Highlights of The Year 2012

Compiled by Webmaster and Jim Gilbreath

The following accounts of field operations are the best efforts of the newsletter editor, are NOT official reports, and may have errors and omissions, for which apologies and regrets are expressed in advance.

Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team
2012 Operations Summary

by Jim Gilbreath

The Team responded to 30 calls

15 were searches

24 were rescues

7 were both

There were 38 victims/subjects involved

35 were visitors

4 were Eastern Sierra residents

The Team was in the field for 312 hours, with a total of 1835 manhours volunteered on calls.

The average duration of a mission was 11 hours with an average of 8 members responding, and an average of 60 manhours per call.

The maximum turnout was 21 members, with 272 manhours.

8 missions were snow related. 3 involved aviation.

13 missions involved injuries, with 6 fatalities.

Mission Categories:

8 Overdue

3 Stranded

7 Lost

10 Falls

6 Illness

4 False alarms

We were able to obtain helicopter aid for 12 missions

Of the 38 subjects there were:

20 Hikers and backpackers

4 Skiers

4 Snowboarders

1 Snowshoer

0 Snowmobilers

4 Climbers

2 Hunters

1 Stranded motorist

0 Flyers

2 Others

70 training sessions were held, and training man hours totaled 1636

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January

Officers for 2012 were approved: President - Jutta Schmidt, Vice President - Jeff Holmquist, Equipment Officer - Rick Dodson, Training Officer - Barry Beck, Secretary - Heidi Vetter, Member - Dan Corning, Member - Jon Robertson, Member - Jim Gilbreath, Member - Marie French, Financial Officer - Bill Greene.

The structural materials for the new building was delivered. Click here for pictures as construction progressed.

January 28-29, 2012. 12-050, #1. Colin Skinner, 46, from Walmer, England has been on a walk from North Dakota to San Francisco in support of the National Hospice Foundation. Last week he walked through Bishop and visited the local hospice there. While snowshoeing across the Sierra through Yosemite National Park he had problems with wet clothing and frostbitten feet, and contacted Yosemite rangers at their winter cabin near Tuolumne Meadows.

The SAR Team was dispatched at 6 PM Saturday and began planning the rescue. Two members went up 120 W with snowmobiles to scout the conditions. On Sunday morning, the Team snowmobiled to the Park entrance station, where the subject had been moved by Yosemite rangers, and transported him down the road to the waiting Mono County paramedics, who completed the transport to Mammoth Hospital. Responders were: DeGeorge (IC), Holmquist (ops), Schmidt (ops), Greene, Dodson, Boyd, Scotese, Vulgamore, Ropke, and Hartstrom.

February

Donations for the building fund are about $850,000. Concrete poured. Click here for pictures as construction progressed.

February 19, 2012. 12-060, #2 Four snowboarders from Southern California went outside the ski area and down from Hemlock Ridge to the Reds Meadows road. While hiking out they became exhausted and dehydrated, and called 911 for help. The SAR team and Mammoth Mountain Ski Patrol responded. Ski Patrol transported them to main lodge, where they were reunited with friends. Responders were: Greene (Ops), and Robertson.

March

Erection of steel for building started. Click here for pictures as construction progressed.

March 20-21, 2012. 12-115, #3 Mutual Aid to Inyo County. A 68 year old San Francisco man on a group cycling trip in Death Valley left the campfire on the night of 12 March, presumably to go to his tent. In the morning it was apparent that he had not slept in the tent, and a search was launched.

Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue responded as a mutual aid resource on 20 March, to assist Inyo County SAR. Other responders included the National Park Service, and SAR teams from China Lake, Kern, and Tehachapi. Teams searched washes, gullies, and hills near the Mesquite Springs Campground. Late in the day a team from China Lake located the deceased victim in a gully about a mile east of the campground. Mono responders were: Holmquist and Schmidt.

Thirteen new Candidates joined the team:

Fletcher Buccowich
Bob Griswold
Megan Guffey
Johnston Julao
Eric Moore
Sara Pfeifer
Janiene Porges
Alan Pottasch
Veronika Pottasch
Hayley Rousek
Mort Testerman
Bartlett White
Jeff Wirken

March 22-24, 2012. 12-127, #4 A 78 year old Walker, California resident was reported to be overdue from a walk in the hills behind his residence. He had hiked the area for years and knew it well. He did not take food or water and was not dressed for near freezing temperatures with rain/snow present in the area.

