King County Search Dogs

November 2001

November 4, 2001
01-ES-054
Puyallup, Pierce County
1000 callout on this speculative cadaver search in an urban area. We responded with six cadaver dogs. We were to search the back yard of the former residence of the suspect and his missing wife. This was a 14 yo case. Investigation of a slab under a garage, an old garden and an area of interest in the back of the property. No alerts on the building or garden. One of the dogs showed interest in the back of the property. Upon digging up the area, we found two old oil tanks. Subsequent runs with the dogs did not show interest in this area. We concluded that the dogs did not find anything of interest during this search. (40 hrs)

November 10-11, 2001
01-2989
I-90, Exit 45
2330 callout to search for two missing hikers on Talapus Lake trail off I-90 Exit 45. We responded with one trailing and three airscent teams. Two hikers of a party of four were separated near dusk that day when the two better hikers quickly went down the trail after leaving the other two at Ollalie Lake. The trailing team tried working a negative area to assist with confinement. The airscent teams worked areas along the route of travel from Ollalie Lake and Talapus Lake to the trailhead and I-90. The subjects were located at 0830 by an ESAR team on the trail. The subjects had spent the night uphill from where they had separated from their party the night before (an unexpected route). The subjects reported hearing the voice checks by the search teams as well as Edgar barking. Both subjects were fine after their night out. (84 hrs)

November 15, 2001
01-3038
Kent
1300 callout for a missing despondent 53 yo female in an urban area. We responded with two trailing and two airscent teams. The subject was last seen two days prior, at 1500 hrs, leaving a friends residence for a walk. She was reported missing after not returning at 1800 hrs. The subject was despondent after having lost her husband recently. She may also have a medical emergency due to not getting diabetic medications. She had been seen by several witnesses in the area. The trailing teams followed her route to a park and adjacent main street south of the PLS, but were not able to find the trail out of there. The airscent teams covered the likely greenbelts and parks in this area. The subject was not found. (21 hrs)

November 17, 2001
01-3038
Kent
0830 callout to continue the search for the despondent subject. We responded with a single trailing and six airscent/cadaver teams. The areas around the park were covered thoroughly with no results. The mission was suspended pending more information or sightings of the subject. (88.5 hrs) [The subject was located the week of 12/7/01 by a passerby, several blocks north of the search area, deceased.]

November 23-24, 2001
01-3115
Enumclaw
1330 callout for a missing 4 yo male at Pinnacle Peak (Mt. Peak). We responded with three trailing and five airscent teams. Subject last seen near summit while descending ahead of family. Mother realized he was missing when they did not meet at the next intersection. We started with airscent near PLS and trail from PLS. 2nd and 3rd confirmation trails were run with differing results. The airscent teams covered large areas where ground searchers were not working. We previously had two teams work through the area where the subject was eventually found. We believe they searched it prior to the subject moving into this area. Subject was located by resident and Pierce Cty ESAR teams at 2150 hrs on 11/24 through voice checks. He was severely hypothermic, laying in a stream and had lost his shoes. It is believed that the subject kept moving the entire time, traveling through woods and over steep areas. He was 1,000-ft lower than the PLS and had travelled approx. 0.6 mi straight line distance. (359.5 hrs)

November 27, 2001
01-3147
Rattlesnake Ridge
2040 callout for a pair of missing female hikers at Rattlesnake Ridge. We responded with three airscent teams. Our teams were held in base while a hasty SMR team followed up on footprints along the Ridge. The subjects were located by this hasty team. (30 hrs)

Click to continue to December 2001 missions.