SARstories News

Rescuers Consider Amputation to Save a Trapped Victim

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:27:00 +0000

Imagine as a rescuer that you might actually have to cut off a victim's limb in the field to potentially save that person's life.

That was what rescuers considered on New Year's Day, as they were trying to free 15-year-old Dion Latta, who was hanging upside down in a waterfall in Wanaka's Motatapu Gorge in New Zealand. His foot was stuck and twisted in a narrow crack, and he'd been sucking air from a pocket behind the water for more than three hours when the amputation was considered. Dion was also hypothermic.

Wanaka-based search and rescue volunteers, police and others weighed all their options as they desperately tried to extricate Dion. Regarding amputation, however, the general medical opinion was that the shock involved with such a procedure under those conditions could itself prove fatal.

Breaking the flow of the icy water with their bodies, rescuers on rappel were finally able to free Dion, and he was then short-hauled out by helicopter. Unconscious, he was stabilized on scene and flown to Dunedin Hospital. Sadly, though, after the heroic effort to save him, the boy later died.

Read the story and view photos on Stuff.co.nz.

Related article:

Field Limb Amputations Used as an Extrication Option in Complicated Entrapments or Disaster Events

Now, That's a Search & Rescue Response!

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:49:00 +0000

White Sands NM (Wikimedia Commons/CC)

Wow, these two lost hikers sure had a lot of resources come to their aid....

From the NPS Digest:

White Sands National Monument (NM)
Newly Engaged Couple Found By Interagency Searchers

"On the afternoon of Monday, January 9th, the Park learned that two visitors who had been hiking within the dunes since noon were lost and unable to find their way out. Russell Vandameer and Karen Renshaw, both of Oklahoma, left to go hiking with their three dogs, Stitch, Suzy, and Griswald. After finding a suitably beautiful spot within the dunes, Vandemeer proposed to Renshaw. The newly engaged couple then attempted to hike back to their car, but were unable to find their way back. Rather than continue to wander becoming more lost, they contacted a cousin via cell phone and requested that help be sent.

An interagency effort was begun that involved the NPS, the Alamo West Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Army. While two Army Rescue Blackhawk helicopters were en route from Fort Bliss, approximately an hour away, Holloman Air Force base diverted an F-22 Raptor from a training mission to the search effort. The pilot of the Raptor was able to positively identify the couple with their three dogs. Two Air Force drones were also tasked, which were able to relay specific coordinates and monitor the lost hiker's location and movement from the air while the Army helicopters were en route.

The hikers and their dogs were transported by the Army Blackhawks out of the dunes to the command post, where they were examined by NPS and Alamo West EMS for exposure to the below freezing nighttime temperatures. Renshaw accepted Vandemeer's marriage proposal. The newly engaged couple invited the Blackhawk crew to the wedding. The search effort was greatly aided by the assistance of the military aircraft, which utilized night vision and infrared equipment to safely locate the hikers after nightfall."

An Interesting SAR K9 Reaction -- A Bit of HR versus a Whole Body

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:53:00 +0000

I'm not a SAR dog handler, but I do frequently back one of our team's handlers and her four NASAR-certified Golden Retrievers, all cross-trained in area search and human remains (HR) detection. Recently, I accompanied this experienced K9 team on a two-part mission -- first the search of the subject's abandoned vehicle and then the area search for the missing man -- and witnessed what was, to me, a fascinating and unexpected phenomenon. That is, the difference in the dogs' reactions when detecting a tiny amount of HR compared to their reactions when they found the decomposing body.

During the search of the locked vehicle, each dog independently and enthusiastically alerted on the trunk. Two of the four even appeared frustrated, digging at the ground and repeatedly jumping up with their front legs and hitting at the car with their paws, as if they wanted to get at the source of the scent. One or more barked, and all jumped up on their handler.

Once law enforcement officers were given permission to have the vehicle unlocked and the trunk was opened, there was no body inside and no HR visible. Each dog was again brought back to the car, one by one, and each again alerted on the trunk, this time pointing with their noses and/or paws at a specific location inside when their handler said, "Show me."

When the vehicle was later towed to the Sheriff's Department and gone through by detectives, it was found that the dogs had indeed alerted on a spot of blood, about the size of nickel, on a pair of pants located below other items in the trunk.

On a different day, during the area search around where the vehicle had been parked, the body of the missing man was found by another K9 team. My team's handler and I and two of her four dogs were searching another location at the time, so we didn't witness the other dog's reaction, but our handler soon brought her dogs, one by one, to the remains to let them have a full body "find." The man had been deceased for some time -- up to three weeks -- but was intact, sitting on a blanket up against a tree. As we watched the first of the dogs move in toward the scent, I was expecting him to have an equal or greater reaction as he did to the spot of blood in the trunk.

But I was very wrong. The dog moved slowly, smelling around maybe ten feet from the body. Smelling ... smelling ... moving in a little closer. And closer. Looking up towards his handler now and then. Then he got even closer to the body, sniffing around near his hand. And then the dog raised his head, coming face-to-face with the deceased, and he jumped back, startled. He moved away and continued sniffing around the periphery. He peed on a bush. Slowly, the dog, the youngest of the four Goldens, made his way over to his handler, and gave a quiet alert, jumping up on her but without the enthusiasm he had at the vehicle. This was this dog's first full body.

I looked at the handler, confused.

"Think about what they train on," she said. "Small amounts of HR. It's very rare to have access to a whole body. So they're used to tiny bits, instead of such a huge scent pool."

That did make sense; although it took some time to sink in.

The first dog slowly moves in closer to the subject.

She retrieved the second dog, this one the oldest of her four. This dog had experienced one whole body before. But, oddly enough ... as I was still thinking ... he didn't go all the way in to the body, sniffing around the periphery like the first dog. Like the first dog, he urinated in the area. Though he showed no sign of wanting to leave the area, he didn't alert at all until prompted.