The SAR team was called out, and began searching for the subject. On March 23 search efforts continued with the addition of a CHP helicopter, CARDA search dog teams, and personnel from Alpine County and Antelope Valley Fire Department. The search continued through that night into an expanded search area.

On March 24 the search included over 30 personnel from Mono, El Dorado and Inyo Counties and more CARDA dog teams. At about 1305 the subject was found deceased by ground searchers in steep terrain about a mile from the residence, and was extricated via wheeled litter.

Team responders were: Holmquist (Ops), DeGeorge (Ops), Corning (Ops), Vetter (Ops), Schmidt (Ops), Carole Schilz, Brad Schilz, Case, Hartstrom, Beck, Leyen, Boyd, Cogan, French, Hall, Maroti, Scotese, Patrick, Thompson, Dodson and Merchant.

April

Curbs for building parking lot installed. Click here for pictures as construction progressed.

Lots of training for new candidates and existing members.

April 21, 2012 - Technical Rescue - Low Angle Rigging Training - Pictures here.

April 28, 2012 - Technical Rescue - Steep Angle Rigging Training - Pictures here.

May

May 2-4, 2012. 12-197, #5 A 31 year old Russian male, most recently residing in Michigan, was reported overdue from a backcountry ski trip in the Mt. Dana area when his car was noticed to be parked for a long time near the Tioga Pass road. The SAR team was dispatched in the afternoon of May 2. Team members initially responded to Lee Vining Canyon and began a ground search of the subject's probable route between his vehicle and an area known as the Cocaine Chute.

The next day, the Team was assisted by 2 CARDA dog handlers and a helicopter from Fallon Naval Air Station. High winds hampered the search effort, affecting ability to insert teams from the air and the effectiveness of the dog teams. Despite winds, several teams were inserted on the Mt. Dana Plateau and were able to search the area and access Cocaine Chute.

A ground search team located the deceased subject about 1000 feet below the ridge line within the chute in the afternoon. Due to the weather and late hour, recovery efforts were scheduled for the following day.

On May 4 the scene was accessed by a combined team of responders from Mono County, Douglas County, Yosemite Search and Rescue, and El Dorado County. A helicopter from the 168th Reserve Squadron (Mather Field) responded to the scene, but was unable to assist due to high winds. The subject was packaged in a SKED litter and transported down the mountainside back to the command post. Responders were: DeGeorge (Ops), Holmquist (Ops), Schmidt(Ops), Greene (Ops), Vetter (Ops), Corning (Ops), Beck, Boyd, Ackerman, Dodson, French, Hartstrom, Maroti, Ropke, Carole Schilz, Brad Schilz, Hayley Rousek, and Scotese.

May 5, 2012. 12-209, #6 The Team was called out for a possible injured skier on Mt Dana. The RP had received information from a third party that one of her group, whom she had separated from earlier, had taken a ski fall and was possibly injured. While SAR was responding her party returned to the trailhead and reported that the fall did not result in any injuries. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Dodson, French, and Case.

May 6, 2012 - Technical Rescue - High Angle Rigging Training - Pictures here.

May 10, 2012 - Ice Axe Training

May 11, 2012 - Tracking Training with Steve Case

May 12, 2012 - State Farm Insurance donates $5,000

May 21, 2012. 12-246, #7 Mutual Aid to Yosemite National Park. John Paul Chaufan Field, 22 years old, a college student who is attending the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC), was last seen near Kibbie Lake in the Hetch Hetchy area of northwestern Yosemite National Park. The Team was called to respond in mutual aid, and prepared to go, but was advised just prior to departure that the subject had been found. Responders were: Schmidt (Ops), Dodson, and Corning.

Installation of siding on building started. Click here for pictures as construction progressed.

June

June 2, 2012. 12-273, #8 A 27 year-old female from Menlo Park, California, was descending from the Dana Plateau to the base of the third pillar of Dana, one of the classic Sierra climbs. She fell, suffering a possible leg fracture. One member of her party hiked out to the Yosemite National Park entrance station for help, while the other, an emergency room physician, stayed with the injured.

The Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team responded to the area, and also requested the assistance of the Yosemite National Park helicopter and Yosemite Search and Rescue ground teams. As ground teams were hiking to the accident scene, the helicopter was able to land near the injured climber and was able to extract her using a short-haul line hanging under the helicopter.

