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DEM #99-2184 September 25, 1999 |
The unit was contacted by the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management on Sat Sept 25th. The Park Rangers at Olympic National Park had ask for our assistance in searching for a lost 18-year-old hiker in the Appleton Pass area.
Eric Romano of Olympia had been missing since the previous Tuesday. He had been last seen in the Appleton pass when he parted from his companion to hike alone to the Boulder creek trail head in the Elwha Valley.
Seven Members responded to the call out they were Mike Mixon, Ken Capron,Phil Fortier Fran McFarland, Larry and Connie Crum and John Kirkman. They were told to meet at the cache at 3:30 A.M. for the three-hour drive to the search base at Olympic National Park Headquarters outside of the town of Port Angles. After arriving and being briefed by the National Park Rangers. They left for the helipad to be lifted into Appleton Pass. Due to the crash of a helicopter during a search last year everyone was required to put on coveralls of a fire retardant material called NOMEX over their climbing clothes for the duration of the flight. They then removed them when they arrived at the pass to be returned with the helicopter for the next crew to use this tended to slow the deployment down somewhat. After arrival at Appleton Pass they had just begun to search their assigned area when the word was radioed that the subject had been found in a ravine near Boulder Creek. Members of Olympic Mountain Rescue were sent to retrieve him. After being flown back out our crew were released by the search base to return home.Tacoma Mountain Rescue |
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