Lieutenant Varat, a 14-year law enforcement veteran, was on a search and rescue training exercise in the Santa Susanna Mountains when he was bit by a tick and infected with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. He died four days later from the fever. Hank helped develop the S.W.A.T. Team, Deep-Sea Diving Team, and the Search and Rescue Team. He is best remembered by his co-workers as his picture portrays, an organizer and an outdoors man (Lieutenant Varat is pictured on the right without the hat.)