She was transported by the helicopter to one of the Park's helipads. A Mono County paramedic ambulance then transported her to Mammoth Hospital for treatment. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Buccowich, Vulgamore, French, Schmidt, Porges, Case, Hartstrom, Holmquist, Thompson, Dodson, Alan Pottasch, Veronika Pottasch, and Boyd.

June 12, 2012. 12-288, #9 The SAR Team assisted Lee Vining Fire with the body recovery of a 19 year old female whose car left the road and down the slope at Blue Slide on the Tioga Pass Road. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Beck, Robertson, French, Brad Schilz, Carole Schilz, Corning, Dodson, Buccowich, Leyen, DeGeorge, and Hall.

June 14, 2012. 12-301, #10 A father and his 17 year-old son from Ohio went on a day hike over Mammoth Pass to the Devils Postpile National Monument. While returning to their vehicle at Horseshoe Lake they lost the trail and were not able to find their way back. They called 911 and requested assistance.

The Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team responded, and via cellphone contact were able to guide them to a trail and then down to the nearest trailhead at Reds Meadow Resort, where Team members met them and transported them back to their vehicle. Responders were: Greene (Ops), and Robertson.

July

July 2, 2012. 12-355, #11 On Monday, July 2, 2012, the Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team responded to a call to help a father and son from southern California who became stranded on a steep, rocky slope while hiking near the John Muir Trail west of Mammoth Lakes. They were able to call 911 from their location and requested help in getting down the slope.

The SAR Team responded to their location with technical rock rescue equipment, but were able to guide the two to safety without the need of the rescue gear. They were escorted to a campground near Reds Meadow Resort where the two stayed for the night, and then continued their John Muir Trail hike the next morning. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Holmquist, Schmidt, Thompson, Guffey, Porges, Robertson, Hartstrom, Corning, Dodson, and DeGeorge.

July 2-4, 2012. 12-357, #12 Overdue climber reported to Mono County Sheriff on Monday, July 2nd at 5:30pm. Subject's vehicle was located in the Twin Lakes/Mono Village parking lot. The subject's intention was to solo climb the Matterhorn and then traverse the Sawtooth range to Blacksmith Peak, returning no later than Sunday night, July 1st. This range is the boundary between Mono County and Yosemite National Park.

Mono County Search and Rescue and YOSAR put teams in the field early the next morning. Search teams found that the subject had signed the summit register at Matterhorn, but not at Cleaver Peak. The search intensified in the area between these peaks. As preparations ramped up for a multi-day, mutual aid search, National Guard's helo crew, Spartan 894, located the deceased subject on the steep western flank between Matterhorn Peak and Cleaver Peak at 38.0600N and 119.2354W. YOSAR recovered the remains via long haul the next morning. Responders were: Vetter (Ops), Corning (Ops), DeGeorge, Beck, Hartstrom, Holmquist, Dodson, Porges, Hall, Robertson, and Greene.

Read about this well known climber here.

July 6, 2012. 12-376, #13 The team was called out for a female with an injured knee on the trail to Crystal Lake. The Paramedics were able to reach the subject and carried her down to the trailhead prior to SAR being deployed in the field. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Guffey, Schmidt, Holmquist, Boyd, and Hall.

July 9, 2012. 12-384, #14 A father and son were on a backpacking trip in the Ritter Range west of Mammoth Lakes. While attempting to climb Mt. Ritter a rock rolled over the father's leg, causing a possible fracture. They climbed down to Lake Ediza, where they met another hiker with a cell phone. He was able to call 911, and the Mono County Sheriff Search & Rescue Team responded.

The Team requested the assistance of the Yosemite National Park helicopter, which was able to land near the group at the lake. He was transported by the helicopter to the Minaret Vista helipad, and then taken by Mono County Paramedic ambulance to Mammoth Hospital for treatment. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Brad Schilz, Holmquist, Hall, Hayley Rousek, and Boyd.

July 12, 2012. 12-390, #15 The Mono County Sheriff Search & Rescue Team respond to a call for help from a 74 year old male from Markleville, California, who was hiking on the John Muir Trail west of Shadow Lake. He had begun experiencing chest pains, and two other backpackers used their cell phone to call 911.

The Team requested the assistance of the Yosemite National Park helicopter to extract the man from the backcountry. The helicopter was able to land near him and transported him to a waiting ambulance at the Mammoth Lakes Forest Service heli-pad. He was taken to Mammoth Hospital for treatment, and later flown to a cardiac care facility in Nevada. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Robertson, and Dodson.

