201212_UTMinuteman_W.. - Keep Trees

On Tuesday they resumed hiking. By then news of their plight
was brought to the attention of the Emery County Sheriff’s
Offi ce who enlisted the help of the helicopters to search by
air for the hikers. Their general location was known. The
air search began, assisted by several members of the Emery
County Search and Rescue. They located the hikers along the
river. They were separated, and after the helicopter set down,
the other members of the party were located and brought to
the helicopter, where they were transported to a location near
the Wedge Overlook.
One of the hikers/rafters reported she didn’t think they
were going to make it. “We were exhausted and dehydrated. I
really prayed a lot for someone to come and help us. I really
thought we were getting near the bottom, but they told us it
was another 10 miles out.”
To the rafters the sight of the helicopters was a welcome
relief. Their group was treated for heat exhaustion and
dehydration and medical personnel started IVs in the fi eld.
One of the group was transported to Castleview Hospital. The
others were taken by Emery County Sheriff’s deputies back
to their vehicles so they could return home after they were
transported by the helicopter to the Wedge area, where they
were met by an Emery County ambulance and personnel.
The Soldiers are members of the Utah Army National
Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 211th Aviation.
In keeping with the Utah National Guard’s mission to
respond at the request of state and local authorities during
emergencies, the 2-211th were grateful to be able to assist in
the rescue with such good results.
UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crews were in the area and
were asked by the Emery County Sheriff’s offi ce for assistance
as they were going to have a mock rescue that morning for a
lost child at Joe’s Valley, but the training turned into a realtime
rescue for the stranded rafters.
The Utah Army National Guard unit responded
immediately, transporting Emery County search-and-rescue
personnel. The 2-211th crew located the missing rafters and
landed the helicopter nearby. Emery County Sheriff personnel
administered fi rst aid to the tired and dehydrated rafters.
Emery County Deputy A.J. O’Neil said he received the
call on Tuesday morning just as his shift was ending and he
went to the Swinging Bridge to try to locate the vehicle of
the rafters. They had left a vehicle at the Swinging Bridge
and one at Fuller’s Bottom. He assisted at the scene when the
rafters were rescued along with Deputy Shaun Bell and Sgt.
Les Wilberg.
Story reprinted courtesy of the Emery County Progress
Soldiers from the 1-171st Aviation assist Emery
County Search and Rescue in locating, treating
and transporting injured rafters during a
real-world rescue mission June 12, 2012.
Utah Minuteman 37