Bonner County VSAR uses Rescue Laser Flare® Green for Rescue!

December 22, 2021, the Bonner County Idaho Sheriff's Office Volunteer Search and Rescue group rescued two stranded snowbikers using a Rescue Laser™ emergency signaling device to guide the individuals to safety.  Following is a first-hand account of the incident from Matt Isch, one of the first responders involved in the rescue.

"Search and Rescue was alerted by the Sheriff’s Office about a pair of snowmobilers who had become stranded when one machine broke down and the other machine got stuck. The reporting party also informed the Sheriff’s Office that two other members of their party on snowbikes dropped off the ridge in the same area but were unable to climb back up the ridge due to the low-density snowpack. 

SAR personnel responded to the area and intercepted the two snowmobilers who were able to free one of the snowmobiles and were trying to contact their missing friends via radio but were unsuccessful at the current location.

SAR personnel relocated to a different location and were able to make radio contact with the snowbikers and determined their location. The snowbikers stated their GPS unit was malfunctioning and they were disoriented as to which direction to go, and the low-density snow was making travel difficult. 

SAR personnel felt the best course of action would be to guide the snowbikers to a lower road, so SAR personnel deployed a Greatland's Rescue Laser Flare® Green to attempt to give the snowbikers a visual direction of travel. At first the green laser flare was swept in an arcing motion to get the snowbikers attention and once they spotted the laser, it was held in a fixed position to give them their direction of travel. The green laser flare worked perfectly to guide the snowbikers to the lower road where SAR personnel were located and remained visible to the snowbikers even as it started to snow. 

I highly recommend this product as another tool in the toolbox for Search and Rescue work. "  - Matt Isch, First Responder, Bonner County Idaho