Oregon National Guard to rescue missing person by helicopter
The Oregon Army National Guard launched a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter to support the Lane County Sheriff's office in the rescue of Jeanie Smith.
The crew launched from the Army Aviation Support Facility in Salem at approximately 4 p.m.
The Lane County Sheriff's office provides the following details of their search and the rescue efforts:
"Shortly before 1:00 p.m. this afternoon Jeanie Smith (missing in the Umpqua National Forest since Thursday afternoon) was located by an air crew of the Lane County Sheriff's Office. Smith was found in an area near Laying Creek, off U.S. Forest Service Rd. 1790. The air crew directed ground searchers to Smith's location. Smith was reported to be uninjured, but suffering from hypothermia. Smith had been missing since Thursday afternoon, when she became separated from her companion while mushroom hunting in the forest southeast of Dorena Reservoir. At this hour, arrangements are being made for an Oregon Army National Guard helicopter to airlift Smith out of the forest; with the coming darkness and Smith's weakened condition it would take several hours for volunteers to carry her out to a road or landing site and the Lane County helicopter is a smaller aircraft, not equipped to hoist victims by cable basket. Since being contacted Thursday evening, Lane County Sheriff's personnel have been searching the area for about 19 hours. During today's efforts, almost 25 ground searchers were working in the area. The helicopter crew had been in the area for less than half an hour, after waiting for clear weather to take off from Eugene. The search effort was considered to be time critical, since Smith was reported to have limited survival supplies and inadequate clothing for overnight conditions."
Contact Info:
For information on the role of the Oregon Army National Guard:
Major Mike Braibish
(503) 932-5805
For the lead agency, Lane Co. Sheriff's office,
call (541) 682-4150
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