July 14, 2012. 12-394, #16 The Sheriff's Office received a call just after midnight on July 14, indicating that a father, 57, and son, 36, who were hiking the John Muir Trail south from Yosemite, had become separated at 8:30 the previous evening. The Sheriffs Office and SAR team were not able to reach the father at the Reds Meadows pay phone from which he had called, and a SAR team member was dispatched to attempt to locate the father for more information.

The father was found sleeping at the entrance to the campground, and it was determined that the two had became separated in Devils Postpile rather than in the backcountry. The son was to leave the Postpile to walk to the store at Reds Meadow and then meet his father at the Reds Meadow campground, but the son did not arrive at the campground. Searching at the Reds Resort, Reds Meadow campground, Rainbow Falls trailhead, Sotcher Lake, and Devils Postpile did not locate the son.

Both father and son had food, water, and sleeping bags. The father was transported to the store at Reds Meadow since this location seemed to be the most likely place for the son to appear in the morning. The father was advised to contact the Sheriff's Office in the morning if the son did not arrive in the first few hours of daylight. The son arrived at the store later during the night, and the Excelsior Springs, Missouri pair were reunited. Responders were: Holmquist (Ops).

July 25, 2012. 12-427. #17 A group of 10 backpackers from Oakland hiked up McGee Creek on July 24, and camped below the Grass Lake trail junction. The next morning after breaking camp a 15 year old boy became ill with severe abdominal pain and could not continue. Seven SAR Team members hiked in 4.5 miles and located the subject. He was evacuated by wheeled litter to the McGee Creek trailhead where County paramedics transported him to Mammoth Hospital for treatment. Responders were: Gilbreath (Ops), Greene, Case, Scotese, Porges, Dodson, Buccowich, Cogan, Robertson, Julao, and Boyd

July 25-26, 2012. 12-428, #18 On Wednesday, July 25, 2012, a Boy Scout had severe abdominal pain while hiking on the John Muir Trail west of Duck Lake in Fresno County near the Mono County/Fresno County border. The Fresno County Sheriff's office sent their helicopter, Eagle One, to the area to attempt to locate and extract the Scout from the backcountry.

The helicopter was able to locate the Scout's party, but was unable to pick up the Scout due to approaching darkness and the lack of nearby landing zones.

The Fresno County Sheriff's Department requested the help of the Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team. A ground team was sent late Wednesday night to hike over Duck Pass to the Scout's location to obtain better information concerning his medical condition and prepare for his rescue.

On Thursday morning, winch equipped California Highway Patrol helicopter H40 located the party, then landed at the Mammoth heliport to lighten the aircraft by removing equipment not essential to this mission.

After returning to the site, the helicopter was able to lower the cable from their hoist to the ground team. The Scout was then hoisted approximately 100 feet to the hovering helicopter.

After re-loading equipment at Mammoth, the patient was taken to Fresno Airport for transfer to a waiting ambulance. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Dodson, Buccowich, Guffey, Boyd, Gilbreath, Case, Porges, Robertson, Cogan, Julao, Vulgamore, Patrick, Carole Schilz, and French

August

August 3, 2012. 12-458, #19 During a family hike on the Sherwin Lakes trail, an eleven year old girl twisted her ankle on a rock and fell down injuring her knee and ankle. She was unable to hike out. The father called 911 and requested help evacuating his daughter.

The Team responded with 10 members, located the subject, and transported her back to the trail head by wheeled litter. She was taken to Mammoth Hospital by private vehicle for further treatment. Responders were: Greene (Ops), DeGeorge, French, Dodson, Schmidt, Buccowich, Thompson, Holmquist, Robertson, and Cogan.

August 4, 2012. 12-462, #20 A 74 year-old member of a pack trip fell off his horse near the outlet of Garnet Lake, incurring leg and back injuries. The Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team was called out, and requested the assistance of the California Highway Patrol helicopter H40 from Fresno.

The helicopter was able to make a difficult landing near the injured man, and was able to transport him to the Mammoth Lakes Forest Service helispot for transfer to a waiting ambulance. He was taken to Mammoth Hospital for treatment. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Holmquist, Schmidt, Case, Buccowich, Cogan, French, Dodson, and Wirken.

August 4, 2012. 12-471, no number On 08/04/12 at about 11 AM, the subject and her friend were hiking on the trail near Donohue Pass. The terrain was wet due to recent thunder storms. The subject fell on the rocks, sustaining injuries to her right knee and left ankle. They were able to camp overnight on the S/E side of Donohue Pass.

