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November 28, 2003 - Overdue Male Adult,
Sea Ranch Area
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SUBJECT:
60-year-"young" white male adult in very good
health (is known for hiking often up to 14,000 foot level).
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SCENARIO:
Subject planned a hike in the hills surrounding a vacation
community off highway 1 on the coast. The subject set
his watch, left promptly at 1615 hours for a short "up
and down" the hill. When the subject had not returned
by nightfall family members were concerned for his safety
given the risk conditions of the area (ponds, rivers,
cool coastal temperatures).
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FIRST OPERATIONAL PERIOD--AND A TWIST:
Local fire and volunteer fire crews stationed in the area
ran many of the larger paths and vehicle accessible roads.
The sheriff assigned to the area also checked local hot
spots and used his patrol car as an attractant (lights,
PA, etc.).
By the time the first SAR teams showed up at approximately
2300 hours we were told that a second search for
two overdue hikers and their dog was now being reported.
Two searches for two sets of overdue hikers in the same
area.
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HASTY ASSIGNMENTS:
- A local fire crew member was tasked with patrolling
the major highway in the area to provide area containment.
- First hasty team went to the residence to acquire additional
information from the family of subject #1, then proceeded
to their assignment south of the area searched previously
by the crews.
- A tracking team when to the PLS of subject # 1 and worked
trails leading east (up).
- A second team when to the residence of the reporting
party for subjects # 2 & 3, only to find no one home.
- A ground team was dispatched to the far eastern trail
as a containment and trail recon assignment.
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THE FIND:
At approximately 0230 the team covering the south area
located subjects 1, 2 & 3 together, huddled around a
warming fire in the eastern edge of their assignment. All
subjects were safe and warm.
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WHAT HAPPENED:
Subject #1 stated he lost track of time and it grew dark
quickly in the hills. Without his flashlight he decided
to work his way down hill off trail. At some point working
downhill, and slipping into a small pond, he managed to
get back to a trail and work south down a small trail where
he ran into subjects 2 & 3.
Subjects 2 & 3 simply were walking on the trails with
their dog when it got too dark to safely proceed. They decided
to enjoy the evening by starting a small warming fire rather
than walk back.
Each of them thought the other was part of the rescue team
when they first met up. They later heard the voice calls
of the search team and responded. All walked out the trail
safely to transportation waiting to take them off the hill.
Photos
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