About

Our Approach

LSUR is a professionally trained, all-volunteer, 501c(3) Not-for-Profit Corporation.

No member receives payment for his or her work, not even the administrators or the Board of Directors. LSUR is comprised of several public safety rescue divers, non-diver operational support staff, and several non-operational support members.

All divers and non-divers obtain professional Public Safety Diving (PSD) certification as divers and/or support.

There are several certified diving instructors and dive masters included in the LSUR Roster.

New divers and support are trained up to PSD standards quickly through intensive training during a probationary period. The team maintains an equal opportunity employment policy that does not discriminate when hiring volunteers.

Team Training

• Training is held monthly in all-weather environments

• All team members are certified by nationally recognized training programs in Public Safety Diving.   Our in-house and continuing education programs train and practice on scenarios that the team can be called to.​

Our Story

The Lee’s Summit Underwater Rescue and Recovery Team (LSUR) began its cooperation with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department in 1966 after a tragic drowning in a local area lake.

Several divers created the organization and subsequently trained together as a team in order to conduct organized body searches in local lakes and ponds.

Since that time, LSUR expanded its capability in searches, services, and techniques.

In 1988, LSUR obtained a lease of county land across the street from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Communication Department, where the team built its own building to house the most advanced dive rescue and recovery team in the metropolitan area.

LSUR receives much of its funding from public donations, corporate donations, grants and from the Jackson County Missouri Legislature.  The Team does not charge law and fire agencies for our specialized work.  However the general public is charged for personal property recovery to offset the cost of the search operation. No charge is ever requested to give water safety presentations.

In addition to covering yearly administrative expenses, much of the funding received is used to maintain our inventory of equipment, and to purchase new operating equipment.  For example, we collected enough donations in 2013 to purchase a Lowrance Side Scan sonar to compliment and improve our sonar capability.

How to Donate

We depend on our communities and people like you to support our activities. We are humbled that you would consider supporting our mission. As a 100% non-compensated volunteer group, rest assured that 100% of your donation will go to sponsor our operational costs for Underwater Search and Rescue/Recovery, Water and Boater Safety Education, and Waterway Environmental education and cleanup activities.