Emergency
'i ) i c ^
Search and Rescue Unit aids
victims of outdoor accidents
By LESLIE FARRIS
Of the Emerald
;on9qf
)0 The Lane County Sheriff’s
Search and Rescue Unit has
an identity problem.
Emergency Services Assist
ant Dale Trink says accident
victims and witnesses too of
ten waste valuable time by not
ifying the local or state police
instead of directly calling the
unit.
“By the time we get the call,
which could be hours later, we
may be looking for a body in
stead of a person.”
The unit employs two full
time search and rescue
workers plus volunteers from
various groups such as the
Eugene Mountain Rescue
Unit, the sheriff’s posse and
scuba divers clubs. Trink says
the unit is the only one in the
county and has a reputation of
being "second to none" in the
state.
“We use anything from air
support to horses."
The 24-hour emergency
services-search and rescue
unit can be called directly at
687-4160.
Trink says most recreation
related accidents, including
people getting lost, are caused
by carelessness and a lack of
common sense.
“Usually the family and
friends will say ‘oh, he’s an
experienced outdoor person.’
But it’s extremely rare we’re
Emerald Photo
called on to find someone
who’s really experienced and
knows what they’re doing.”
"You get the experienced
hunter who goes out alone, no
maps, no compass, no survival
kit, in poor health. But he’s an
‘experienced’ hunter — he
knows the land and he can
name every tree."
Trink says a wintertime ac
cident victim most likely will be
a lone skiier without a survival
kit and lacking proper equip
ment. The more serious and
sometimes fatal accidents
usually befall “inexperienced
mountaineers who try to do
something way over their
heads.”
As basic guidelines for sur
viving snow outings, search
and rescue tells travelers to:
• Notify someone of your
planned route of travel, your
departure time and your
planned time of return. Mark
your route on a map and carry
a survival pack.
• Wear layers of clothing
that can be adjusted to
prevailing conditions. A good
quality windbreaker and wind
pants are recommended, and
avoid tight-fitting clothes and
boots that may restrict cir
culation.
• Bring extra socks and
gloves or mittens, a warm cap,
matches in a waterproof con
tainer, candle, firestarter,
nylon cord, general-purpose
knife, high energy food, plastic
tarp, space blanket, signal
mirror, first-aid kit, wide tape
for repairs and metal container
for melting snow.
• If you are lost, injured or
your equipment fails, keep
calm. Use your compass or
backtrack. If those solutions
are impractical, remain in
place. Don't abandon your
snowshoes or skis, and build a
fire and shelter to keep warm
Mark your camp so it's visible
from the air.
• To help prevent ava
lanches, cross dangerous
slopes near the top and avoid
fracture lines in the snow. If
you must ascend or descend a
dangerous slope, go straight
up or down. Do not traverse
back and forth across the
slope.
• Be aware of the danger
of hypothermia, subnormal
temperature of the body.
The number-one killer of out
door recreationists is expo
sure to cold aggravated by
wet, wind and exhaustion
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