Search-and-rescue (SAR) teams prepare for all kinds of emergencies, and they frequently risk their lives to help those in need. But one Colorado SAR team couldn’t hide its frustration this week after responding to an SOS from a solo adventurer.
A BASE jumper issued an SOS signal on Monday after taking a big fall, claiming serious injury. But when help arrived at the remote locale in a complicated — and expensive — rescue operation, the BASE jumper changed his mind and refused assistance.
In a rare rebuke, local authorities said the man’s behavior showed “a profound lack of respect.”
What Happened
On the afternoon of July 6, the SAR team for San Miguel County, Colo., received an SOS alert from someone’s Garmin device, according to a Facebook post from the sheriff’s office. A 31-year-old man reported that he had fallen 150-200 feet in the Columbine Basin and seriously injured himself. He was unable to walk and believed he had broken his leg.
SAR team members quickly deployed to the area via motorcycles and UTVs, and then hiked 1.5 miles to reach the man. A helicopter with a SAR member also deployed to the site, which was at an elevation of around 13,000 feet. The ground crew arrived first, only to see the man walking around. He said he was a BASE jumper; his chute had failed to open, causing the fall and the subsequent leg injury.
“The man, who is a member of a SAR team in another region, said he was an experienced BASE jumper and was alone when the incident occurred,” the Facebook post read.
Despite the recommendations of emergency personnel, the man refused helicopter transportation and said he no longer wanted help from the SAR team. He then hiked back down with the help of a friend, accompanied by a SAR member.
The SAR crew first received notification of the incident at 2:45 p.m. They were safely out of the field at around 10:00 p.m. About 20 SAR professionals, including members from the team from nearby San Juan County, were involved in the incident.
The Response
This was not the first time this individual had called for emergency help. In 2016, he was injured during a BASE jumping accident in the Swiss Alps and was stranded for 13 hours during a rescue involving nearly two dozen rescuers and three helicopters. His air evacuation cost around $175,000, which was paid for by his $161 insurance policy.
Sheriff Dan Covault publicly criticized the man for wasting valuable resources. “Our SAR team consists of skilled professionals who risk their own lives to help others in need. This individual chose to participate in an extremely dangerous activity alone, and particularly given his prior rescue history, his actions demonstrated a disregard for the risks involved and the resources required to rescue him,” he said in the Facebook post.
“His decisions unnecessarily diverted emergency resources, including a Care Flight helicopter, that may have been needed for other emergencies. The fact that he was able to hike back down shows a profound lack of respect for the tremendous effort and resources devoted to this rescue.”
That sentiment was shared by Chris Boyer, the executive director of the National Association For Search And Rescue. “I just hate this. It does show a profound level of disrespect. You put these rescuers at risk at the 13,000-foot level, and then a CareFlite helicopter lands at 13,000 feet, which is no easy feat,” Boyer told GearJunkie. “That increases the risk to that piece of equipment and those responders.”
Sheriff Covault applauded the SAR teams for their quick responses. “I share your frustration with the outcome of this mission and with the time and effort dedicated to one individual who, as a SAR member himself, should have known better,” Covault said.
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