Search and Rescue Does Double Duty

Park County Search and Rescue was doubly busy last Thursday, due to back-to-back calls for rescue services.
A group of rafters became stranded Thursday evening on the Shoshone River across from the Trout Ranch after their commercial raft had overturned and became pinned against a rock in the swift current. The shoreline in that area was too steep for the eight adults and four children to climb, so Search and Rescue workers came to their aid. The victims, from Iowa, England and Australia, were cold, but otherwise unharmed.
While this incident was wrapping up, a second call came just before 9 p.m. with a report of an individual who texted to his family that he needed help in the area of the Deer Creek Trailhead. Search and Rescue volunteers deployed to the trail head, which is about 40 miles southwest of Cody down the South Fork Highway. Once rescuers made contact with the victim, it was determined that he was only requesting that his father come to the trail head for transportation back to Cody. He was unharmed and was in no need of rescue or medical aid.
But Sheriff Scott Steward commented that when the exact nature of a situation is unknown, Search and Rescue always errs on the side of caution, saying that he would rather have the team respond and find out it’s nothing, than not respond and discover later on that critical aid was needed.
On the other hand, he said it is also important for anyone who uses satellite texting devices to be as clear as possible with their messages, especially when they do not require emergency aid.