Late at night on July 15, the Emery County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO) Dispatch Center received notification via a Garmin device that advised of a party that was stuck in Zero Gravity Slot Canyon. It was reported that an adult male was wedged between canyon walls.
Emery County Sheriff Tyson Huntington explained that experience in the past has shown that when someone is wedged between canyon walls, time is of the essence. With this in mind, a call was sent out to the Search and Rescue (SAR) Commander and members.
“Most of our SAR members were in bed or otherwise turned in for the night,” the sheriff explained. “After the call went out, many of our SAR members responded and began to prepare to head to the Zero Gravity area to rescue this family.”
Sheriff Huntington continued to explain that the rescue involved a high angle rope rescue team and SAR members responded to the sheriff’s office to retrieve the rope equipment and supplies needed. Well after midnight, Search and Rescue arrived at the scene. The rope team then had to build the necessary rope system for such a rescue.
Members of Search and Rescue had to be rigged up to make the drop below to the victim to provide assistance in loosening him from the canyon walls. Not only was the main victim rescued, but two others were retrieved as well. While some SAR members were on the ropes below the victim, the remaining members were above them, running the rope system. Sheriff Huntington credited this as a serious amount of work.
The Department of Public Safety (DPS) also deployed one helicopter equipped with a pilot and a two-man mask force that could assist as-needed. DPS personnel assisted in running the rope system and the rescue was a success, all victims were saved and were able to avoid serious injury.
Sheriff Huntington stated that those involved in the rescue were very grateful for the services that they received and that if it was not for the SAR team and their abilities, the outcome may have been different. Members returned home close to 6:30 a.m., which Sheriff Huntington pointed out was just in time for them to go to work.
“I cannot overstate the importance of our Search and Rescue Team. All of our members are just regular people with huge hearts and a desire to serve others at the cost of themselves. None of them are just sitting around waiting for the phone to ring,” stated Sheriff Huntington. “They are all busy people with responsibilities to work, family, and other personal interests, all of which they sacrifice to serve others.”
Sheriff Huntington continued by saying that he has the pleasure of rubbing shoulders with the SAR members, learning from them. He said they are a band of brothers that have no desire for praise or accolades.
“In the past, talk of compensation came up and the team collectively scoffed at the idea so loud that the National Weather Service noticed an anomaly in the wind patterns over Castle Country,” the sheriff joked. “These guys are here to serve in the purest sense of the word and we are lucky to have them.”
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- Photos Courtesy of the ECSO