She determined the injuries were serious enough even after resting awhile that she was unable to continue her hike or exit the back country. Her friend hiked to where she could get cell phone coverage and called 911 requesting evacuation by pack horse or mule. Personnel from a local pack station and from the Tuolumne Stables were contacted, but both were unable to evacuate the victim due to staff shortages and the nature of the victim's injuries.

Due to the nearby location, Yosemite National Park was contacted. Their helicopter was able to respond to the area and locate the victim. The helicopter then transported her to medical facilities in the park for further evaluation/treatment.

August 5, 2012. 12-472, #21 On Saturday about 5 PM a cross country backpacker slipped on wet rock during a hail and rain storm about 600 feet above Hilton Lake #4. She sustained an ankle injury and was unable to descend the steep terrain. Her friend made camp for her and hiked out to the Rock Creek Pack Station on Sunday morning and called 911 for help.

The Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team was dispatched, with 16 Team members responding. A hasty team hiked six miles in, evaluated the patient, and determined a ground carry out via wheeled litter could be safely done. The teams transported her back to the trailhead where she signed a form declining medical treatment. She was driven to a Bishop motel by her companion. Responders were: Greene (Ops), DeGeorge, Schmidt, Holmquist, Case, Cogan, Thompson, Boyd, Gilbreath, Scotese, French, Leyen, Robertson, Wirken, Maroti, and Brad Schilz.

August 7, 2012. 12-479, #22 A 67 year-old Saratoga man became separated from his group on the Mt. Whitney trail and was reported as being overdue. Inyo County launched a search and received mutual aid from Fresno and Mono Counties. On the second day of the search, the missing man was spotted by a field team below the trail, in talus, above Mirror Lake. He was alive but injured and unconscious. The man was packaged by field teams and hoisted by CHP helicopter H80 and taken directly to Northern Inyo Hospital for stabilization, followed by transport to southern California for further treatment. Responders were: Scotese, and Holmquist.

August 12, 2012 Golf Tournament Raises Over $12K - Read all about it - Pictures

August 18, 2012. 12-506, #23 The SAR Team responded to a call for help for a 28 year old Crystal Crag climber from the Bay Area. While climbing, he pulled off a large rock, which struck his right leg, resulting in a femur fracture.

A local physician was climbing nearby, and assisted in his on-scene care.

Mono County Paramedics, Mammoth Lakes Fire units and 12 SAR team members responded to the call, staging at Lake George.

Ground teams gathered equipment for a technical rescue and hiked in to the base of the crag.

A Paramedic and SAR team members then climbed the rock face approximately 200' to the victim's location.

His leg was splinted and he was placed in a litter. Following the technical lowering, he was carried out to Lake George, to a waiting ambulance. He was taken to Mammoth Hospital for treatment. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Gilbreath, Dodson, Robertson, Leyen, French, Holmquist, Barnum, Cogan, DeGeorge, Hall, Ropke, and Guffey.

Click Here for Pictures

August 19, 2012. 12-510, #24 On Sunday, August 19, 2012, the Team responded to a call for help of a 55 year old backpacker from Newhall, California. He was on a trip from Mammoth to Yosemite when he slipped and fell near Garnet Lake, severely injuring an ankle.

Twelve team members staged at Minaret Vista. A Team rescuer was lowered on a cable hoist from CHP helicopter H40 to the victim, who was then hoisted to the helicopter and taken to Mammoth airport, where Mono County paramedics transported him to Mammoth Hospital for treatment. The Team rescuer accompanied his companion on the hike out to Agnew Meadows. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Dodson, DeGeorge, Holmquist, Guffey, Gilbreath, French, Julao, Carole Schilz, Brad Schilz, Hartstrom, and Hall.

August 19, 2012 - Helicopter Training

September

September 6, 2012. 12-565, #25 A 24 year old climber from South Carolina fell 20 feet while bouldering when a handhold pulled out. He missed the climbing pad, and fell to the ground. He sustained a possible head/neck injury, and injuries to his left ankle, wrist, and tail bone, and was in a great deal of pain.

The SAR Team responded to the Coldwater trailhead along with Mono County Paramedics. Ground teams including the Paramedics hiked into the victim's location near Emerald Lake. He was then evacuated back to the trail head via litter and was taken to Mammoth Hospital by the paramedics for treatment. Responders were: Gilbreath (Ops), DeGeorge, Holmquist, Schmidt, Dodson, Brad Schilz, Carole Schilz, and Maroti.

