Welcome to another edition of Survival Weekly, where the real wilderness survival “reality show” plays out everyday, in the wild places around our world. These unscripted stories will give you insight to the true threats and challenges you may face in your outdoor pursuits. So sit back, relax, and read on to get a dose of reality to sharpen your most valuable survival tool. – BPO

Featured – 

This article about evaluating risks and decision making applies to all pursuits, not just pilots – https://www.adn.com/article/20150214/alaska-pilots-sometimes-winter-survival-means-not-taking

News – 

Three planes left in bid for Canadian SAR plane –   http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/canadas-fixed-wing-search-and-rescue-aircraft-contest-down-to-three-contenders

Body of rescue tech recovered – http://thechronicleherald.ca/canada/1268761-body-of-missing-rescue-tech-recovered-from-mountain

Winter Sports – 

Rescue of sledder – http://www.calgarysun.com/2015/02/16/young-sylvan-lake-sledder-saved-from-creek-bed-near-golden-bc-by-search-and-rescue-team

Missing snowmobiler rescued – http://county10.com/2015/02/13/quick-search-and-rescue-yesterday-has-positive-outcome/

Injured snowmobiler rescued – http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/local/2015/02/15/injured-snowmobiler-rescued-gallatin-county/23465013/

Snowmobiler rescued – http://globalnews.ca/news/1831956/sylvan-lake-snowmobiler-rescued-from-creek-near-golden/

Hiking – 

Grand Canyon National Park (AZ) **originally reported at Shenandoah by morning report, but Chuckzilla caught their mistake
Hiker Dies At Ribbon Falls On North Kaibab Trail

Early on the afternoon of Thursday, February 12th, park dispatch received a broken 911 call reporting the discovery of a man’s body in the vicinity of Ribbon Falls near the North Kaibab Trail.  Ranger medics responded by helicopter.

The victim was found to be a 73-year-old man who was day hiking from Phantom Ranch to Ribbon Falls with several companions.  He’d collapsed shortly after reaching the falls. Bystanders began CPR while another visitor hiked to a place on the trail where limited cell service was available.

When park medics arrived, the man had been down for about 90 minutes. They pronounced him dead.

The man’s body and his companions were flown to the South Rim. The body was then transported to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office in Flagstaff.

Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)
Search For Missing Man Scaled Back

The search for a missing 21-year-old Texas man has been scaled back due to a lack of clues as to his whereabouts.

Drake Kramer, 21, was last seen near Bright Angel Lodge on the South Rim on Sunday, February 1st. He was reported as missing by members of his family on Monday. A six-day search for him ensued, but failed to turn up any evidence as to where he might be.

Rangers searched the South Rim developed area from Hermit’s Rest on the west side to Grandview on the east. Teams of searchers walked miles along the canyon rim, searched heavily forested areas, utilized dog teams, performed several over-the-rim technical searches, and conducted multiple aerial reconnaissance missions to support ground searchers.

With no additional clues to guide search efforts on land, the search will be scaled back to a continuous but limited mode in which rangers and pilots will continue to search for clues when in the area. Flyers with Kramer’s picture and description also remain posted at various South Rim locations. Anyone who may have information regarding his whereabouts is encouraged to call the National Park Service Silent Witness Line at 928-638-7840.

A photo of Kramer may be found on a previous park news release at this link:http://www.nps.gov/grca/parknews/expand-kramer-search.htm .

Stranded hikers rescued – http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2015/02/11/hrc-search-rescue-teams-find-hikers-stranded-in-darkness-near-valentine-peak/#.VOPKlPlQMsM

Hikers rescued, overnight with SAR crew – http://www.kesq.com/news/hikers-forced-to-spend-night-in-tahquitz-canyon/31258694

SAR for missing hiker – http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/north-shore-rescue-searching-for-missing-hiker-marilyn-mann-1.2957598

Hunter-gatherer – 

Recovery of missing fisherman – http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-south-pinellas/st-petersburg/search-underway-in-gulf-for-two-missing-fishermen

Climbing – 

Climber rescued – http://www.kvue.com/story/news/local/2015/02/14/climber-rescued-from-barton-creek-greenbelt/23418121/

SAR team rescues sheepdog off  cliff – http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/search-team-rescues-sheepdog-8650867

Climbing party rescued – http://www.dailysabah.com/nation/2015/02/09/19-climbers-rescued-after-15-hours-of-ordeal

Water Safety – 

Missing kayaker – http://www.wyff4.com/news/authorities-searching-for-missing-boater-on-lake-hartwell/31228996

Tourist rescued from riptide – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=11402653

Another kayaker rescued – http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/UPDATE-Major-rescue-operation-injured-kayaker/story-26028904-detail/story.html

Vehicles – 

Search for missing utility worker – http://gazette.com/search-and-rescue-team-looking-for-utility-worker-stranded-near-almagre-mountain/article/1546130

Couple stuck in snowbank rescued – http://oilcitywyo.com/2015/02/13/couple-found-safe-by-washakie-county-sheriffs-and-worland-police-department-after-being-stranded-in-a-snowdrift/

Rescue leads to arrest – http://www.chinookobserver.com/co/coast-guard/20150214/deanos-dream-turns-to-nightmare-when-rescue-transitions-into-arrest

Urban – 

Missing teens rescued – http://www.8newsnow.com/story/28100280/tip-leads-dad-red-rock-search-and-rescue-to-missing-teen-girls

SAR for bridge jumper – http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/search-rescue-operation-underway-after-8646209

SAR rescues suicidal woman – http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2015/02/15/suicidal-woman-found-unharmed-search/23461697/

Missing dementia and Alzheimer’s patients –  

• http://pix11.com/2015/02/16/search-underway-for-69-year-old-woman-possibly-with-dementia-last-seen-in-smithtown/
• http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/general-news/20150214/elderly-pasadena-man-with-dementia-goes-missing
• http://patch.com/california/southgate-lynwood/elderly-woman-dementia-missing-west-south-gate
• http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/general-news/20150216/san-jose-missing-alzheimers-patient-is-found
• http://fox4kc.com/2015/02/12/police-need-help-finding-missing-woman-who-has-alzheimers/

Interested in learning skills to handle emergencies like the ones you read in Survival Weekly?   Check out BigPig Outdoors Survival 101 class  – http://www.bigpigoutdoors.net/survival-101-1.htm