Coconino County Sheriff's Search and Rescue

search log - Coconino County Search and Rescue Flagstaff Unit, Inc.

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Search Log

Search Log: Search & Rescue Flagstaff Unit, Inc. is in integral part of the Coconino Country Sheriff's Office. The real incidents listed here involved members of the volunteer Flagstaff Unit, Inc. This log is not meant to serve as a press release and contains no names or other sensitive information. Please contact the Sheriff's Office directly for more event disclosure.

Incident Name: Kachina Trail Lost Hikers	Incident Date(s): 10/15/2010
Details: Two hikers called 911 reporting they were lost off the Kachina Trail. Starting from the Snow Bowl Trailhead toward the Rutherford trail, the subjects lost the trail when attempting to return to their vehicle later in the day.
Conclusion: SAR personnel were dispatched from the trailhead and located the subjects about 100 feet off the trail in the area of 1st gully. The subjects were in good condition and were escorted out to the trailhead.

Incident Name: Tornado and Storm Emergency Response

Incident Date(s): 10/6/2010 to 10/7/2010

Details: A series of thunderstorms struck many locations within Coconino County spawning 8 reported tornados. SAR personnel responded the day of the storms and contacted subjects in the Bellemont area who were struck by one of the tornados. Individual homeowners were interviewed and and initial damage assessment was gathered. The next day, SAR personnel were deployed to multiple locations searching for hunters and campers who were possibly stranded in areas affected by tornados from Woody Mountain Road to the Clints Well Area.

Conclusion: Several homes in Bellemont were severely damaged, but no serious injuries were reported. There was extensive damage to a travel trailer dealer and several cars from an intermodal train were derailed. Several individuals were located in areas blocked by downed trees in multiple locations. Forest Service cutters opened access in major areas and worked to open access to anyone who needed out.

It was noted that the 8 reported tornados is a record for the number of tornados that have touched down in a individual region in a single day in the United States.

Incident Name: Blue Ridge Reservoir Drowning	Incident Date(s): 9/26/2010
Details: A subject was reported at Blue Ridge Reservoir who jumped from a high ledge into deep water and did not surface. The water was reported to be 45' deep. Initial searches located the possible location of the subject but were unable to recover any remains.
Conclusion: A dive team located the subject at the possible location reported by SAR personnel at a depth of 45'. The subject was recovered deceased.

Incident Name: Overdue Base Jumpers	Incident Date(s): 9/21/2010
Details: Subjects were reported overdue "at the apex of the Grand Canyon." After some research with the reporting party, a helicopter was dispatched to the Little Colorado River and located a group of Base Jumpers who were unable to find an exit out of the canyon. The subjects had no food or water and were about 1/2 the way up the canyon side.
Conclusion: Water was given to the subjects from a helicopter cargo net, and the subjects were able to continue their hike out of the canyon unassisted.

Incident Name: Kachina Trail Cardiac Patient	Incident Date(s): 9/17/2010
Details: A Subject was reported on the Kachina Trail suffering from cardiac stress.
Conclusion: SAR volunteers located and transported the subject by stokes litter to an awaiting ambulance at the trailhead

Incident Name: West Fork of Oak Creek Overdue Hikers	Incident Date(s): 9/5/2010
Details: Late Sunday, two overdue hikers out of a party of four was reported missing after the reporting party had hiked up from Call of the Canyon Trail head. The group was separated near the Narrows. SAR responded to the trail head, and conducted a search of West Fork aided by an AZ DPS Rescue Helicopter from Kingman. Air Rescue spotted a campfire in the area of the Narrows and SAR units hiked to the subjects.
Conclusion: Both hikers were in good condition, were provided some dry clothing and then assisted out of the canyon to the trail head. where they were reunited with the first two hikers early the next morning.

Incident Name: Mormon Lake Campers	Incident Date(s):9/5/2010
Details: Late Sunday, a camper and his three daughters were reported overdue.
Conclusion: A search of area campgrounds led to the discovery of the subject later that evening. There was no problem and the call was due to a miscommunication.

Incident Name: Bear Canyon Lake	Incident Date(s): 9/5/2010
Details: Three missing juveniles were reported in the area of Bear Canyon Lake at approximately 1:00 pm. Coconino County Sheriff's Office, AZ DPS Air Rescue from Phoenix, and U.S. Forest Service personnel assisted in the search.
Conclusion: The three were located at approximately 4:00 pm by US. Forest Service near in intersection of FS 89 and FS 91. All were in good condition and were reunited with their families.

Incident Name: Cinder Lakes ATV Accidents	Incident Date(s): 9/4/2010
Details: CCSAR responded to two ATV accidents with injuries that occurred in the Cinder Lakes Off Highway Vehicle area northeast of Flagstaff along with Summit Fire Guardian Medical Transport and Guardian Air Transport.
Conclusion: Between the two accidents, five patients were transported including three by air ambulance to Flagstaff Medical Center.

Incident Name: Mock Search and Rescue Operation - MRA Wilderness Search Certification	Incident Date(s): 8/14/2010
Details: CCSAR conducted a mock search and rescue west of Snowbowl between Kachina Trail and Fort Valley Road. Designed to simulate the active search phase of an operation, the unit skipped the hasty phase and began the operation as a segmented area search. Teams were formed and searched for clues left behind by two subjects reported overdue. When the subjects were located, the teams immediately began medical treatment for simulated possible broken leg/wrist and other injuries on one of the subjects. The injured subject was transported in a stokes litter to a staging area. State MRA Representatives were on hand to observe the mission for MRA certification.
Conclusion: Search teams found several confirmed footprints & 3 other material clues and were approaching the search area that contained the subjects when the male hiked out and made contact. The male subject reported the general location of a female subject who sustained simulated injuries due to a fall. The injured subject was located, treated and transported to where an awaiting ambulance would normally take over medical care. After the conclusion of the search, the MRA representatives certified the unit for Wilderness Search.