October

October 3, 2012. 12-640, #26 Two day hikers from Las Vegas were on a day hike to/from Rainbow Falls. The two had no head lamps or jackets and became disoriented when darkness fell and temperatures dropped. They used their cell phones for light while trying to continue up the trail but called 911 when their batteries started to fail.

The Team was called out, with 7 team members responding to the Red's Meadow area. A ground team was able to locate the subjects. They were found un-injured, were re-warmed and accompanied the Team members back to their car at Devil's Postpile parking lot. Responders were: DeGeorge (Ops), Schmidt, Holmquist, Greene, Dodson, Beck, and French.

October 9, 2012. 12-651, #27 Mutual aid to Wawona. An employee was overdue for days, and was eventually found injured after a fall, but alive. The mission was completed while our responders were enroute. Responders were: Dodson and Holmquist.

October 23, 2012. 12-679, #28 Mutual aid to Alpine County for overdue hunters. A fourteen year old boy was a fatality. Responders were: Corning, Vetter, and Holmquist.

November

November 2, 2012. Incident 121102023, #29 A car was reported over the side on the Tioga Pass road near Blue Slide. It turned out to be a false alarm since the car had been there for a year. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Beck, Holmquist, White, Vulgamore, Dodson, French, Schmidt, Corning, and DeGeorge.

November 14, 2012 - Lake Ice Rescue classroom training

November 15, 2012. 12-713, #30 An inexperienced couple on a cross country trip were car-camping in the forest behind the Sierra Pacific Geothermal Plant. At 1000 the husband left for a short day hike. He spoke no English, had not eaten and took no equipment with him on the hike. Some passersby tried to assist by tracking him, finding his shoe prints led up to the top of a ridge. At 1430 his wife reported him overdue as she was concerned over the circumstances and the low seasonal temperatures.

The Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue team responded to the area to begin a search. A short time later a local resident found the subject hitch hiking on HWY 203. He was not injured and refused medical attention. Responders were: DeGeorge (Ops), Dodson, Wirken, and Holmquist.

December

Existing Board of Directors re-elected for 2013. Jutta Schmidt-Gengenbach, Jeff Holmquist, Heidi Vetter, Barry Beck, Rick Dodson, Dan Corning, Jon Robertson, Jim Gilbreath, Marie French. The Board will select officers in January.

End of Year Awards Party normally scheduled in December was postponed to February 13, 2013 to have a Pot Luck affair in the new building

Each year, the Team honors members for their individual excellence and public service. Two annual awards are given by the Team each year to honor members who have excelled.

The team's primary honor for achievement is the Pete Schoerner Rescue Member of the Year Award. The award is named in memory of a beloved teammate who was killed in an ice climbing accident in 1996.

The Pete Schoerner Rescue Member of the Year for 2012 is Jeff Holmquist. Jeff serves the Team as a member of the Board of Directors, and is a past President, Vice President, and Training Officer. This is the second time he has been selected by the Team for this honor. He is also one of very few honored with selection as Lifetime Members.

Jeff participated in 70 team events in 2012, including 22 field missions. Since 2000, Jeff has served the County on 894 team events, including 386 rescues and searches. He has a wide variety of skills, frequently serves as Operations Leader, teaches training courses, and is one of the team's key players in all types of missions.

New members in training are called Candidate Members, and must undergo training, practice, and testing in eighteen skill categories before being considered for advancement to Rescue Member. Examples of these skills include first aid and victim care, tracking, technical rescue, mountain navigation, helicopter operations, and skill with electronic aids such as computers, radios, avalanche transceivers, and GPS receivers. Completion of all requirements takes a lot of dedication and faithfulness over a period that is typically a year or more.

The team honors one candidate member each year with the Rick Mosher Candidate Member of the Year Award. Rick Mosher is the only team member to have died in the line of duty and was killed while searching in a small airplane that crashed during an operation on August 15, 1979.

This year the team selected Megan Guffey as the Rick Mosher Candidate Member of the Year. Megan has been very active and faithful in both her training and in rescue operations. Since beginning her training of April of 2012, she has participated in 35 Team events and 5 rescues and searches. The 2012 honorees were presented with laser engraved cherry wood plaques.

December 30, 2010 - Snowmobile Operation Training

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