Again, the handler explained this to me, much like I later read in this excerpt:

From Buzzards and Butterflies -- Human Remains Detection Dogs (p. 58) : "Each dog is different. While some are adept at smaller quantities, when an entire body is present in a search scene, things change. Some dogs will continue to find and alert on larger quantities in the same manner they do with smaller quantities. However, many will react in totally different ways with a whole body or one that is in a more advanced stage of decomposition. Some will approach but not enter the zone of the hottest scent. They will not narrow down the source to the same degree that they do with disarticulated or smaller scent sources. Some will not get within 100 feet of a severely decomposed body but will slap or touch the paw at a skeleton. Each handler needs to experience varying degrees of decomposition in order to fully understand how their dog will react. With over 400 compounds formed during the decomposition process ... handlers can hardly prepare for each and every stage of decomposition. They can, however, expose the dog to as many of these varying stages as possible."(See Buzzards and Butterflies: Human Remains Detection Dogs on Amazon)

Do you have experience with HR (or cadaver) dogs? And have you witnessed anything like I've described, or a different reaction when a K9 locates a body versus the usually tiny amounts of HR they train on? Please share your experiences or comments here. If you have a related question, I'll try to get a good answer for you from our handler, who's also a SAR K9 instructor.

Search & Rescue Reading and Writing

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 21:19:00 +0000

These are the latest SAR blogs and books to come my way.

Seeking The Lost

Author Dale Matson is a volunteer for the Fresno County Mountaineering Unit of the Sheriff's Department, who recently published a book about nine of the searches he's been involved with over the last seven years: Seeking The Lost: Stories of Search and Rescue. Father Dale is also an Anglican Priest, a retired licensed plumber and heavy equipment operator, and a psychologist. These SAR stories are told as seen through Dale Matson's eyes as he worked with fellow volunteers and law enforcement personnel. The book begins with an overview of the search process, then tells the stories of specific searches, from call outs to conclusions. The stories include gear selection, navigation, and even the humor that can emerge in serious and sometimes dangerous conditions. Not every story describes a successful outcome but every search is treated as a learning experience.

Mountain Rescue Association Blog

The MRA published their first blog post on June 30, 2011, with What is MRA's Position on Charging for Search and Rescue? and then followed up with posts about the ten essentials and hyperthermia and heat-related illnesses. The Mountain Rescue Association (MRA), the oldest SAR association in the U.S., was established in 1959 at Timberline Lodge at Mount Hood, Oregon, and now is comprised of more than 90 government authorized units. Read the MRA blog.

Mountain Rescue Blog

The purpose of Mountain Rescue Blog is to share mountain search and rescue techniques, tools, news and opinions with others who are in the field or are interested in mountain SAR. Author Ethan Zook, a rock climber, hiker, caver and river paddler, has been exploring the outdoors since he was a child. During college, Ethan wanted to put his interests and skills to good use, so he joined the local mountain search and rescue team. He's also a firefighter/EMT-B with Hose Company #4 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, a Wilderness EMT, and he holds certifications in lifeguarding and CPR. Rounding out his outdoor resume, Ethan is a professional climbing guide and instructor. As a volunteer with the Rockingham-Augusta Search and Rescue Team (RASAR), he helps provide mountain SAR services to Rockingham and Augusta counties and the larger Commonwealth of Virginia. Ethan and his wife, Melissa, are now also members of Old Rag Mountain Stewards, a volunteer group providing outdoor education and rescue services to hikers on Old Rag Mountain in Shenandoah National Park. Read Mountain Rescue Blog

New Search and Rescue Reading and Ongoing Searches

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 00:34:00 +0000

I recently received emails from two Search and Rescue team members about each of their new books....

75 Search and Rescue Stories: An insider's view of survival, death, and volunteer heroes who tip the balance when things fall apart

Author Shaun Roundy, a Sergeant with the Utah County Sheriff Search and Rescue Mountain Rescue Team and the Mountain Rescue Association Intermountain Region Chair, has just published this book of the most memorable rescues of his past 12 years with the unit, including 150 photos. He tells these stories from two perspectives -- from that of the victim who gets in over his or her head and then from the professional volunteer rescuer who puts it all on the line for strangers, sometimes in the worst possible conditions.

DEATH CLOUDS On Mt Baldy: Tucson's Lost Tragedy

This is a true story about the more than 750 heroes who participated in what became the largest search and rescue operation in Arizona's history, which took place in November, 1958. Their mission: to rescue three young Boy Scouts lost in an unforecast southern Arizona monster blizzard in the Santa Rita mountains. Author Cathy Hufault is the sister of one of three other Boy Scouts who were with the victims until they'd turned back and were able to go for help.

Read Chapter 1

Search and Rescue in the News:

Virginia Hiker Missing in West Virginia's Cranberry Wilderness : West Virginia State Police say 56-year-old Michael Camellitti, of Stanardsville, Va., entered the densely wooded Cranberry Wilderness on May 23rd for a four-day hike, but he did not return. He has been declared missing since June 12. Read the story

Search and Rescue Crews Suspend Ground Search for Missing Hornby Island Teen : Search and rescue crews have suspended the ground search for a 16-year-old Hornby Island resident who went missing after setting out in his new kayak on the afternoon of June 29th, but the Comox Valley RCMP say they will continue their search on the water. Read the story

Just Found:

Bodies of Missing Doctor and Daughter Found in the Wilderness : Dr. Michael von Gorler, 53, from Boulder, CO, and his 20-year-old daughter, Makana, a University of Colorado student, were last heard from on June 21st, when Makana sent a text message to her boyfriend, telling him she was going to hike 14,067-foot Missouri Mountain near Buena Vista. This was supposed to be a day-hike on June 23rd. Ground searchers were assisted by two National Guard helicopters, one of which was a Black Hawk that could carry as many as nine searchers into the area. Today, their bodies were found about a mile from the summit. Read the story

Do You Read the NPS Morning Report?

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:44:00 +0000

The news isn't strictly Search and Rescue, but since I've been reading the Morning Report from the National Park Service, a lot of it has been. Thank you to J. Gary Brown, owner of Real World Productions, for bringing this to my attention.

