In 2010, as in years past, Superstition Search and Rescue (SSAR) has continued to provide their life-saving services to the community while working in concert with local law enforcement. While 2010 has brought many changes, SSAR’s dedication to the safety and welfare of the individuals who live and recreate in the Superstition Wilderness Area and beyond has remained a constant.

2010 was a year of achievements and expansion of services for SSAR. While SSAR has helped law enforcement in urban situations in the past; this year they established a dedicated Urban Search and Rescue Team that has assisted the Apache Junction Police Department (AJPD) on numerous occasions. The establishment of an emergency phone number (480-620-0299) to better serve the community has also proved to be a great success. In addition, SSAR has hosted a radio segment several times a month during which they discuss and provide outdoor sporting safety.

While SSAR continually trains its members in wilderness search and rescue techniques, this past year they additionally trained 16 members in urban search and rescue through the Department of Homeland Security CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program; eight members through the Apache Junction Fire District wilderness fire program and 10 members were trained in technical rescue. They also assisted the federal government in maintaining state parks by once again participating in the Annual Grand Canyon Clean-up. They are also presently assisting in the fund raising effort to keep the Lost Dutchman State Park open.

SSAR continues to grid search the Superstition Wilderness for four treasure hunters that went missing this past year. Conducting a grid search requires well-placed searchers that move slowly and methodically through designated grid sections in order to uncover clues as to the missing person’s movements. Grid searching an area helps to locate items that may have been passed over or missed during the course of broader search efforts such as torn clothing or items that may have been dropped by the missing individuals. Discoveries made during the course of a grid search can lead to a possible location or provide a point of direction for additional grid searches.

In addition to grid searching, SSAR is also GPS (Global Positioning System) mapping and taking photos of historical mines, campsites, dwellings, springs and caves (excluding current camps) to create a database of updated information in an effort to make the Superstition Wilderness safer for all future outdoor enthusiasts. Once this effort is complete, it will be available on the SSAR website along with up-to-date maps.

Going forward, SSAR’s goal for the New Year is to obtain a land donation that will enable them to erect on office/warehouse where they can store their gear and supplies so they are even better prepared to assist the community when needed.

SSAR thanks all the citizens of Pinal County for their ongoing support and friendship and extends their wishes for a happy, safe and blessed New Year to all.

Apache Junction/Gold Canyon Independent
November 3, 2010

The Apache Junction Police Department hosted a moonlight hike in the Superstition Mountains Oct. 23. The hike was held for FBI employees out of the Phoenix field office. Apache Junction Police Chief Jerald Monahan said, “We are so very fortunate to have the Superstition Mountains right in our backyard, we wanted to show them off to some of our federal partners and let them see why it is so exciting to live, work and play in the Apache Junction/Gold Canyon area.” Superstition Search and Rescue commander Robert Cooper coordinated the event and led the hike along with other SSAR members. SSAR is a nonprofit rescue team dedicated to assisting individuals or groups who experience wilderness-related issues.

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Apache Junction/Gold Canyon News

Cause of death undetermined, his sex offender notification was printed in paper

A man who went missing shortly after his sex offender notification was published in The Apache Junction/Gold Canyon News has been found dead.

David Henry Huck was found Friday, October 8, by Superstition Search and Rescue in the area of Tepee and Meridian Road in a semi-wooded brush area, said Capt. Tom Kelly of the Apache Junction Police Department. His notification was printed on October 4 and his family bought a missing person’s ad that ran in the paper on October 11.

The body was positively identified by the Pima County Medical Examiner. The cause of death is unknown at this time, Kelly said.

“There was not any immediate trauma,” Kelly said. “There were not any visible injuries like bullet holes or anything like that. They did a forensic scan and there was no immediate trauma to the body.”

“It’s an unfortunate situation for the family.”

Huck was arrested in 2008 after police in Colorado received a report that an adult male had exited his vehicle naked and was standing in front of an elementary school.

No students were present during the incident.

