Search And Rescue Responds To Second Call In May

Beaverhead Search & Rescue News

Submitted by Mel Rice – Public Relations

Saturday afternoon, May 8th at 5:30 P.M., the Beaverhead Search and Rescue was paged out to assist two elderly individuals on the west side of the Big Hole Valley. An 82 year old gentleman and a 75 year old lady from Hamilton were out for a drive on the Foothills Road west of Wisdom in the early afternoon. They had driven approximately 2.75 miles off hi-way 43 when their vehicle, a Nissan truck, became stuck. Not being able to get the vehicle out, they started walking out for help. After walking about a half mile, the couple became fatigued and cold. Doing the right thing they used their cell phone to call 911 for assistance.

At 6:40 P.M. two members of the Beaverhead Search and Rescue, Jake Peterson and Toby Shephard, who live in the Big Hole, were deployed as the hasty team to the elderly couple’s location. At the same time Team #2 made up of Clint Rouse and Park Scott and team #3 made up of Tara Remely, Tommy Goins, and Mark Smith was deployed from the S&R building. At 7:08 P.M. Peterson and Shephard located the couple and were turning around to take them to the Crossing restaurant in Wisdom where they would meet family/friends who would take them home. Teams 2 and 3 were called back to headquarters at that time. The entire incident was culminated at 9:45 P.M.

The IC team which remained at the Search and Rescue building to manage the incident were Lawrence Morrisroe, Allen Holt, Lee Deidrich, Kolby Malesich, Shane Puyear, Trent Cottom, and Cody Schnee. Two other members, Tom McKnight and Nathan Freeman, were also at the building in case more assistance was needed. The entire incident involved 54.75 man hours. Resources used were three pickups and one side by side.

This is the second call-out in a week for the Beaverhead Search and Rescue due to individuals driving vehicles back into the high country. Be aware that even though it is spring time, we are still in Western Montana where snow pack can remain even on roads well into June. Please, don’t push your luck. Help us out by being reasonable when trying to venture into the back country. However, if you do run into the unexpected and need the S&R’s assistance, be assured we will be there to help because we are “In The Business Of Saving Lives”. Take care and enjoy the great outdoors of Beaverhead County