King County Search Dogs

May and June 2003

May 6, 2003
03-0887
Kent
0930 callout for planned water search along Green river. We responded with 3 personnel. After crashing his car into the river, the driver left his buddy in the submerged car. After the incident was reported later, the divers did not find a 2nd person in the car. This search was to see if the 2nd person had drowned and was downstream. After working a slow trip to Tukwila, no areas of interest were identified. This was a limited callout at KCSO request. (18 hrs)

May 17, 2003
03-0869
Melakwa Lake
0100 callout for missing 27 yo male camper at Melakwa Lake. We responed with 3 airscent teams; 10 personnel total. Subject was to have returned after three days of camping at the lake. The search was initiated when his car was located by family and he had not returned. Search plan had two airscent teams following the subject's route up Denny Creek to Melakwa and a third team coming in from Talapus Lake side. The subject's tent was located by an SMR team. The tent was empty except for a few pieces of equipment and a note from the subject. The note described the situation and plans for the subject. Shortly after the tent was found, an ESAR team located the subject about 1.5 miles west of the tent. The subject was heading down the Pratt River drainage toward the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie instead of returning via Hemlock Pass. The team treated the subject's hypothermia and walked him back to base by 2100 hrs that night. The subject reported not sleeping for two days. (131 hrs)

June 9, 2003
03-1245
Huckleberry Mountain, Snohomish County
0400 callout for 3 missing hikers at Huckleberry Mountain east of Darrington. We responded with two airscent teams; 6 personnel total. The subjects had been separated from the other 13 members of their party when they followed the wrong drainage off the trail. They spent the night in place when the terrain became too difficult. In the morning, they traversed the hill, caught the trail and walked out. The subjects were located approximately 45 minutes before our teams arrived in base. (34.5 hrs)

June 28, 2003
02-ES052
Kent
0800 callout for planned evidence search for Green River Task Force in Kent. We responded with two cadaver teams and 13 personnel total. Speculative search for KCSO in a former dump area that had not yet been searched. Dog teams identified areas of interest. Our participation cut short as they had enough ground teams for search area. No word on follow-up to areas flagged by our teams. (55 hrs)

June 30, 2003
03-1484
Federal Way
0930 callout for missing 88 yo female in Federal Way. We responded with 1 trailing and 3 airscent teams, 9 personnel total. Subject had not been seen since 1930 hours the previous night and was reported missing when checked upon at 0630 hours. Subject lives alone with family providing "check-in" care in mornings and evenings. Subject described in reasonable health with slight dementia. Search plan was to start trailing team at residence and deploy airscent teams on both sides of the street using the residence (PLS) as the hub. The airscent teams were to perform a thorough search of properties, including the edge of the nearby lake. Stacie Chandler and Sage located the subject in a backyard about 7 houses north of the PLS after searching for 35 minutes. The subject was standing at the edge of the lake, up to her chest. Other KCSD teams were deployed to assist with bringing the subject out of the water and treating for hypothermia. FW Fire took over the patient care when they arrived. The subject was conversant and smiling, just a little confused. (36 hrs)

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