He left the scene before police arrived, according to reports, but witnesses provided a description and the vehicle’s license plate number. Huck was arrested a short time later at his home.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE
October 1-3, 2010

by Curt Fonger

This is a story about some truly remarkable men and women here in Arizona that really DO make a difference thru their volunteer efforts to aid nature by going up to the Grand Canyon once a year and becoming involved in a massive/well coordinated cleanup project.

Mountaineering groups from all over Arizona as well as our own Superstition Search and Rescue (SSAR) group spend a week-end of their time once a year to dedicate themselves to cleaning up trash left behind by the millions of visitors who descend into Grand Canyon National Park to spend time in one of earth’s Natural Wonders. The faces and names are many, with individual stories within a story often from person to person.

i.e: Superstition team member, 27-year old Jeremy Schmidt who is legally blind, yet does what other team members do, rappel and be involved. Occupations vary from auto mechanics, to carpenters, medical specialists, retired police officers, corporate executives, to technology gurus, school teachers, journalists, former military persons and so on. We come from all walks of life but with one common bond and that is – to Make a Difference by giving back in a positive way.

The Canyon is a place where imaginations are set free where adventures of mind and spirit take over. When you walk along the edge onto this enormous silent stage, the vastness, the complexity of nature rests at your feet and is all about you. Words nor pictures can adequately describe what one feels or sees when they visit this most wonderful place.

BUT… with all its wonder it cannot withstand the onslaught of us humans without help.

Now in its 20th year, the Grand Canyon Clean Up saw over 80 individuals from various groups – the largest being the Superstition Search & Rescue team filter into their confines for this fun event.

Robert England, President of the Arizona Mountaineering Club (AMC) who was the project coordinator, assigned SSAR Hermits Rest & Yaki Point as designated areas to be cleaned both above and below the rim to SSAR.

Free camping at the Mather Point Campground was provided by the National Park – so after tents were pitched/meals were had and campfires flickered into a warm embrace – Friday evening was spent with team members/families and friends. Good times and laughter permeated the air but soon it was lights out at 10 p.m. in preparation for a full day ahead of us on Saturday.

The cool night air soon befell our camp and at 7,000 feet above sea level – the scent of ponderosa pine and juniper filled our senses as we drifted off to sleep. We were bid good night by a pack of coyotes at camps fringe as their barks/yips and howls filled the starry night in this otherwise silent campground. Soon we all drifted off into a heavy sleep, stress of being inundated with negative events on our Planet had passed. Our thoughts were of here and of the now. It can’t be any other way in the Grand Canyon.

It was best said by author Mary Austin:

“The Earth is not wanton to give upher best to every comer, but keeps a sweet,

separate intimacy for each”

That! Is what the Grand Canyon offers to all who enter that most magnificent place.

Saturday morning’s briefing for the day’s work ahead was held over a hot cup of delicious camp coffee in hand. Harnesses/ropes/pulleys/safety rigging/radio communications/and designated team members for the cleanup were reviewed and areas assigned. Off we went! The fun was about to begin.

Surprisingly, both Hermits Rest and Yaki Point had minimal trash but what there was – we collected/bagged and deposited in available dumpsters. The SSAR team was the subject of conversation to many of the tourists visiting this grandest of Natural Wonders here in Arizona.

We all took the time to stop and chat/explain our purpose and mission and without fail – we received Thank You from just about everybody we talked to. Aside from cleaning up, public relations is also a very important ingredient when in our national parks.

Have you ever been to an 80-person Chili Cook Off? Saturday evening found the AMC group busily cooking away on their camp stoves – Twelve different tasty varieties of Chili – complete with corn bread on the side. WOW! Talk about excellent food! A contest was held to determine who had served up the best fare. Although all twelve recipes were excellent, eventually only one could be declared the winner.

After another evening of campfire and camaraderie – laughter and stories -Sunday came early- but as it turned out, it was to be the biggest challenge we had ever undertaken in the years of the clean up.

Some irresponsible person or persons had thrown a 300-pound plus metal picnic table over the rim of the Canyon at Shoshone Point. This location is extremely beautiful as evidenced by numerous weddings held in this special spot throughout the year.

