Sheriff’s office reports 117 search‑and‑rescue incidents last year; recounts hoists, rollovers and rescues

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office told commissioners the county’s search‑and‑rescue teams responded to 117 incidents during the reporting period that ended Dec. 31, 2024, logging 2,961.5 man hours on calls and 3,382 training hours.

That combination produced 6,343.5 total man hours for search‑and‑rescue personnel, the presenter said. The office reported rescue of 53 county residents, 30 Utah residents from outside the county, 58 out‑of‑state residents and seven international subjects — a total of 148 subjects aided during the year.

The presenter reviewed a month‑by‑month sequence of notable calls. Incidents included multiple side‑by‑side (UTV) rollovers on Sand Mountain in which Life Flight was requested; a December 30 hoist evacuation by a UHP helicopter (Star 9) after a hiker reportedly fell about 20 feet on Red Reef Trail and had a suspected spinal injury; and a December 14 Life Flight evacuation of an injured mountain biker on Bear Claw Poppy Trail.

The presenter also said the county’s total for the year included 11 search‑and‑rescue calls from Nov. 27 through Dec. 31 that accounted for a large share of recent activity. For the current year through the meeting date, the office reported four incidents and about 113.5 man hours so far.

Commissioners asked operational questions about coordination with city fire agencies at high‑volume areas such as Sand Hollow and about how teams handle recovered personal property after evacuations; the presenter said deputies or the patient’s group typically retrieve property or, when no one is available, bicycles may be booked into evidence for later retrieval.

The presenter closed by thanking the commission and noting the frequency of lost‑hiker and rollover incidents in popular recreation areas.