Story here:
www.lebanonlocalnews.com
Rescuers tend to the victim, left, while a Snowcat sits waiting to transport her back to the highway.
Searchers rescue woman in snow off Highway 20 - Lebanon Local
Searchers on Wednesday, Jan. 22, located a woman who was lost in the snow off Highway 20, east…
www.lebanonlocalnews.com
Searchers rescue woman in snow off Highway 20
Searchers on Wednesday, Jan. 22, located a woman who was lost in the snow off Highway 20, east of Sweet Home, the Oregon State Police reported.
– Photos courtesy of OSP
According to OSP, at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, an Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Trooper spotted a vehicle on the shoulder of Hwy. 20 near milepost 68 and quickly determined the person associated with the vehicle was lost and in distress.
A missing woman, Nicole Jean Decker, 30, of Redding, Calif., had left her vehicle for unknown reasons before daybreak and walked up a nearby U.S. Forest Service road, the OSP said.
Linn County Search and Rescue members and an OSP Fish and Wildlife K-9 team responded to assist in the search. K-9 Scout tracked the individual and finally located her about a mile from the vehicle at about 11:20 a.m. She was suffering from some lacerations and exposure to the weather, the OSP said.
Troopers remained with her, built a fire, and provided food and emergency blankets until Search and Rescue members arrived with a Snowcat to transport her back to the highway.
Medics from the Sweet Home Fire Department then transported the woman to an area hospital for medical evaluation.
While the rescue was under way, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office received two additional calls from motorists stranded on forest roads in the snow.
“This is a good reminder for motorists to always have a plan and adequate equipment if traveling or recreating in the snow,” said Sheriff Michelle Duncan. “Always let a friend or family member know your destination and carry a cell phone or rescue beacon. It’s always a good idea to keep your car winter ready with safety items such as extra blankets or warm clothing, extra food and water, a first aid kit, and other survival items.”
Oregon State Police Capt. Kyle Kennedy said: “Winter weather can be unpredictable and conditions can change quickly. This rescue was a great team effort and we are grateful this individual was quickly located and transported to safety.
Oregon State Police Capt. Kyle Kennedy said: “Winter weather can be unpredictable and conditions can change quickly. This rescue was a great team effort and we are grateful this individual was quickly located and transported to safety.
“It’s important to highlight the quick reaction of localized resources – from the Fish and WIldlife troopers, who were able to begin the search with K-9, to the Search and Rescue resources the Linn County Sheriff’s Office mobilized. Those resources in unison created a successful outcome.”