Busy Times For Tuolumne County Search and Rescue

Nearly halfway through 2009, the Tuolumne County Search and Rescue team has been exceptionally busy this year… and Summer hasn’t even yet begun.

Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Deputy/Coroner and Tuolumne County Search and Rescue Coordinator, Danny Crow,  was Thursday’s KVML “Newsmaker of the Day”.

The Search and Rescue team is made up almost exclusively of all volunteers. According to Crow there are six deputies who are paid, when they are called for a search and rescue event.

“I’ve been with the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Dept for twenty six years and have never had a typical day on the job,” said Crow. “I go to where ever the call is.”

Because of the topography of Tuolumne County, Crow could be called anywhere from the low agricultural areas of the County to the high Sierra.

According to Crow it depends on the season. Winter typically involves stranded travelers in the snow, lost snowmobilers and back country skiing accidents.

Now that Spring is here, water runoff is the current chief concern. The rivers and stream flow directly from snow and because of the temperature and swiftness of the currents, drownings are much too common at this of the year.

Once Summer arrives, lost hikers, backpackers and injured rock climbers become the next primary concern.

As Coronor, Crow has seen an unusaul amount of traffic fatalities this year. As of June 11th, Tulumne County has experienced up to 12 traffic related deaths. Sealt belts were even being used in all but two cases.

The “Newsmaker of the Day” is heard each weekday morning on AM 1450 KVML at 6:47, 7:47 and 8:47am.

Written by mark@mlode.com