From this morning's report, June 17, 2011:

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (CA)
Woman Rescued After Three Hours Caught In Park Stream

"On Tuesday, a 52-year-old woman headed out from the Farewell Gap trailhead on a solo day hike as part of her training for an ultra-marathon. She hiked up Farewell Canyon, crossing Franklin Creek on a snow bridge. On her return trip, the snow bridge collapsed underneath her and she fell into the creek. She was swept downstream under the snow for 30 to 40 feet before being able to stop herself. She stood up in the creek under the snow, but had no access to the surface. Using her hands, she dug through about five feet of snow and created a small hole, then threw her backpack out of the hole. It was seen there by other visitors, who went to examine the pack and found the woman under the snow nearby. By that time, she'd been trapped in the creek under snow for over three hours and was hypothermic and incoherent. One person pulled her out while another went back to the trailhead to summon help; the other members of the group helped warm her. Rangers and a park helicopter with a medic on board were dispatched to the scene. When the rangers arrived, the woman declined either evacuation or medical assistance. The rangers helped her return to the trailhead. [Submitted by Dana Dierkes, Public Affairs Officer]"

Read about more National Park SAR incidents, fire management, scheduled trainings, and parks and people news at http://www.nps.gov/applications/morningreport/.

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Have you read these books?

Lost Person Behavior: A search and rescue guide on where to look - for land, air and water, based on a landmark study, is the definitive guide to solving the puzzle of where a lost person might be found. It presents new and updated subject categories, behavioral profiles, current statistics, suggested initial tasks, and specialized investigative questions. Whether the subject is underground, underwater, under collapsed rubble, on land or has fallen from the sky, this book delivers what search managers need. This book is aimed at law enforcement and SAR personnel responsible for the initial response and subsequent search. Searchers in the field will also find this a fascinating and practical read.

The Mammoth Book of Mountain Disasters: True Stories of Rescue from the Brink of Death covers thirty-five first-hand accounts of incredible rescues at the top of the world in this volume spanning five continents. The book features an international cast of mountaineers, including Joe Simpson, Doug Scott, Pete Sinclair, Milos Vrbe, Paul Nunn, Ludwig Gramminger, Karen Glazely, Ken Phillips, Jamie Andrew, and Blaise Agresti. Compiled and edited by Hamish MacInnes, the Scottish mountaineering legend and pioneer in the field of mountain rescue, the collection includes work that has never before appeared in print — like the first draft of Joe Simpson's breathtaking tale of survival in the Peruvian Andes, "Touching the Void."

Specially commissioned for this volume are the accounts of a dramatic rescue executed by the Search and Rescue Team in Grand Canyon National Park; of the most remote mission ever undertaken by a helicopter rescue team, in the winter of 2000, on Mount Ararat; and of Jamie Andrew's extraordinary, international newsmaking 1999 rescue from the Alps. Rescue attempts are the real-life stuff of drama and suspense. They thrust the players into an elemental struggle for survival.

The Mountain Locator Unit and Other Emergency Signaling Devices

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Wed, 25 May 2011 23:57:00 +0000

A variety of emergency locating and messaging devices are available for backcountry travelers as means of signaling for help. These devices include Mountain Locator Units (MLUs), Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs), GPS locating devices (ie. the SPOT Satellite Messenger), and cell phones and Smart Phones. There is, however, no one perfect device. Each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, not to mention the fact that all electronic devices may fail and aren't a guarantee that rescuers will be able to reach a victim's location in time. These devices are no substitute for adequate preparation and at least one non-electronic backup plan should things go wrong.

The Mountain Locator Unit:

Oregon's Mount Hood is the only mountain in the world on which the MLU is currently used. The unit, which has a long range and long battery life, can be rented for about $5 at most Portland outdoor stores and from the Mount Hood Inn at Government Camp.

The Mountain Locator Unit was designed after a school group of two adults and seven children died on Mount Hood in 1986. The bodies of some of the group were found in a snow cave a day after searchers had passed within fifteen feet of their shelter without noticing them.

The MLU is easy to use but must be manually activated, and a call has to be placed to 911 in order for a rescue to be initiated, because no one is listening for the signal. There are only a few receivers in the state of Oregon, which are stored away. When someone calls 911, those who have the receivers will then activate them. But cell phone service is limited on Mt. Hood and varies widely among providers, not to mention that cell phone batteries don't last long in the cold. And an MLU won't be of any help if the victim is unconscious or unable to pull the cord and there is no one to activate it for them.

MLUs work with line of sight and provide a direction but not coordinates. MLUs do penetrate snow, however, so they will work in a snow cave, but the signal can bounce off of or be blocked by terrain.

Despite those limitations, the Mountain Locator Unit has saved lives on Mt. Hood. Here's a news video, including film taken by the rescuers when they were called out to search for missing climbers one February night during a blizzard with 60mph winds and white-out conditions.

The Personal Locator Beacon:

When activated, a Personal Locator Beacon sends a high-strength satellite signal, which gives law enforcement a broad location of the device. The PLB emits a homing signal, which rescuers follow with the use of a receiver to locate the victim. Newer models provide a complete set of GPS coordinates, and, unlike the MLU, simply activating a PLB initiates a rescue response without a call to 911. PLBs have a shorter battery life than MLUs, lasting 1 or 2 days at most once activated and must be sent back to the manufacturer for battery replacement. The units require an unobstructed view of the sky and registration with the appropriate national authority.

PLBs, such as the Revere McMurdo FastFindcan be purchased for retail prices of about $200 and up.

Here's an informative video about MLUs, PLBs and other signaling and GPS tracking devices, presented by the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office and Portland Mountain Rescue.

Related reading:

What is a PLB?

Mountain Locator Unit Can Help, But Doesn't Guarantee a Safe Return

The Use and Misuse of the SPOT Satellite Receiver

Search & Rescue Blogs and Mission Episodes / Also: Update on the Search for Abisha

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Tue, 17 May 2011 20:14:00 +0000

Here's a Search & Rescue website some of you may not have stumbled upon yet. It's called Call Out.