Apparently someone had become over exuberate some months earlier and managed (no doubt with a lot of help from friends) to pitch this heavy table over the rim down into the abyss below. Fortunately boulders/rocks and thick bushes prevented the table from going all the way down into the basement of the Grand Canyon. The table came to rest some 400 feet below the rim settled into dense undergrowth and large boulders. 400 feet may not sound like much – but when our task was to rescue this 300-pound table from tremendously rough terrain and at a vertical incline of more than 30 percent. Well, you get the picture! What a challenge!

Superstition Search & Rescue team members quickly surveyed the situation, Director Robert Cooper made assignments and we all eagerly jumped into action. Three of our long line rapellers went over the edge to secure the table with rope while others of us took up stations to man pulleys and as a TEAM – some handling radio communications, some of us spotting on the very edge of the Canyon, we slowly but surely inched the table back up toward the top.

Two hours after we had begun – VICTORY! with one final burst of energy – Seven line pullers got the table to the very lip of the edge where it could be secured even more so – then within seconds this massive table was hoisted back onto the top.

What a tremendous undertaking!

Various park personnel were on hand to witness this monumental event take place and even they had a hard time believing what they saw.

It can be said – We came – We saw – We conquered! What a blast… I may be mistaken – but I really did think I heard Elk trumpeting, Eagles and Condors screaming, Mule Deer, Fox, Mountain Sheep and even small forest creatures all thanking us in their own way for once again allowing the Canyon to be put back into its natural state through our laborious efforts.

Not only was this a fun week-end surrounded by quality people in one of Earths most beautiful settings – it was a week-end where we truly DID make a difference through volunteering our time to do so.

We are excited already about next year’s event which will be held in October as well. If you want to get away from it all, love to be with great people in a great setting and if YOU would like to make a difference, we would welcome your participation. The only prerequisite is a desire to have fun, to be involved and to be prepared to have an experience of a lifetime.

There are all kinds of easy tasks for volunteers, mainly being over and picking up litter that doesn’t belong in our beautiful Grand Canyon. While there is no charge to participate, you’ll leave much richer than when you arrived – I guarantee it!

For further information about becoming part of the Superstition Search & Rescue Team or inquiries about joining us at next year’s fun filled 21st Annual Grand Canyon Clean Up event, direct your questions to:

www.superstitionsar.org

Photos by Curt Fonger

15 members will join Urban Search and Rescue Team

Apache Junction News

Fifteeen members of the Superstition Search and Rescue team recently graduated from CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training, which brings the organization’s total to 25, with an additional 22 members in training.

The 15 members will now join the newly formed Urban Search and Rescue Team.

“A CERT team is a nationally recognized volunteer emergency response team made up of individuals who have received specific training in disaster response,” said Commander Robert Cooper.

“These individuals assist both local and national emergency responders in the event of a major disaster event. The training these individuals receive is recognized by Homeland Security and FEMA and serves to equip the team members with the skills to determine what services are needed and what actions should be taken to provide the greatest good for the greatest number. Whether a disaster is man-made or natural, CERT teams are trained to mobilize immediately to save lives and offer immediate help to victims.”

Cooper said thanks to the dedication of his group’s members, its partnership with the Apache Junction Police Department (AJPD) and the continued support from the community, SSAR will be one of the most well-equipped urban rescue teams in the states. It is also a few steps shy of being recognized as a National Response Team, which can be called upon to assist in rescues nationwide.

While disaster preparedness is at the heart of the CERT program, the SSAR Urban Response Team will also use its skills to assist the AJPD and community in other areas such as cold cases, lost children and adults, local emergencies and more.

Superstition Search and Rescue recently celebrated 15 of its members finishing CERT training. Those with the training are wearing bright yellow vests.

SSAR also continues to provide the community with the highly skilled wilderness rescue services for which they are renowned.

The Apache Junction Police Department welcomes this additional help and values the partnership of such a well-trained, nationally recognized Community Emergency Response Team.

“It is in times of emergencies when you need to draw on all available resources to help mitigate what has occurred,” said AJPD Police Chief Jerald Monahan. “Having well-trained, dedicated volunteers are a huge asset and valuable Link slot deposit dana resource that any community can benefit from.”

