Daily Archives: June 27, 2017

Summer Rescue Calls Continue to Keep Responders Busy

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FLAGSTAFF – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and Coconino County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Unit responded to three incidents over the weekend.

The first occurred on Saturday June 24, 2017 at approximately 3:00 pm and involved the rescue of an adult male with a knee injury located just below the Humphrey’s Saddle on the Humphrey’s Peak Trail. The Sheriff’s Office, Search and Rescue, and Guardian Medical Transport responded and were assisted by Arizona Snowbowl Security personnel. The patient, who was from Flagstaff, was assisted in walking out to a waiting UTV which brought him to an ambulance staged in the parking lot. He was transported to Flagstaff Medical Center.

On Sunday June 25, 2017 at approximately 2:00 pm the Sheriff’s Office and Search and Rescue responded to a report of two adults and two children stranded in heavy rain and hail on the Waterline Road between the Abineau and Bear Jaw trails. The hikers were not equipped with the appropriate clothing for the stormy conditions and were requesting rescue. SAR units responded to the area. The hikers in distress made contact with other hikers on the trail who helped them back to the Bear Jaw trail head where they were located by a Deputy Sheriff. All of the hikers were cold and wet but in otherwise good condition and did not require any further medical care. The family was from the Phoenix area.At approximately 6:30 pm on Sunday June 25, 2017, the Sheriff’s Office, Search and Rescue, and Guardian Medical Transport responded to a report of a fall injury on the Elden Lookout Trail below the junction with the Sunset Trail. The adult male hiker had suffered a shoulder injury and required rescue. Guardian Medical Transport personnel made contact with the patient and initiated care. Guardian and Search and Rescue personnel assisted in walking the patient out to the ambulance staged near the Mt. Elden Lookout Tower. The patient, who is a Flagstaff resident, was then transported to Flagstaff Medical Center.

Search and Rescue would like to remind hikers to be prepared for quickly changing weather conditions and unexpected emergencies while on the trail. Preparation includes being aware of the weather forecast and carrying the appropriate equipment and clothing for the conditions. In many backcountry locations rescuers may be hours away and outdoor users need to be able to care for themselves while the rescuers are responding. Search and Rescue recommends carrying the following

“Ten Essentials” in addition to a cell phone:

1. Extra water
2. Extra food
3. Extra clothing for the conditions
4. Navigation equipment (map, compass, GPS)
5. Headlamp/Flashlight
6. First Aid Kit
7. Shelter material (such as space blanket or large leaf bag)
8. Fire starting kit (during summer months when fire danger is high be extremely careful with fire)
9. Pocket knife/multi-tool
10. Signaling tools (whistle/signal mirror)

Another option to consider is getting an amateur radio license in the event you get in an area outside cell phone range.

No highway construction closures during Independence Day weekend

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PHOENIX – During the Independence Day weekend, state and local agencies are focusing on keeping motorists safe and placing equipment and resources along heavily traveled highways to help move traffic should incidents occur.

Motorists will play key roles in keeping traffic moving, too, by making smart driving decisions that won’t result in serious crashes that ruin road trips and create travel delays.

The Arizona Department of Transportation and its contractors won’t schedule construction closures along state highways from Friday through late Tuesday evening. Drivers are urged to use caution over the holiday weekend in existing work zones and in three “holiday travel corridors” that will receive extra enforcement and resources to minimize travel delays.

In an effort to reduce crashes and delays that result from speeding and driver inattention, speed limits will be lowered during peak holiday travel periods on a winding stretch of Interstate 17 north of Phoenix.

ADOT will reduce speed limits by 10 mph Friday, June 30, on northbound I-17 between New River and Sunset Point Rest Area. Speed limits on the same stretch of southbound I-17 will be reduced by 10 mph on Tuesday, July 4.

Temporary signs will advise drivers of the lower speed limits. For example, areas where the speed limit is ordinarily 65 mph will have a speed limit of 55 mph. Throughout the long weekend, temporary electronic signs will remind drivers how fast they are going.

By obeying speed limits, driving safely and not allowing impaired persons behind the wheel, travelers can reduce the chance of serious crashes that often create long travel delays and close highways. In 2016, 14 fatal crashes occurred during the holiday weekend – alcohol played a role in eight – that killed 16 people.

As they have during recent major holiday weekends, ADOT and the Arizona Department of Public Safety are emphasizing safety in three high-traffic zones: Interstate 17 between north Phoenix and Flagstaff, Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson, and State Route 87 between Mesa and Payson. Along those routes, ADOT crews will strategically stage equipment, such as loaders and utility trucks, to minimize travel delays with faster response times to crashes and stalled vehicles.

DPS will focus on preventing three leading causes of traffic deaths: speeding, impaired driving and lack of seat-belt use. The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is working with state troopers, police officers and deputy sheriffs on a holiday DUI enforcement campaign.

No closures are scheduled during the holiday weekend, but travelers should be aware that existing work-zone restrictions with lane reductions will remain in place. This includes a 30-mile stretch of I-40 east of Kingman and I-40 near Twin Arrows.

Because unexpected delays can occur due to crashes and stalled vehicles, drivers are encouraged to:

  • Pack extra drinking water and snacks.
  • Avoid the busiest travel times, if possible.
  • Get plenty of rest before driving.
  • Check vehicles, including tire pressure, belts and fluid levels.

As summer temperatures soar, so does the potential of brush fires and wildfires occurring. Travelers can minimize the risk of fires along Arizona roads by not parking or driving in dry, tall grass; making sure trailer chains are secured and not dragging and emitting sparks; and never throwing cigarettes out the window.

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Traveler Information Center at az511.gov, by calling 511 and through ADOT’s Twitter feed @ArizonaDOT.