Call Out provides teams across British Columbia, Canada, with small camcorders and tiny helmet cams. Each participating team usually designates one or two of its members as camera operators. When there's a Search and Rescue mission, the camera person shoots as much footage as possible without compromising the rescue operation. Then, if it turns out to be what Call Out considers a good rescue story, their production team meets with the SAR team and the subjects to film interviews, and a short re-creation is often staged to fill in the gaps in the footage.

View Call Out episodes

On Call Out, you can also read blogs by "SAR Advocates," who "share their passion for Search and Rescue whether they are actively participating on a team or not, applying their knowledge and extensive experience to assist the SAR community in meeting the multi-faceted challenges involved in saving lives."

You can follow Call Out on Facebook and Twitter as well.

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Update on the search for Abisha Ray Mounce:

Several months ago, I posted about this missing person case after being contacted by Abisha's mom, Ingmar, who was spreading the word about her son. Abisha had been missing since October, 2007. His vehicle had been found along the Continental Divide Trail, parked at North Crestone Trailhead just north of Crestone, Colorado. An extensive search, both by SAR teams and by a friend of Abisha's, had turned up no clues.

A few days ago, I received this comment from Ingmar on that former post:

"Remains, likely Abisha's, were found last Monday. Thank you all for your SAR service. It is an important thing for us family members of people who go missing"

She referenced the Valley Courier story: Missing Atlanta Man Presumed Dead in San Luis Valley

The Shortest Route Was a Tragic Route for a Canadian Couple

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Wed, 11 May 2011 22:24:00 +0000

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons/CC

In March, 2011, Rita and Albert Chretien were driving from Canada to Las Vegas with guidance from their new GPS. But their trip came to a sudden, unexpected stop on the 19th in the wilderness of Nevada's Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, when their two-wheel drive van became stuck in the mud on washed-out forest service roads deep in the high country. According to the Associated Press, they'd consulted their GPS "to find the shortest route to Jackpot, nestled in Nevada's northeastern corner. If they had typed in the town's name into their GPS from anywhere in the area, the shortest route would have led them off-highway and along possibly a half-dozen different forest service roads only named with numbers. They apparently followed the route into the mountains without question."

Yes, we've heard similar stories before -- people blindly following the directions given by a piece of technology, without consulting a map or using common sense in the process, allowing themselves to be led into danger and, sometimes, even death. Remember the Nevada couple who got stranded for three days in the Oregon desert after they followed directions from their GPS device? Soon after that, an Oregon couple spent about 12 hours stranded in the Northwest's Cascade Mountains with their 11-month-old daughter. Lucky for them, those stories had happy endings. For the Chretiens, though, theirs appears to be a tragedy.

On Friday, May 6th, 56-year-old Rita Chretien was found barely alive -- yes, seven weeks after getting stuck -- by a group of hunters on ATVs who themselves had made a wrong turn on the confusing network of Forest Service roads. Her husband, however, is still missing, having set out on foot on March 22nd to walk more than 20 miles to find help, hoping to make it to Mountain City.

Two of the men who found Rita rode nearly ten miles on their ATVs to get cell service and called Elko County dispatchers. Listen to the 911 tape....

Rita Chretian survived by rationing trail mix and hard candy and drinking from a nearby creek. She lost as much as 30 pounds during that time and would not have survived much longer.

Sgt. Kevin McKinney of the Elko County Sheriff's Department, which is leading the continuing search for Albert Chretian said, "Many of the roads are just washed out, covered from rock slides, and there are deep pockets of drifting snow."

For more on this story and the continuing search, read:

Canadian Woman Found Alive, Husband Still Missing
Woman Who Was Stranded for Weeks Leaves Hospital
Teams Seek Man Whose Wife Survived Seven Weeks in Bush

Another Search & Rescue Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 04:52:00 +0000

The New Mexico Search and Rescue Council, a non-profit, all-volunteer organization that represents the largest group of wilderness search and rescue teams in the state, will be hosting the 2011 "Escape" in Ruido, NM, on May 13 - 15th at the Ruido Convention Center.

Courses offered at this year's conference will include:

Land Navigation
Air to Ground Visual Signals
Amateur Radio
Introduction to Technical Rescue
Knots
Soft Tissue Injuries
Map and Compass
GPS
Heat and Electrolyte Emergencies
Choosing a Communication System
Patient Packing

... and much more.

To see the complete schedule and find out more about the conference, lodging and the keynote speaker, see http://www.escapeinfo.org/.

Follow-up: Missing Hikers Found Safe in Zion National Park

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 21:47:00 +0000

According to a National Park news release, the two hikers that were listed as missing in Zion National park have been found. Evgenia Buzulukova, 25 from Roy, Utah and Jonathon Wilson, 28 from Portland, Oregon, were located in the Left Fork of North Creek (The Subway) last night, April 19, at approximately 10 p.m. in safe and stable condition.

The news release goes on to say...

"They eventually reached a point in The Subway where the very high and cold water conditions were such that they did not think it was safe to continue. They decided to wait at this spot for help from other hikers who may be in The Subway.

On Tuesday, April 19, they encountered another group of hikers who were able to assist the couple through the difficult area. The couple then joined the group for the rest of the route through the canyon. They were eventually located that same evening at approximately 10 p.m. by a rescue helicopter from the 66th Rescue Squadron from Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, NV. Two squadron members were lowered down to the group and assisted them on the rest of the hike out. They all arrived safely at the Left Fork of North Creek Trailhead at approximately 11 p.m. Park rangers met the couple at the trailhead and determined that they did not require any medical attention. After interviewing them, they were released. .... The successful conclusion to the search was in part because the hikers had obtained a backcountry hiking permit which included information useful to the searchers. They also made a wise decision to wait for help in the canyon instead of attempting a difficult and dangerous obstacle that would have pushed the limits of their capabilities and equipment."