SSAR has helped the AJPD with a number of missing person cases, including the case of the kidnapped 2-year-old girl that occurred last year. The result was a successful rescue and a long prison sentence for the offender.

SSAR is a private volunteer service organization dedicated to wilderness and urban search and rescue in Arizona since 1981. The members are trained in urban rescue, CERT and are highly skilled in wilderness first aid, technical rescue and orienteering.

SSAR does not charge for these life-saving services as members sacrifice their personal time and resources to assist those in need, Cooper said. SSAR operates a 24/7 emergency hotline at (480) 620-0299 for those needing assistance.

In addition to the achievement, SSAR received a “general donation” from an unnamed Gold Canyon https://flowrotterdam.nl/wp-includes/slot-gacor/ resident for equipment to outfit its expanding team.

SSAR relies on donations from individuals and/or corporations and fund-raising activities to support the training and equipment they need to continue serving individuals who find themselves in situations in which they require assistance. All donations are tax deductible. To donate, send a check or money order payable to SSAR to P.O. Box 1123, Apache Junction, AZ 85217.

For more information on SSAR or to make an online donation, visit www.superstitionsar.org.

Gold Canyon Today

Not just your usual Search and Rescue anymore; the New Year has brought organizational changes and additional services that will position SSAR to be a multi-faceted search and rescue organization uniquely equipped to provide both wilderness and urban search and rescue services.

“We are now governed by an Administrative Board and we have two search and rescue teams; Wilderness and Urban” said former SSAR Commander Robert Cooper; now Director of Urban SAR. “The change (in structure) is due to our expansion into Urban SAR,” explained Cooper, who added that they already have 15 Urban SAR trained members and expect to have another 20 trained in the next couple of months.

The SSAR restructuring has resulted in the formation of an Administrative Board of Directors consisting of Director Richard Wilson, Treasurer James Ballard, Secretary Joyce Wilson and Resource Officer Eileen Tremonti. Former SSAR Commander Robert Cooper will take on the position of Urban SAR Director and Mike Wallace will be the director of the Wilderness SAR team.

Over their nearly thirty years of service to the community, SSAR has received local and national recognition for their life-saving achievements. While the working relationship that SSAR had for decades with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office has ceased; SSAR is now working closely with the Apache Junction Police Department to expand their search and rescue services to include an Urban SAR team.

The Urban SAR team will combine their previous wilderness search and rescue skills with their Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training to assist in urban related issues such as “cold cases”, lost children and adults, urban disaster issues and more.

The Homeland Security and FEMA recognized CERT training provides these individuals with the skills to determine what immediate services will be needed following a major disaster, thereby equipping them to make life decisions regarding rescuer safety and also what actions will provide the greatest good for the greatest number. CERT trained individuals are uniquely skilled to organize and mobilize teams to offer immediate help to victims while assisting first responders until professional services arrive.

CERT trained individuals can assist in any type of disaster; man-made or natural, such as the recent earthquake in Haiti where CERT trained individuals are already working in a coordinated, cohesive effort to save lives and provide survivors with necessities.

Superstition Search and Rescue (SSAR) is a volunteer service organization that assists individuals who experience wilderness-related and urban related problems. The members are highly skilled in wilderness first-aid, technical rescue, orienteering, urban rescue techniques and do not charge for these life-saving services. They sacrifice their personal time and resources to assist those in need and operate a 24/7 rescue hotline at 480-620-0299 for those needing assistance.

SSAR relies on donations from individuals and/or corporations and fund-raising activities to support the training and equipment they need to continue serving individuals who find themselves in a situation in which they require assistance. All donations are tax deductible and no matter what the amount, provide the group with valuable equipment and resources necessary to do their job – saving lives.

If you would like to donate to the unsung heroes of Superstition Search & Rescue, please send a check or money order payable to SSAR, P.O. Box 1123, Apache Junction, AZ 85217. For more information on SSAR or to make on online donation visit SSAR at https://superstitionsar.org.

By Jill Jones
Gold Canyon Today

Rescue equipment and medical supplies were loaded into vehicles by Superstition Search and Rescue (SSAR) members who then made a three-hour trip to Mexico to deliver the much needed cargo to Officer Jesse Rodriguez, who is working to organize a search and rescue team in Mexico.

