search and rescue gets new Óight drone · the dji inspire 1 pro zenmuse x5, which sells for...
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Search and Rescue gets new ight
drone
Equipment was donated by local men’s charitable group
Posted: Wednesday, November 4, 2015 4:00 am
1 comment
The Blaine County Search and Rescue team has
acquired new technology to assist in efforts to locate
missing hikers and outdoor enthusiasts in the
mountains in and around the Wood River Valley,
Blaine County Sheriff Gene Ramsey said.
A high-altitude drone was recently purchased by
the agency with money donated by a local men’s
charitable organization after crews saw its
effectiveness during its five hours of flight time in a
recent effort to locate missing hiker and Hailey
resident Luke Richardson, Ramsey said. Richardson’s
body was eventually found northeast of Sun Valley.
Ramsey said funds for the drone came from the 100
Men Who Care organization, comprising local men
who regularly contribute monetary gifts to local
nonprofits, who donated $5,700 to purchase the drone
and associated training costs for its two future pilots.
“It is a really great tool to have and allows us to
quickly search for a missing person over a large radius without always having to transport ground
personnel,” Ramsey said.
The DJI Inspire 1 Pro Zenmuse X5, which sells for roughly $4,500 on its manufacturer’s website, comes
with a powerful, high-definition camera that easily shoots aerial footage that can be later analyzed by
search-and-rescue crews.
Blaine County Search and Rescue member Michael Leach said he and the agency’s commander, Bryan
Carpita, recently gave a presentation to the 100 Men Who Care organization meeting in early October,
espousing the benefits of having a drone during rescue and recovery operations.
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Posted on Nov 4, 2015by Ryan Thorne
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Gene Ramsey, Blaine County sheriffIt is a really great tool to have and allows us to
quickly search for a missing person over a large
radius without always having to transport ground
personnel.”
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“With the efficiencies, time saving and manpower saving, I just thought that this would be something
worth approaching the 100 Men Who Care,” Leach said.
Leach said during the presentation of the drone to the organization, the immediate reaction of members
was extremely positive.
“It allows you to reach places that helicopters can fly over but can’t get much closer to,” he said. “If I had
to get three or four men to go up and do a sweep on the hillside, as opposed to a drone that can cover the
same area in 15 minutes, I’m going with the drone.”
With a drone in the Blaine County Search and Rescue arsenal, crew members can allocate their resources
more efficiently and cover more ground in higher elevations if weather allows.
“This drone we selected is a high-altitude drone and can deal with the conditions up there,” Leach said.
“However, if the winds are too strong for a helicopter to fly, the drone can’t either.”
Marty Lyon, founder of the three-year-old 100 Men Who Care group, said the organization usually donates
to Blaine County nonprofit groups that serve the Wood River Valley, but was compelled to give to the county
to support rescue operations.
He said members of the group meet quarterly and nominate the nonprofits they would like to donate to,
eventually voting and selecting one organization to receive financial contributions. He said the Blaine
County Search and Rescue donation was chosen because of the emotional appeal involved in its
presentation by Leach and Carpita.
“They made a very compelling presentation about how fast the drones are and how that could mean more
lives saved,” Lyon said. “We thought about how lucky we all are when we set out on a hike and return home
safely and learned how little funding Blaine County Search and Rescue gets from the county.”
Lyon said 57 members of the organization each wrote $100 checks to go toward the purchase of the drone,
totaling $5,700.
Ramsey said Blaine County Search and Rescue is extremely grateful for the donation and is asking other
Blaine County residents to donate to the agency because its annual fundraiser, the Great Wagon Days Duck
Race, ended this year.
Search and rescue services offered by the county, Ramsey said, have never had to be paid for directly out
of the pockets of victims and their families, a tradition he intends to continue into the future.
“Searches can be very expensive,” he said. “Even without aircraft, we need fuel, food and supplies to keep
our team members functioning at a high level of efficiency.”
Posted in Blaine County on Wednesday, November 4, 2015 4:00 am.
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Posts: 2
M Leach posted at 8:46 am on Wed, Nov 4, 2015.
I want to comment on the incredible individuals that are part of Blaine Country Search
and Rescue (BCSAR) that live in our community. The men and women that respond for
searches for BCSR are people that you pass by everyday. They provide motorcycles;;
four wheelers;; snowmobiles;; airplanes and trained search dogs etc. This equipment
supports the search efforts lead by Sheriff Ramsey & Lt Carpita & Sgt Shaw.
In the article one of my quotes said men and it would have been better to have said
searchers.........the women we have on BCSR are committed to our mission saving
lives. Two of our BCSAR women provide trained search dogs that they pay to be
current with certifications such as a certification to fly in helicopter's. They are amazing
teams that make a difference by providing search dog teams locally.
Lastly it is an honor to work with the committed BCSAR team members that include:
sheriff deputies;; firefighters;; EMTs;; local police agencies;; medical volunteers and the
countless local individuals within our community and county.
Respectfully,
M Leach
BCSAR Team Member
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