Hikers Missing in Zion National Park

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 22:55:00 +0000

Zion National Park rangers, park employees and volunteers are currently conducting a search for two missing hikers, 25 year-old Evgenia Bruzulukova from Roy, Utah and Jonathon Wilson, 28, from
Portland, Oregon. The pair had a backcountry permit for a one-day trip through Russell Gulch and the Left Fork of North Creek (known as "The Subway") on Saturday, April 16.

Bruzulukova and Wilson were last seen by park visitors on Saturday morning at the head of Russell Gulch. Rangers began searching for them on Sunday, after the couple’s vehicle was discovered at the Left Fork of North Creek Trailhead. The trip that they had undertaken involves several 100-foot rappels and swimming through the Left Fork of North Creek. Streams in the area are currently running very high and cold due to runoff from snowmelt.

The search effort also includes assistance from a helicopter, dog teams and multiple ground search teams.

Anyone with information concerning the missing hikers or who thinks they may have seen them are being asked contact Zion National Park Dispatch at 435-772-0178. You can read one of many news articles about this search and see photos of the missing hikers at http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/apr/19/crews-search-2-missing-hikers-zion-national-park/.

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Of course, this is just one of many ongoing Search & Rescue missions throughout the world. You can see a feed of SAR news headlines on the Backcountry Rescuer website.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Two New Firsthand Search & Rescue Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:36:00 +0000

Now featured on SARStories.com:

Devil's Dues by Bruce Hansen....

An AirMed Skycare helicopter crashes into the ocean off the coast of Maine with a burn patient, nurse, paramedic and pilot aboard. Coast Guard rescue vessels had to turn back before reaching the search area, due to all hands being ill from rough seas. Then, members of the Cape Elizabeth Water Extrication Team (WET) were called out.

Author Bruce Hansen was one of the WET team members who fought exhaustion and hypothermia that night to rescue the surviving victim of the crash. He writes, "We were out there and insanely focused. At 0130 hours, the Coast Guard Duty Commander radioed to our handheld, duct-taped to the helm. The WET Team had completed its assigned search pattern and was advised to stand down. After all this? The Coast Guard classified the crash victims as missing and presumed dead. We did not think they had to be dead men."

Read the full story on Bruce Hansen's blog, A Voice Cries Out in the Wilderness.

Rescue on Rosalie Peak by Maverick

Maverick (a.k.a Prakesh), Alyson, Kevin and a black lab named J.B. started up Colorado's Rosalie Peak on the morning of February 11, 2011, under blue skies. Just before they reached the summit five hours later, the forecasted snowstorm and high winds moved in. And, on the way down, Alyson fell, breaking her leg and pelvis and, as was later discovered, suffering from internal bleeding.

Fortunately, there was cell phone service on the mountain, and a call for help was made. UNfortunately, the rescue helicopter that was initially dispatched and landed at the victim's location had to suddenly take off without her, due to the storm. Long, cold hours would pass before a ground unit from the Alpine Rescue Team could reach Alyson and her friends, and then would come the "descent from hell," as Maverick puts it.

He writes, "I stood and watched the chopper take off in abject dismay. I had had barely enough time to digest the fact that they were leaving her. I admit I was afraid to turn and look at Alyson’s face as the chopper took off… for two reasons: (1) I was plain chicken to witness her disappointment which I knew was far greater than mine and (2) I did not want her to see in my face that I lost hope for a quick second; it would have killed the overall mood I was hoping to create during this day… a positive mindset was the biggest weapon we had at this point since we could be in for a long wait."

Read the full story on SummitPost.org.

A SAR Volunteer Loses His Life During a Search

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 15:44:00 +0000

This morning, I found out that Arizona Mounted Search & Rescue volunteer, Lloyed Reese, 77, died during a mission this past Tuesday. Lloyd was a member of the Gila County Sheriff's Office Mounted Posse, which was formed in 1967.

Woolsey was leading his horse across an old dam in a remote location when he slipped and fell approximately 20 feet onto the rocks below. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Frank Woolsey was participating in the search for a 56-year-old man who left his home near Payson, Arizona, on an ATV sometime around 10 a.m. on April 1st. The following afternoon, a neighbor contacted the sheriff’s office, stating that he'd not heard from the man since, and he didn't appear to be prepared for an extended trip.

For more information on Lloyd Reese's death and the mission he was on, see: Volunteer Dies During Search and Rescue Tuesday

SAR News: Conferences, Tracking Classes, A Katie Kim Interview, and SAR Reading

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:25:00 +0000

Here are two more SAR conferences you might be interested in...

The IDHS Search and Rescue conference will be June 2 - 5, 2011, at the IDHS SAR Training Center at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. See the conference agenda here.

Little Egypt Search and Rescue will be holding its 4th Annual SAREX at Dixon Springs State Park in Southern Illinois, April 15 -17, 2011. Sign up on their website at http://www.lesar.org/

You can find other 2011 SAR Conferences in my earlier post here.

Universal Tracking Services has posted some 2011 tracking classes on their site at http://www.utstrackingservices.com/event-current.htm. There are currently two in April (in Wamic, OR, and Duncan, B.C.), two in May (in Colorado Springs, CO, and Cache County, UT), and two in September (in Wamic, OR, and Daggit County, UT).

Tonight on ABC's 20/20, there will be a two-hour interview with Kati Kim, who will discuss her family's
disappearance in Oregon, when they were stranded for nine freezing cold days in 2006. Her husband, James Kim, attempted to go for help and succumbed to hypothermia. See: '20/20' Exclusive: Kati Kim on Her Family's Harrowing Ordeal

And here's a book that was recommended to me by another SAR volunteer. It's called Playing for Real: Stories from Rocky Mountain Rescue and is about the founding of the Rocky Mountain Rescue Team in the 1940s and subsequent rescues and recoveries from that time onward, mostly in the general vicinity of Boulder, CO.