Rodriguez, a law enforcement officer and canine handler in Mexico is working with Cruz Roja (Mexican Red Cross) and their coordinator, Enrique Enriquez, to develop a trained search and rescue team.

Rodriguez contacted SSAR a few years back seeking information on dog handling and search and rescue training. That initial contact sparked a long-distance relationship situs slot gacor maxwin between SSAR members and Rodriguez. Even though SSAR is a self-supporting, all-volunteer organization; team members took on the challenge of helping their counterpart in Mexico.

SSAR volunteer Joyce Wilson worked tirelessly to obtain a grant for Rodriguez to attend a dog-handling course, only to be told that Rodriguez would not be able attend because he is not a U.S. citizen. This set-back took a toll on Rodriguez, who was so disappointed that he considered giving up on his dream of organizing a rescue team. Wilson eventually convinced Rodriguez to persevere and she and SSAR became an integral component in Rodriguez’s quest.

On Wednesday, December 30, 2009 members of Superstition Search and Rescue met with members of Rodriguez’s team, presenting them with backpacks, boots, medical supplies, tents, ropes and more so that the Mexico team can provide life saving services in their country.

Superstition Search and Rescue (SSAR) is a volunteer service organization that assists individuals who experience wilderness-related problems in the Superstition Wilderness Area. The members are highly skilled in wilderness first-aid, technical rescue, orienteering and do not charge for these life-saving services. They sacrifice their personal time and resources to assist those in need and operate a 24/7 rescue hotline at 480-620-0299 for those needing assistance.

SSAR relies on donations from individuals and/or corporations and fund-raising activities to support the training and equipment they need to continue serving individuals who find themselves in a situation in which they require assistance. All donations are tax deductible and no matter what the amount, provide the group with valuable equipment and resources necessary to do their job – saving lives.

If you would like to donate to the unsung heroes of Superstition Search & Rescue, please send a check or money order payable to SSAR, P.O. Box 1123, Apache Junction, AZ 85217. For more information on SSAR or to make on online donation visit SSAR at https://superstitionsar.org

Gold Canyon Today

Superstition Search and Rescue came to the aid of a family in need, by helping them find the body of a missing loved one.

According to Public Information Officer Lt. Tamatha Villar, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) was contacted by a San Tan Valley woman who’s boyfriend had never returned home New Year’s Eve. Sources say that the man had been drinking at the Gym Grill and Bar and had decided to walk home. Officers responded to the call but could not find the man. On Jan. 2, officers canvassing the canal near where he was last seen found his hat and a shoe.

After the personal items were found the PCSO drug the canal with hooks but were hampered by the fact that their search and rescue posse did not have the equipment or training to drag the canal. The man’s family contacted Superstition Search and Rescue who responded, dragged the canal and recovered his body at approximately noon on Jan. 3.

By Jill Jones
Gold Canyon Today

Superstition Search and Rescue (SSAR) held their annual Christmas party on December 5, 2009 at the Gold Canyon Golf Resort where SSAR Commander Robert Cooper announced that he had been called to the State Capitol on Tuesday December 1 at which time he was presented with a joint commendation for SSAR from the Arizona House of Representatives and Senate for SSAR’s contribution to the citizens of Arizona.

The commendation was signed by Senator Thayer Verchoor District 22 and Representative Laurin Hendrix District 22, which read as follows:

We do commend and congratulate Superstition Search & Rescue. Your 30 years of service to the citizens of Arizona is a remarkable achievement. Your hard work and dedication on behalf of others is deeply appreciated. The Arizona House of Representatives and State Senate commends you for your service.

This is a time of change for SSAR who for the past 30 years has worked in conjunction with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) and is now in the process of reorganizing the team and will no longer be affiliated with the sheriff’s office. Instead, SSAR will be broadening their capabilities to include urban search and rescue in addition to the skilled wilderness search and rescue services they have provided in the past.

