critical need for a search and rescue team emerged in the Littleton area. While local adults couldn't commit the time, a group of dedicated students at Littleton High School stepped forward, founding what would eventually become Arapahoe Rescue Patrol (ARP), an all-volunteer, high-school-student-run search and rescue team which provides free emergency services throughout Colorado.
What started with just 17 high schoolers, including key organizers Bob Fria, Jeff Lane, and Dave Bailey, quickly evolved into an indispensable emergency service.
Early Days: With no existing training manuals, these students forged their own techniques. Their first mission was assisting in a search for a missing aircraft in the Littleton, Colorado area. The team had 35 meetings and missions in its first year. The Rocky Mountain Rescue Group in Boulder provided basic training for the patrol.
Official Organization: The patrol was officially chartered as a youth program by the Littleton YMCA in the spring of 1958, under the direction of Mr. Scott Kenton (Boy Scouts executive), Mr. Gene Matthews (YMCA secretary), and Mr. Stan Bush, a high school counselor and emergency planning director who championed the Patrol as President until his death in 2007.
After many more significant searches and missions, ARP began growing in training and membership, eventually earning vital recognition from organizations like the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group. The Patrol’s unwavering commitment garnered acclaim at home and even abroad, including citations and commendations from Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA), numerous national and international magazines, and stories on both the NBC Today" and CBS "Rescue 911" shows.
But more meaningful than these broad accolades are the over 700 letters of commendation from victims, their families and emergency agencies that ARP has supported, all expressing an outpouring of gratitude for the service and commitment of this dedicated Patrol.
For over seven decades, the Arapahoe Rescue Patrol has demonstrated extraordinary initiative and service, proving that dedication knows no age limits.
Organization name
Arapahoe Rescue Patrol, Inc.
other names
ARP
1957
Tax id (EIN)
84-6038441
Category
Public Safety, Disaster Preparedness & Relief, Youth Development
Organization Size
Small Organization
Address
6529 South BroadwayArapahoe County, CO, US