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Search-and-rescue report: heat-related incidents drive rescue calls
Summary
Washington County emergency services reported a surge of heat-related rescues; sergeant summarized man‑hour totals, 68 rescues year‑to‑date, and three recent cases including two helicopter evacuations from Cottonwood Trail.
Sergeant Jacob Paul presented the county’s incident synopsis for May 6–June 17 and warned commissioners that “over half of the calls that we dealt with in this period are all heat related illness.” He said the search‑and‑rescue (SAR) team logged about 403 noncertified and 63.5 certified man‑hours (466.5 total) and reported 68 rescue incidents so far this year.
Paul highlighted three recent responses: a lost‑hiker incident on Red Reef Trail where a drone helped locate two female hikers who declined transport after rehydration; a Cottonwood Trail call involving a group of 12 (ages 17–18) where two party members were airlifted after experiencing worsening heat symptoms; and a remote overnight rescue in the Pine Valley Mountain area where an elderly man who fell declined medical transport after being extracted.
Paul emphasized that a growing share of SAR subjects are nonresidents — “we're at close to 85% so far this year” — and urged public messaging about hydration and preparedness. Commissioners thanked volunteers and noted strain on SAR resources during high‑tourism periods.
