King County Search Dogs

August and September 2002

August 12, 2002
02-2057
Auburn
0530 callout for missing 64 yo male in Auburn. We responded with three trailing and two airscent teams. Subject walked out of care center between 2300 and 0100 the night before. The subject was described as having alcohol induced dementia, but physically rather healthy. Trailing teams unable to establish direction of travel from residence. Airscent teams turned up negative areas in nearby parks and fields. Subject located two miles to south after knocking on door of residence and asking for coffee. In true neighborly fashion, the residents called 911 and Auburn PD returned him to base. The clothing description was wrong except for the shoes. We have searched for a missing person from this care center before. (32 hrs)

August 18, 2002
02-2140
Alpental
1630 callout to assist with carryout of ill female subject from Gem Lake area. We responded with four personnel in the field. Our personnel met up with ESAR and SMR teams and assisted with transporting subject via litter to Alpental parking lot. (31 hrs)

September 15-17, 2002
02-2396
Moscow, ID
Planned evidence search for Moscow, Idaho, sheriff. We sent two cadaver teams. The mandible of a person missing since January 1999 was located in a wilderness area 50 miles north of Moscow. The teams searched for two days and did not locate additional remains. The search area was clear cut range land. There was much sign for mountain lions, coyote and bear. There also were cattle (including bulls) who were in the search areas. Our teams worked in conjunction with an Idaho dog team as well as a M.E. and other forensic specialists. (102.5 hrs)

September 22, 2002
02-2503
Gold Bar, Snohomish County
1030 callout for two missing hikers at Lake Isabella outside of Gold Bar in Snohomish County. We responded with one trailing and three airscent teams. The two subjects had left their car the previous day to do a day hike to Lake Isabella and then onto Ragged Ridge. We fit into the ICS system with three deployed teams and one on standby. Two teams were helo'd into Lake Isabella to start from there. The trailing team started from the vehicle (last known position). Sno County had two airscent and one trailing team already in the field. The subjects were located about 1.5 miles from their vehicle by a Sno Cty. airscent dog team who had started at the vehicle and were heading up the trail. The subjects were in fine condition. No word on how/why they were overdue. (57.5 hrs)

September 28, 2002
02-2555
Seattle
1700 callout for missing 24 yo male in Queen Anne area of Seattle. We responded with three trailing and three airscent teams. The subject was last seen at 0230 hours on Friday (40 hours earlier) at a store. The trailing teams worked areas from the residence and point last seen without a trail leading out of the area. A potential conclusion was the subject was picked-up at an ATM machine. The airscent teams searched Kinnear Park. The subject was located in Pierce County at a hospital. Only 30 miles outside of the search area. ( 60 hrs)

September 29, 2002
02-2560
North Fork Snoqualmie
0400 callout for five missing fishermen at Lake Phillipa on the North Fork Snoqualmie. We responded with two airscent teams. The subjects left the previous day for a day fishing trip. The search started at their vehicle up the trail. One team worked from the end of the road up the trail. Josh Gerstman, chocolate lab Boston, and his support personnel Joan Hitchner and Scott Votaw, worked from base between the road and the creek. Josh's team located the subjects after 45 minutes of searching along the road. The subjects were cold and tired but otherwise fine. (45.5 hrs)

Click to continue to October 2002 missions.