|
|
|
DEM #98-1249 June 19, 1998 |
The Unit was contacted by the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management at 8:30 a.m. to assist the Mason County Sheriff in the search for a possible suicide at Lake Cushman. Eight members responded: Ken Capron, John Miner, Mike Mixon, Rob Penney, Joe Scarfo, Steve Stowell, Dave Treber and Rick Wire.
The following mission report was submitted by John Miner who was Operations Leader for this mission. Edited for journalistic reasons. Editor.
1315hrs.-checked in with the Mason County Emergency services truck. We were given a mission number of 98-1249.
We were given a basic data sheet and a search assignment. We were looking for an adult white female, Lori Zimmerman. She was said to be suicidal, not on medications and had no formal diagnosis. She had left a long rambling note, but nothing specific with which to aid the search effort. All of her belongings were still at her house, which was nearby. There had been several unverified sightings in the area. There were a number of ESAR teams and King County had their helicopter up.
Jefferson County Deputy Brooks provided the briefing for me and the assignment. We were to search the area below the lower dam at Kokanee Lake, sometimes referred to as Lower Lake Cushman.
1405 hrs. We arrived at the dam with the aid of Tacoma Public Utilities.
1419 hrs. Two teams were deployed into the field. A three-person team was sent down the steep stairway to the bottom of the 200' dam to check the area there and at the adjacent spillway. This team consisted of Joe Scarfo, Ken Capron, and Rob Penny. The second team was sent to scout the area below the dam accessed by a steep trail. This was Mike Mixon, Dave Treber, and Steve Perry. Rick Wire stayed at the truck with me for this short period of time.
1452hrs.the team searching the base of the dam completed their mission.
1500hrs. both teams were back at the truck.
1512hrs. one team of seven was sent back into the field with very light gear to search the area below the dam. Mike Mixon was the team leader. Two ropes and rappeling gear were used. It took a full 150' rappel to access the river bank over steep and slippery rocks. The stream, while low in water volume, was heavily covered with down timber.
1529hrs. the team rigged the rappel
1543hrs. Rick Wire was over the edge, checking the route.
1604hrs. three team members were now at the river and searching both sides of the stream.
1640hrs. our team searched a quarter mile downstream with a very low probability of detection due to the heavy timber down along and over the stream. Search base directed us to return.
1730hrs. our team made it out of the gorge and was back on the trail.
1736hrs. the team was back at the truck.
1750hrs. all TMRU personnel were back at search base. We debriefed with Deputy Brooks. They had no more specific details with which to justify carrying on the operation. They thanked us for our assistance and we were told to secure from the mission. The team worked well together. It was relatively straightforward, but nonetheless involved a search over difficult and hazardous ground. The selection of very light packs and rappeling lines worked perfectly for this particular operation. All equipment worked well. We found a dead radio battery while doing a "comm" check prior to entering the field.
Tacoma Mountain Rescue |
 |