In this new, broadened capacity SSAR will be using their skills to search for children and adult individuals who are reported lost; have been abducted; or are suffering from medical, physical or mental challenges; in addition to wilderness search and rescue. To achieve this goal, SSAR is seeking to partner with the Apache Junction Police Department (AJPD) to provide these expanded services to area residents and will be meeting with the AJPD command staff on Tuesday in hopes of finalizing an agreement.

After a wonderful dinner of Prime Rib, chicken and sides, Commander Cooper gave a recap of the top 10 rescues out of their 60 for the year, not counting the approximately 130 assists or walk-outs they participated in this past year – including the attempted rescue of a horse, that despite heroic efforts, eventually succumbed to exposure in the desert.

Unbeknownst to Cooper, or the rest of the SSAR team, VIP guest Curt Fonger presented Cooper with letters from Arizona DPS Director and former Pinal County Sheriff Roger Vanderpool and former Pinal County Sheriff Chris Vasquez, which Fonger read to attendees.

Director Vanderpool wrote, “I have personally been on searches involving SSAR and they are some of the most dedicated, talented, professional, caring people I have ever witnessed, providing a service of love to individuals in need. God bless you and all the members of SSAR, each of you are heroes.”

Former sheriff Vasquez also praised the efforts of SSAR recounting their recognition and grant from the Lacy Peterson Foundation and their multiple achievements under his term as sheriff saying, “I saw the precision in the team as you handled each rescue, always putting safety first and achieving your goal; bringing the victims home alive to their loved ones. I count it both an honor and a privilege to have known and worked with the Superstition Search and Rescue Team.”

“My most sincere desire is that one day soon the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office will once again restore the relationship between the department and SSAR, for without you the PCSO’s responsibility for search and rescue will be costly and not as successful. They and the county need you to save lives. You are my heroes. God blesses each and every one of you.”

Fonger echoed the sentiments of the former sheriffs, thanking them for their service and pointing out the “honesty, integrity, leadership and empathy” of SSAR. “Tonight we are here with the best,” said Fonger in closing.

Marta Saint James read a letter from the Gold Canyon Business Association and Genevieve Bricker, President of ADOBE read her letter, which she said was a “tribute to Robert Cooper and all the magnificent (SSAR) members.”

Guest Speaker Jerry Monahan, AJPD Chief of Police, recounted his experiences with SSAR as a member of PCSO and also with AJPD. He expressed his appreciation for the professionalism and skills that SSAR possesses, which he said will be a foundation for a partnership with AJPD. “What you bring to the table is huge,” said Monahan. “Thank you so much for your willingness to partnership in this new venture.”

Cooper retook the floor and recognized the VIP guests that were invited to the dinner thanking them for their behind the scenes support. He then introduced the SSAR Executive Board consisting of Vice Commander Candice Hesson, Director Richard Wilson, Treasurer BJ Schroeder and Secretary Joyce Wilson.

He then recognized the SSAR Team Leaders made up of Training Officer Shelly Shaw; TRT Team, Candice Hesson and Rick Carpenter; Dive Team, Albert Moreta; Swift Water, Steve Tremonti and Sam Garnett; Quad Team, John Swain and Roger Barrientos and Friends of SSAR Eileen Tremonti and PJ Howell.

Ten-year pins were presented to SSAR team members Jim Ballard and Mike Wallace and five-year pins were also presented to Jeremy Schmidt and Dave Thompson. Additional five-year pins will also be presented to other members who were not in attendance.

Traditionally the SSAR Commander’s Award has been bestowed upon one individual SSAR team member chosen by the commander; however, Cooper said that he could not choose just one person and instead recognized three people to receive the coveted award, which went to BJ Schroeder, Shelly Shaw and Rick Carpenter. The winners’ names will be engraved on the SSAR plaque and will receive $100 gift certificates.

Gold Canyon Ledger Editor Thomas Preiss spoke recalling the contributions that SSAR has made to the community, followed by a solo performed by his wife Mary Lynn who sang You Raise Me Up.

In conclusion Cooper said, “It was a tough year – a lot of changes. I see nothing but good changes,” adding, “We touch the lives of about 200 people a year, now we will touch the lives of even more.”