The Search for Abisha

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 19:23:00 +0000

On October 21, 2010, Abisha Ray Mounce, also known as Abe, left Atlanta, Georgia in his 2007 Black Jeep Wrangler (Georgia License Plate AWR 2270). Abe told his wife he was going "to the woods" to hike and would return in a couple of weeks, which is not unusual for Abe. He's an avid backpacker, having completed an Appalachian Trail thru-hike from Maine to Georgia in 2009, for which, according to his mother, Abe planned carefully.

Abe's vehicle was first noticed along the Continental Divide Trail, parked at North Crestone Trailhead just north of Crestone, Colorado, on 10/26/10 (though the family did not know this at the time). Abe's mom found out he was missing on November 12th and, with his wife, filed a missing person's report with the Atlanta Police Department. On 11/30, a Saguache County deputy checked Atlanta PD's missing persons list and saw a picture and description of the jeep. Saguache did what Abe's mom calls a "small" SAR mission that week and then had the larger search organized by December 4th. The Colorado National Guard was initially going to participate with a helicopter but then pulled out due to the amount of time between first sighting and the date of the SAR response. Extensive SAR efforts near Crestone have been unsuccessful.

Also according to Abe's mom, at the trailhead north of Crestone where his Jeep was found, search dogs found scent only in the Jeep, but nothing on the trail. At first, there was just one dog, and then the 40-man SAR team with 3 K-9s tried a second time that same week, during which snow was still sparse--maybe 3 to 5 inches max in some places in late November. One SAR member compiled the maps of areas that had been searched and continued searching on his own for 15 more days.

A website has been set up to share information about the search for Abisha. This is the search summary from that site:

Abisha leaves Atlanta, Georgia 10/21/10 driving a Black Jeep Wrangler
Deputy observes Jeep parked at the North Crestone Trailhead on 10/26/10
Possible sightings in Crestone, Colorado around late October
Possible sightings in Alamosa, Colorado around late October or early November
SAR member notices Jeep missing (for no more than a day) on 11/03/10
SAR member does not notice anything unusual during hikes in N. Crestone or nearby
drainages from 11/2/2010 - 11/9/2010
SAR member does not notice anything unusual during hikes both south and north
of Crestone, Colorado from 11/14/2010 - 11/21/2010
Family is informed of the abandoned Jeep on 11/30/2010
Jeep is towed by Saguache County Sheriff's Office on 11/30/2010
Official Search is conducted in North Crestone drainage by 40 SAR members on 12/04/10
Unofficial Mountain Search by S&R Member (12/08/2010 - 1/08/2011)
Unofficial Road Search by friend Sean Monesson (1/02/2011 - 1/27/2011)

See http://www.searchforabisha.org for more information, including additional photos of Abe, areas searched, and Abe's bio.

****************

Announcement: SAR Conference date change

The Arizona State Search and Rescue Conference held in Heber, Arizona, has been rescheduled for April 15 -17.

The K9 portion of the conference will, however, still be held from April 28 - May 1, but in Flagstaff instead of Heber. For information, please contact Cindy McArthur at mcfuzzykids@msn.com

A Rescuer's Eye-View of a Mid-Face Short Haul

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 05:05:00 +0000

"Jonathan Lytton was just climbing along last August on Dan’s Delight in Banff National Park, Alberta, and then he wasn’t: A rock fell from above, smashing his helmet and sending him from the sharp end of the rope into a leader fall. His first piece of protection pulled out and by the time he was caught by his partner and belayer, he’d plummeted 66 feet. The fall broke his ankle and some ribs, dislocated his shoulder, and left him unconscious for five minutes with head injuries."
(Source: AdventureJournal.com)

Check out the rescue in the Canadian Rockies. I'll soon be adding this amazing video to the SARStories site.

Read about the rescue in "High Risk, High Drama in the Canadian Rockies" on Adventure Journal.

And thank you to photographer Christopher Eaton for bringing this story and video to my attention.

2011 SAR Conferences

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 20:56:00 +0000

Mark your calendars....

This is a short list (so far), but these are the SAR conferences for which I've been able to find dates for 2011. Others have yet to be announced.

Know of a 2011 SAR conference not listed here? Please let us know in the comments section.

NASAR Conference
Where: Sparks, NV
When: June 2-4
Website: http://www.nasar.org/nasar/conferences.php?id=161

Shephard's Search & Rescue Conference
Where: Bournemouth, UK
When: April 13-14
Website: http://www.shephard.co.uk/events/65/search-and-rescue-2011/

Arizona State SAR Conference
Where: Heber, AZ
When: April 15 -17 (Dates have been changed!)
Website: http://www.trsar.org/ (no information has been posted yet)

Arizona SAR K9-CON
Where: Flagstaff, AZ
When: April 28 - May 1
Contact: Cindy McArthur at mcfuzzykids@msn.com for more information
(Added: See: The Arizona K-9 Search and Rescue Conference for photos and video from this successful event.)

Washington State Search & Rescue Conference
Where: Cowlitz County Regional Event and Exposition Center
When: May 20-22
Website: http://sarconwa.org/

International Tech Rescue Symposium
Where: Fort Collins, CO
When: Nov. 3-6
Website: http://www.itrsonline.org/index.html

K-9 SAR, Mounted SAR ... Raven SAR?

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 01:58:00 +0000

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

We all know about SAR dogs. And we know that searchers ride horses in the field, and that horses themselves have a knack for finding people. But Search & Rescue ravens?

Absolutely, says doctoral student Emily Cory. And she's got her pet raven, Shade, to prove it. When Shade showed signs of extreme intelligence, Emily decided to train him in the art of hide-and-seek in hopes of assisting search and rescue teams.

Emily grew up in Sedona, Arizona, where she would often hear helicopters flying over, searching for lost hikers. As an adult, Emily worked with birds at the Arizona-Sonora Museum, where a common raven caught her attention. She says, “[The raven] would play horrible tricks on the volunteers, she’d get in so much trouble. She never forgot a thing, never missed a thing [and] that really got my attention.”

