Coconino County Sheriff's Office is responsible for Arizona’s largest county, covering just over 18,661 square miles. The county’s wide variety of terrains adds to the challenges, especially for search and rescue operations. This year, the Arizona State Legislature kicked in $525,000 to help with those challenges.

Part of the grant went toward purchasing a Sherp, an amphibious all-terrain utility vehicle. Sherp, headquartered in Kyiv, Ukraine, specializes in making tough vehicles for difficult terrains.

Comedian and talk show host Jay Leno owns one.  "It can literally climb boulders and the steepest inclines, no problem," said Leno. “But what makes the Sherp far different from other ATVs is that its 210-gallon, self-inflating tires double as flotation devices with ridges that act like paddles when it's in the water."

“The Sherp will be used by our Search and Rescue Unit for rescues in varied and challenging terrain and weather conditions in Coconino County,” said Sergeant Aeron Dick. “Other funds from the award were used to purchase a replacement mobile incident command trailer, new satellite communications equipment, new small unmanned aerial systems, and technical rescue equipment.

“Our search and rescue unit completes between 140 and 150 missions each year. Approximately 90% of our search and rescue missions are on remote federally managed public lands. Being able to quickly find and access missing, and injured persons saves lives.”

With the Sherp, the Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Unit can access difficult locations. Examples are rural subdivisions with impassable roads caused by heavy rain or snow. The Sherp can better handle rocky or sandy terrain, partially frozen lakes, or snow and ice.

“This vehicle can operate at higher speeds than a snowcat, and in areas where the snowcat cannot be deployed,” said Dick.