Beaverhead County Search & Rescue Respond To Side By Side Accident

BVHD Search and Rescue News

Submitted by Mel Rice: Public Relations Officer

On the night of June 12th, the Beaverhead Search and Rescue was called out at 11:00 PM to assist with the rescue of two men injured in a side by side rollover accident. The incident took place in the Vipond Park area west of Melrose. Three search and rescue hasty teams were dispatched at 11:30 to the victims’ location.

At approximately 7:00 PM Beaverhead Sheriff dispatch received a 911 call reporting the incident and the location. Life Flight was notified as well as A1 ambulance out of Butte. The reporting party returned to the accident in his pickup, loaded the two injured individuals in his truck and returned to a location where Life Flight could land. After the helicopter had landed the medical team began assessing injuries of the two men and stabilizing them for transport. By now weather had set in and the bird could not lift off from its location.

It was at this point in time that the BVHD SAR unit was paged to assist in getting the injured individuals down out of Vipond Park area to a waiting ambulance. Because of road conditions the ambulance could not get to the victims’ location. Meanwhile a second Life Flight helicopter was summoned to transport the second victim. The second ship was able to get in and land. Both victims were loaded aboard the Life Flight helicopters and transported. One was flown to Missoula where his condition is unknown at this time. The second individual was flown to Butte.

Meanwhile BVHD Search and Rescue was in route to the scene to help move the victims to the ambulance. When the S&R incident command was notified of the situation with the helicopters, the hasty teams were turned around and headed back to Dillon. They all arrived back at the building at 2:30 AM. Search and rescue members participating in the event were: Evan Helle, Alan Holt, Adam Norlander, Tommy Goins, Tera Remely, Jason Ericksen, Dr. Mike Clarke, Dusty Crowe, Cody Schnee, Daniel Wyatt, and Mel Rice. This incident took approximately 36 man hours from start to finish.

Enjoy your time in the great outdoors but please be safe doing so. Fun times can turn to tragic times in a hurry and when you least expect it. Take care and be aware, “In the Business of Saving Lives” your Beaverhead Search and Rescue.