Full Notification

A Cobb Mountain resident was found alive and well after becoming lost, while hiking on November 16, 2014, in the Boggs Mountain State Forest.
Some 35 searchers responded to look for the 72 year old missing woman. The lady had gone with her dog to the forest to hike the Hoberg’s Loop Trail at 5:00 p.m. Family members called 911 after unsuccessfully searching for her.
She was found by an ATV Quad search team on a forest road at 11:15 p.m. She told rescuers that darkness had overtaken her and she had become disoriented. She started walking and ended up on one of the dirt roads. She decided to sit down. One of the searchers said, “That was the best thing she could have done. It made it easy to find her”
A Sheriff’s Deputy was on scene at approximately 7:30 p.m., only a few minutes after the 911 call. It was determined that additional searchers were needed. 8 Lake County Search and Rescue members and 20 Kelseyville High School K-CORPS students responded. They began searching the trails and forest roads on foot and in all-terrain vehicles. The helicopter crew at the CAL Fire Boggs Mountain Helitac base and fire crews from Middletown and Kelsey Creek CAL Fire stations also assisted with foot and OHV searches.
Jim Adams, in-coming Lake County Search and Rescue Association President, said that everyone was elated that the she was found in good health. “We were concerned that she had fallen down a hillside and was seriously injured, maybe non-responsive, or the dog had run off chasing an animal, and she got lost or injured chasing after it.” “The training and concerted aggressive search effort really paid off in finding her in such a short amount of time especially in the dark.”
Search and Rescue members want the public to safely enjoy our recreational areas. They encourage County residents and guests to beware of their surroundings. There are some simple things that will help people be safe. These include telling others where you are going and when you expect to be back, dress for the weather, terrain, and conditions, and have a signaling devise as simple as a whistle (3 sharp blows signals distress). Above all, if lost or disoriented, stay put, be as visible as possible. Resist the urge to be “un-lost”.
In California and most Western States, the Sheriff’s Office is responsible for missing persons, and search and rescue efforts, especially in unincorporated areas. Sheriff’s Offices have trained para-professional search and rescue volunteers. They meet national standards in search methods and rescue techniques. Their services are free.
K-CORPS is a Kelseyville High School program that benefits the community. Select juniors and seniors take classes in emergency first aid, man-tracking, map reading and orienteering, radio communications, technical rope rescue, and other related subjects. For more information on K-CORPS contact their instructor and program coordinator, Mrs. Joanie Holt, at the high school.
Lake County Search and Rescue is comprised of County residents that volunteer to search for the lost, missing, and injured under the authority of the Sheriff’s Office. Members train to national and professional standards. They are organized in groups such as ground, OHV, and equine search teams. They learn and develop skills in man-tracking, wilderness first aid, technical rope rescue, and evidence and clue identification to name a few. They employ planning, investigating, and conducting search capabilities for the various terrains, conditions and weather found in Lake County.
For more information on Lake County Search and Rescue contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office or visit the search and rescue Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LakeCoSAR . Also, everyone is welcome to attend the Lake County Search and Rescue Association monthly meetings. They are held at 7:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday at the AWP Building, 4913 Helbush Drive, Lakeport. There is no association meeting in December.