While these may be the final days of SSAR’s 30 years of working in conjunction with PCSO; SSAR will still be active in the area and can be called directly for assistance 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week at 480-620-0299.

SSAR relies on donations from individuals and/or corporations and fund-raising activities to support the training and equipment they need to continue serving individuals who find themselves in a situation in which they require assistance. All donations are tax deductible and no matter what the amount, provide the group with valuable equipment and resources necessary to do their job – saving lives.

If you would like to donate to the unsung heroes of Superstition Search & Rescue, please send a check or money order payable to SSAR, P.O. Box 1123, Apache Junction, AZ 85217. For more information on SSAR or to make on online donation visit SSAR at https://superstitionsar.org.

By Jill Jones
Gold Canyon Today

Superstition Search and Rescue (SSAR) has been busy in their final days associated with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) with yet another rescue on Saturday, November 28, 2009; their second rescue in a week.

SSAR received a call around 4 p.m. Saturday to assist a 53-year-old woman who was injured while hiking with her husband in the Superstition Mountains. Bob and Linda McLaughlin of Peoria, AZ set out for a day hike around at 11:00 a.m. and were about four-and-a-half miles in when the injury occurred.

The couple was working their way down the North side of Minor’s Summit when Linda slipped https://universitytimesafrica.com/ and fell. It was later determined that she had broken her ankle. With the help of her husband the woman managed to hobble her way back up the summit where they were able to get a cell phone signal to call for help.

SSAR immediately sent their “hasty team” into the Minor’s Summit area to locate the couple. A hasty team is the “first responders” for SSAR. “They are our eyes and ears in the field to get the ball rolling,” explained SSAR Commander Robert Cooper.

A hasty team normally goes in to locate victims with just a radio and minimal equipment and then radios back to other team members to bring whatever additional supplies are determined to be needed once the situation has been assessed. In this situation however, SSAR already knew they would be dealing with an ankle injury so they were prepared with the supplies they would need in order to provide initial treatment for the hiker’s injured ankle.

After the hasty team located the couple and provided initial treatment of the woman’s injuries, they then radioed for a ground team to bring a “stokes basket” so the patient could be packaged for safe, manual transportation down the mountain.

The stokes extraction required the SSAR team to maneuver up, and then down, four miles of rocky terrain and narrow paths with trail-edge drop offs in the cold and rain, while carrying the stokes basket. The stokes basket is a metal, wire or plastic litter with sides designed to safely transport a patient.

Carrying a victim or patient in a stokes basket requires a team of six individuals who have to be able to carry the basket while walking forwards, sideways and backwards and simultaneously bushwhacking though vegetation, including cactus – a very tricky and prickly situation. Since the patient is carried over the trail, rescuers are relegated to having to maneuver the rough terrain on the edges of the trail while carrying the patient.

“This is what we train for and this is what we do best, assisting those in need so they can return home to their families,” said Cooper.

While these may be the final days of SSAR’s 30 years of working in conjunction with PCSO; SSAR will still be active in the area and can be called directly for assistance 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week beginning December 1, 2009 at 480-620-0299.

Going forward, SSAR will be working in conjunction with the Apache Junction Police Department in developing an Urban Search and Rescue Team in addition to continuing to provide their award-winning wilderness search and rescue services.

Superstition Search and Rescue (SSAR) is a volunteer service organization that assists individuals who experience wilderness-related problems in the Superstition Wilderness Area. The members are highly skilled in wilderness first-aid, technical rescue and orienteering who do not charge for these life-saving services. They sacrifice their personal time and resources to assist those in need.

SSAR relies on donations from individuals and/or corporations and fund-raising activities to support the training and equipment they need to continue serving individuals who find themselves in a situation in which they require assistance. They need these all-important donations now, more than ever. All donations are tax deductible and no matter what the amount, provide the group with valuable equipment and resources necessary to do their job – saving lives.

If you would like to donate to the unsung heroes of Superstition Search & Rescue, please send a check or money order payable to SSAR, P.O. Box 1123, Apache Junction, AZ 85217. For more information on SSAR or to make an online donation visit SSAR at https://superstitionsar.org.