A personal story from a member of CSAR

By: Deb Giehl, Contributor  (NOTE: Edited for publication by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (April 14, 2026) – As a new member (November 2025) with the Cincinnati Search and Recovery (CSAR) organization based out of Amelia, I am compelled to share my story and this information to help raise awareness about who we are and what we do.

CSAR is a 501(c)(3) non-governmental, non-profit organization led by volunteers who search for missing/lost individuals and aid during natural disasters and mass casualty events (25+ deaths). It is funded solely by donations. The organization is dedicated to assisting law enforcement and emergency agencies in the search of missing persons – at NO cost to the agency, family or community. The team is made up of diverse professionals united by a common mission to bring the missing home.  We combine compassion, professionalism and specialized training to offer hope and answers during the most critical moments.

With that in mind, you may be wondering why I wanted to become involved in this group. For some weird reason, working search and rescue has been in the back of my mind for over three decades. As a dog owner since I was 5 years old, my original idea was to do this on a K9 team with a dog. With my advancing age and the amount of training I (and my dog) would have to receive for certification, I came to the conclusion that dream is no longer within my reach. As a result, I am perfectly satisfied with serving the community by participating in our Ground Team – and possibly the Water Team if the opportunity presents itself.  After going through training over the past three months, I am now certified in Basic Search & Rescue through Kentucky EMA. That qualifies me to be included in any upcoming searches that require my deployment.

CSAR was created in 2020 but not established until August 2022, with only 11 members at the time. We are now a team of 60 and consider ourselves a family with the same goal in mind.  Throughout the years CSAR has had over 50 cases, putting in hundreds of hours in manpower allowing the police to maintain safety in the community while we assisted them with the missing person. Thousands of miles have been searched with many successes.

CSAR also aids in natural disasters anywhere in the United States, such as West Virginia and North Carolina. We NEVER self-deploy and try to maintain privacy in our searches out of respect for the families. 

Do you have an interest in helping your community during times of crisis?  CSAR has many opportunities within the organization such as Family Liaison, Ground Team, K9, Operations; they even have a cadet program for 14–18-year-olds. Each unit is unique and necessary for the team to operate and be successful. 

What is expected?  Well, FEMA courses and training that occur every second Saturday of each month, sometimes more, in addition to attending and patronizing our events/fundraising, especially since CSAR is solely funded on donations.

How do you join?  Go to www.cincinnatisearchrecovery.org, click on Join our Team, fill out the application and be able to pass a background check. Scroll through the website to learn more and for testimonial videos. When someone goes missing, you can make a difference.