Snowmobile patrol rescues two people Sunday.

February 5, 2018

Snowmobile patrol rescues two people Sunday.

#OceanaCountyNews

HART — The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office snowmobile patrol handled two separate emergency rescues Sunday, Feb. 4, showing how critical it is to have that type of patrol unit in this area.

The first rescue occurred early Sunday morning in the vicinity of the Pines Point Campground in the Manistee National Forest in Greenwood Township near Hesperia. The second rescue occurred just a few hours later in the Pentwater area.

“Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, the sheriff’s office snowmobile patrol unit responded to two calls for assistance. A missing/lost person came into Mason-Oceana 911 at 7:45 a.m. reporting a subject that was stuck in Pines Point National Forest in Greenwood Township,” states a press release from the sheriff’s office.

“The caller to 911 reported that he was lost, and his vehicle was stuck due to the amount of snow. The caller originally reported that he was somewhere west of Hesperia. Deputies were able to communicate with the subject by text message to get additional location information. Oceana County sheriff’s deputies along with Michigan State Police – Hart post, DNR, the Hesperia Fire Department and Oceana County EMS were dispatched to try to locate the lost and stranded individual.

“When officers arrived to the area, they located tire tracks headed south on 168th Avenue. However, due to the amount of snow, emergency vehicles were unable to get any further. OCSO snowmobile patrol responded to the area with two snowmobiles to assist in the search.

“OCSO Deputy Mark Hiddema located the subject and his vehicle and transported him back to an awaiting Oceana County EMS unit to evaluate him for hypothermia. The person was released and given a ride home until his vehicle could be removed by a wrecker company.

“The second call came in at 11:32 a.m. with a person who was lying in the road next to a snowmobile. OCSO snowmobile patrol and rescue sled responded to the scene. Deputy Hiddema assisted on scene with Oceana County EMS where they determined that the operator of the snowmobile was having a diabetic emergency. The individual was treated and released by EMS to family.

“The sheriff’s office snowmobile patrol unit is partially funded from December through March of every year. The snowmobile patrol unit primarily patrols groomed trails throughout Oceana County in partnership with DNR law division. During the winter season, the snowmobile patrol unit responds to calls for assistance by other agencies to help in missing persons calls, accidents and medical calls to evacuate people where emergency vehicles can’t get to. The sheriff’s office has two snowmobiles and a rescue sled. The rescue sled is a large partially-covered trailer with skis that is towed behind a snowmobile. That rescue sled has room for a person to lie down and be tended to by medical personnel.

“Sheriff Mast states that the snowmobile patrol is a very helpful and essential extension of his department to assist in times like this. It’s not often that we have so much snow on the ground that emergency vehicles can’t get to a person in need, but when there is, the snowmobile patrol unit is a great asset. The 2017/2018 snowmobile season is being staffed by Deputy Jeremy Swihart and Deputy Mark Hiddema who split the four-month time.”