RCMP rescue hiker and it's no big deal | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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RCMP rescue hiker and it's no big deal

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THEY HEARD THE WOMAN IN THE DISTANCE CRYING FOR HELP

A lone, injured hiker was found by RCMP and the officers who found her didn't make a big deal about it. For them, it's all in a day's work.

Kamloops RCMP Sgt. Grant Learned said the woman was found March 3 and a report was filed.

"The report was processed by the officers involved with no fanfare or excitement, as if it was just another Saturday night call," Learned said.

The 46-year-old Kamloops woman sprained her ankle while hiking on Mt. Paul and was rescued in the early morning hours last Sunday after being located by an RCMP tracking dog.

A call was placed to RCMP around 1 a.m. March 3 after people living in the 500 block of Cree Road noticed a faint light on Mt. Paul and heard someone yelling. Const. Robert Shanks, police dog handler Const. Dave Lewis and his dog "Zak" went into the area and saw the light midway down the west side slope of a ridge line on Mt. Paul. They heard the woman in the distance crying for help.

They moved quickly with cougar sightings reported in the area earlier in the week.

The two officers and Zak started out along the ridge but soon lost sight of the light because of the terrain and were forced to change tactics. Const. Shanks moved back to a position where he could see the light and using radios, the officer guided the dog team in their assent up the narrow ridge line.

Lewis discovered the woman was unable to hike out on her own because of her injury, so Kamloops Fire and Rescue and the B.C. Ambulance Service were called in to assist.

"With the tools, equipment and expertise of all parties involved, the hiker was safety packed out of the area and down to where she could receive more detailed medical attention," Learned said.

The RCMP and Search and Rescue personnel are reminding all back country enthusiasts of the increased safety benefit of traveling in pairs, carrying adequate clothing and supplies to accommodate an unexpected overnight delay, to advise loved ones of your route of travel, destination and estimated time of return, and to bring along a cell phone or automatic GPS emergency signalling device.

News from © iNFOnews, 2013
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