So, Emily purchased Shade and began to train the bird to look for lost hikers by using elaborate games of hide-and-seek, while writing her Master’s thesis on the project. Shade demonstrated an uncanny knack for finding anything Emily would hide, sometimes looking in places Emily never thought to hide the objects. She also noticed that Shade understood verbal commands.

Emily Cory hopes to train Shade to work in the back country, flying back and forth between hiker and trainer with a GPS attached to his foot. But, as of yet, no colleagues or professors have agreed to support this research. Nonetheless, Emily has begun a Ph.D. program at the University of Arizona focusing on ravens and language.

Read: Someday This Raven May Come To The Rescue

Listen to the story on NPR

So Many Skills, So Little Time (To Get Rusty)

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:14:00 +0000

Now that I'm home in Arizona after three months in Nepal and getting back to SAR, I realize how rusty I am at a number of skills after not using them while I was away. I'm sure as I practice and review, what I feel like I've forgotten will come back fairly quickly. But on one recent mission, I found myself hesitating and really having to think about what I was doing when it came to certain skills that had been--or at least were becoming--more second nature before I left. It just goes to show that SAR work involves a lot of ongoing training and practice, and we can't take those skills for granted if we don't use them for a while.

So I was thinking about all the learning I've done since getting involved with SAR three years ago:

Man-tracking
Alternative navigation (things like using the stars, sun, and moon, pacing and reading terrain)
Map and compass
GPS
ATV operation
Snowmobile and snowcat operation
Knot-tying
Rappelling and ascending
Anchor systems
Lowering and raising systems for technical rescue
Patient packaging
Backcountry medical skills (Wilderness First Responder)
Mid-face pick-offs
Belaying
Rigging the litter for technical rescue
Truck and trailer training
Winch operation and safety
Helicopter safety
The National Incident Management System (NIMS training)
Alzheimer's and Dementia Patient Search

There have been important details like learning to attach the wheel to the litter, how to properly secure the ATVs to the trailer, how to estimate probability of detection. And the list goes on. Heck, I think I've learned more in three years of SAR than I did in five years of college. At least, more practical, hands-on skills.

So what's the point of this post? Oh, just sharing my thoughts as I get back up to speed after a few months away and then continue to learn and practice. And I would say to any new or perspective SAR member, search and rescue skills aren't something you learn once and then use now and again when you go on a mission. You really need to put the time in to practice, both on your own and as a team, on an ongoing basis, even if there are no missions for a while. Otherwise, you could find yourself on a real mission not remembering how to perform some important skills and therefore becoming more of a hindrance than a help.

Our team requires each member to participate in certain General SAR skills trainings (ie. GPS, map and compass, ATV operation, truck and trailer training, etc.) once every three years, but that's assuming we're practicing on our own and during missions in between. As far as our technical rescue team goes, we have to pass a basic skills test each year. What about your team (if you're on one)?

TrailNote: A Free Online Alert System For The Outdoors

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 17:48:00 +0000

Going hiking, climbing, camping, kayaking, or embarking on any other type of outdoor activity? Inform TrailNote when, where, and how long you will be traveling, and if you don't return by a specified time, this website will electronically inform your contacts of your absence. While GPS, cell phones, and other wireless devices can't always get through (or perhaps you aren't able to operate the device for some reason), TrailNote is another safety backup that you can take advantage of.

What you do is register (for free) on TrailNote.com, name your trip, provide a travel description, give a start time and end time, and mark your destination on a digital map. You also enter the email or text message addresses of people you would like to notify in case you do not return in time.

When you do return, you can use a computer or web-enabled cell phone to cancel your TrailNote. TrailNote.com will provide a warning if you forget. In the event you don't return, TrailNote will automatically message everyone that you selected. The message will contain a link to TrailNote.com and provide your contacts with the details of your trip--where you were going, the map information, and your contact information from your profile.

I asked the webmaster of TrailNote.com a few questions, and here's what he said:

Q: Can you tell me who started this site and why?

A: The site was created by Richard Visokey and Brandon Price. The original concept of TrailNote came after reading an article about Aron Ralston, who became famous in 2003 when he was forced to amputate his lower right arm with a dull knife to free himself after his arm became trapped by a boulder when he was mountaineering in Utah . One of the main reasons Aron's situation became so tragic was that he did not inform anyone where he was going and remained trapped for days. Additionally, we were reminded of the concept every time we would hear a report about a missing hiker making the news, which happened quite frequently.

The connection between the majority of the missing person reports was that the hikers were not leaving notes or plans of their trips. No one knew where they were going.

We both felt that there must be a better way to keep people informed when you go out, and TrailNote was the solution.

Q: I realize it's a free site for users, but people may be interested to know how you fund it.

A: All expenses are paid by us with no plans to charge users a fee.

Q: Do you have any stories to share about users who've been rescued due to a TrailNote?

We don't, and that is the truly great thing about TrailNote. With the detailed notes that are created, when an adventurer does not return in time, people are usually able to locate the missing person on their own, usually with just a phone call, with the TrailNote information provided. This doesn't mean that people are putting themselves at risk wandering the wilderness looking for missing people, but it means that the information a TrailNote provides allows people to locate an individual quickly and safely.

This also means SAR teams, the authorities, and the Forest Service save resources and time by only being notified of a missing hiker when an individual is truly missing. Additionally, they are also handed the TrailNote, giving them the detailed information. Now rescue services have a far better understanding of what type of rescue they are dealing with. This results in a quicker response time, increased safety to everyone involved, and less cost per rescue.

Q: What about someone failing to report in when they've returned, even though they DID return? Any comments or stories about that type of situation?

A: TrailNote has safeguards to help prevent false alerts, but it still happens. However, unlike EPRB or other electronic systems, TrailNote has a human element behind it. When an alert goes out to the user's contact list, it typically results in only a quick phone call or text message to determine if the user simply forgot to turn off the alert or if an emergency exists.

