[pct-l] PCT Thru-Hiker Missing in Glacier Peak Wilderness

[Andrea Dinsmore]

If it had not been for Disco figuring out that there was a major problem
with where Lucky was......this rescue would not have been started. Unless
you have worked in the past with trying to coordinate a missing hiker report
to 3 different Counties up here you don't just call one time. Especially
when your only outside communication is a poor reception satellite phone. We
got the reply from one of the County SARs that there were many other options
that "maybe" the hiker could have taken. Lucky had already been missing 4
days when the first report went in. Darrington jumped on it immediately.
Chelan did not. Chelan had excuses why they didn't need to start a search at
that time. Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets attention. We did our own map
search and recalled SAR to pin point where they needed to look and where the
most likely he got off route.

Many thanks to Disco and the rest of the PCT crew for caring enough and
realizing that their fellow hiker was in trouble.

PCT MOM


On 8/31/08, kmurray at pol.net <kmurray at pol.net> wrote:
>
> Disco, I would like to caution you about what you are doing.  You may
> interpret an dispassionate reaction, as an indifferent response, but that
> is not the case.
>
> The first rule in rescue work is "don't make the problem worse".
>
> It does NOT help to swamp the SAR communication system with repetetive
> calls telling them that he has long hair.  It does not help to inject a
> not of hysteria or panic into the mix.
>
> You have contact with a park ranger.  Pass information and thoughts on to
> them.  You don't need to pass it on to us, to call the Sheriffs with.
> Communication ends up being a critical component of searches.  Gumming up
> the communication makes things much harder for the SAR folks.
>
> "we can talk, or we can do, what is your pleasure?" -Robert Duvall
>
> SAR generally uses time tested methods of tracking lost people.  Like not
> telling the paramedics running a rescusitation what to do, let them do
> their jobs.  Finding a communication process that allows you to direct
> information to them, rather than getting the list to swamp them with
> calls, would be much more useful to them, and will do more to help them to
> find your friend.
>
> Wishing for the best outcome,
>
>
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