Search-and-rescue (SAR) teams prepare for all types of emergencies, And they often risk their lives to help those in need. But a Colorado SAR team couldn’t hide their disappointment after responding to a lone adventurer’s SOS call this week.
On Monday, a base jumper issued an SOS signal after a massive fall, claiming serious injury. But when help arrived in a remote area in a complex and expensive rescue operation, the base jumper changed his mind and refused assistance.
In a rare rebuke, local officials said the man’s behavior showed a “deep lack of respect.”
What happened
On the afternoon of July 6, San Miguel County, Colo. SAR team received an SOS alert from someone’s Garmin device, according to a Facebook post from the sheriff’s office. A 31-year-old man reported that he fell 150–200 feet into Columbine Basin and was seriously injured. He was unable to walk and thought his leg was broken.
SAR team members immediately deployed to the area via motorcycles and UTVs, and then drove 1.5 miles to reach the individual. A helicopter with SAR members was also deployed to the site, which was at an altitude of about 13,000 feet. The ground crew arrived first, but saw the man wandering around. He said he was a BASE jumper; Its chute failed to open, causing him to fall and injure his leg.
“The man, who is a member of the SAR team in another area, said he was an experienced BASE jumper and was alone at the time of the incident,” read facebook post.
Despite recommendations from emergency personnel, the man refused helicopter transport and said he no longer wanted help from the SAR team. He then went back down with the help of a friend along with a SAR member.
SAR crews first received information about the incident at 2:45 pm. They came out of the field safely at around 10:00 pm. The incident involved approximately 20 SAR professionals, including team members from nearby San Juan County.
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This was not the first time this person had called for emergency help. In 2016, he was injured during a base jumping accident in the Swiss Alps and was stranded for 13 hours during a rescue involving nearly two dozen rescuers and three helicopters. His air evacuation cost approximately $175,000, which was paid for by his $161 insurance policy.
Sheriff Dan Cowalt publicly criticized the man for wasting valuable resources. “Our SAR team is comprised of skilled professionals who risk their lives to help those in need. This individual decided to participate in an extremely dangerous activity alone, and especially given his prior rescue history, his actions showed a disregard for the risks involved and the resources needed to rescue him,” he said in the Facebook post.
“His decisions unnecessarily diverted emergency resources, including the Care Flight helicopter, that might have been needed for other emergencies. The fact that he was able to get back on foot demonstrates a profound lack of respect for the tremendous effort and resources devoted to this rescue.”
That sentiment was shared by Chris Boyer, executive director of the National Association for Search and Rescue. “I hate it. It shows blatant disrespect. You put these rescue workers at risk at 13,000 feet, and then a CareFlight helicopter lands at 13,000 feet, which is no easy feat,” Boyer told GearJunkie. “That increases the risk to that piece of equipment and those responders.”
Sheriff Cowalt praised the SAR teams for their quick response. “I share your disappointment about the outcome of this mission and the time and effort devoted to an individual who should have known himself better as a SAR member,” Covault said.