Q: Many of the SARStoriesNews readers are Search & Rescue professionals (volunteer and paid), so I'm sure they'll be interested to learn about this site. May they contact you if they have questions?

A: We are always eager to talk about TrailNote as we are very proud of the system we created. If any of your readers have additional questions, do not hesitate to direct them to us. We will always take the time to answer any question and take suggestions about the service.

For more information, visit About TrailNote.

And here's a story from the Phoenix East Valley Tribune about TrailNote: TrailNote.com Sends Out Emergency Alerts

Reverse 9-1-1

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:28:00 +0000

During a recent mission, our SAR coordinator made use of the Reverse 9-1-1 system to contact homeowners in a particular subdivision in the area of the missing subject, to ask them to check around their homes and in their sheds and other out-buildings where the mentally handicapped boy may have been hiding.

Reverse 9-1-1 can be used to advise residents in both large and small areas of an emergency or hazard (ie. a hazardous material spill, a wildfire or flood, etc.), to gather information to help solve a crime, and, as in the case above, to alert them to a missing person search. The system might be used to assemble volunteers or to contact an individual for a welfare check. In addition, Reverse 9-1-1 can be used as a community bulletin board of sorts and even for automatic faxing of information or instructions to certain people or local businesses. It can also be used to reconnect to a phone that was disconnected during an emergency call.

The Reverse 9-1-1 system uses a database of phone numbers and addresses combined with mapping technology, allowing emergency and law enforcement personnel to pinpoint a specific area or individual/s. At this time, however, cell phone numbers and Voice Over Internet (VoIP) services such as Vonage or others offered by cable companies are not in the system. Some TTY (TeleTYpewriter) numbers may be in the Reverse 9-1-1 database, but emergency services don't know which phone numbers are TTY compatible. So if you don't have a land line but would like to be contacted on your cell, VoIP, or TTY phone, you have to register your number within your county or city. The system can deliver text messages to TTY and TDD devices, so those who are deaf or hard of hearing can receive the Reverse 9-1-1 alerts. You should also register if you have an unlisted phone number or have recently changed your phone number.

I would suggest doing an online search for Reverse 9-1-1 signup and the name of your area. Or you can call your city or county dispatcher. (But don't call 9-1-1 to do so, of course!) This is an example of Coconino County, Arizona's signup web page: Ready Coconino.

Here's a great example of how Reverse 9-1-1 can be effectively and successfully used in Search & Rescue operations: Reverse 9-1-1 System Used in Search for 77-Year-Old Woman

Canine Instinct--A SAR Dog Documentary

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 22:24:00 +0000

I recently received an email from filmmaker Nick Goodman about a new documentary he made called Canine Instinct, featuring search dog trainer, Kyle Warren. Kyle is with the Eagle Valley Search Dog Team, based in the Catskills and Upper Delaware River Valley of New York.

Nick Goodman spent several days filming the EV Search Dogs, including following Kyle and his dog, Quax, during some of his customized training sessions and at the Delaware River recovery effort on August 26, 2009. On that day, EV Search Dogs responded to Knight’s Eddy, NY, to help locate Hin Hon Siu, age 36, who had drowned a few days earlier.

April 22, 2010, is the world premiere of Canine Instinct at the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival.

Here is a short clip from the film, which can also be viewed on the SARStories website (Videos, page 6):

Canine Instinct is also the name of Kyle Warren's dog-training company through which he has trained more than 2,300 dogs. He's the author of the blog, Dog Finds Man, about his adventures with his Search and Rescue German shepherds, Quax and Maya.

Featured Site: Decisions For Heroes

noreply@blogger.com (Deb Lauman) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:17:00 +0000

Decisions For Heroes is a statistics collation software, helping Search & Rescue teams record and analyze their rescue operations and training. There is nothing to download, however; users access the tool as a web application. Teams enter incident and training exercise reports into this online program, and it will then tell the team how to improve their responses. The software tracks team member qualifications, equipment, and training, and the use of these things against incidents.

The Decisions For Heroes software has a feedback system that allows users to leave improvement suggestions. Typical users include Mountain Rescue teams, the Coast Guard, Search & Rescue canine handlers, Sheriff departments, and urban Search & Rescue teams.

Users sign in after each incident or training exercise to enter their activity report. The software will then automatically add the data to the team's records and update their stats. Rescue teams pay a monthly or annual subscription to gain access to the service. The program was trialed for 8 months with 1,800 rescuers in 5 countries.

One team that uses the Decisions For Heroes program is Inland NW Search and Rescue. INSAR is a multi-disciplined search and rescue organization located in the Pacific northwest and based in Spokane, Washington. They provide ground, high angle, mountain, and water search and rescue support to the region, with twenty-six field-ready team members and fourteen individuals currently in training.

Part of their requirement to become field ready is to comply the Washington State Administrative Code (WAC 118.04.120) as it relates to search and rescue volunteers. INSAR has utilized the WAC guidelines to formulate a comprehensive set of requirements that their team members must complete and maintain in order to receive field ready status.

Joe Coates, the INSAR Training Officer, stated, “One of our greatest challenges was disseminating information to our team members regarding training record status and notification of upcoming activities, as well as enhancing overall communication within our organization. Over the last year, we reviewed numerous database programs and internal web based solutions. We were not able to find one that completely fulfilled our requirements."

Until they found Decisions For Heroes, that is. Coates goes on to say, "Early in 2010, we discovered a corporation based in Ireland named Decisions for Heroes. They are a group of search and rescue professionals who developed an easy-to-implement but comprehensive, web-based solution. This has provided the leadership and team members within the INSAR organization with resources beyond our expectation. The database tracking of an individual’s qualifications, team calendar with auto notification of events, internal communication via e-mail, chat, and whiteboard along with extensive report generation and analysis has provided us with tools that will allow our organization to position itself for the future. Decisions for Heroes has been extremely responsive to questions as they have arisen and are very open to suggestions for future enhancement to their search and rescue solution.”

Information and a video regarding Decision for Heroes may be found at DecisionsForHeroes.com.