When an autistic teenager went missing in Hiwassee Dam on Feb. 21, part of the multi-agency rescue effort was performed by the Cherokee County Search & Rescue team.
The rescue effort also consisted of numerous firefighters and law enforcement officers. The safe rescue of the teen took 12-plus hours to complete and left Sam Davis feeling “happy, relieved and proud.”
Davis is the emergency management coordinator, as well as organizer and team leader of the Cherokee County Search & Rescue team that assisted in the search for the young man.
The search and rescue team consists of 11 members, each who have had extensive training for the job’s tasks and are certified by the State of North Carolina to act in such a capacity.
The purpose of the rescue team is only to perform remote searches. They are the ones who get called out to do heavy walking through wilderness terrains and far-reaching locations in an attempt to locate a missing person.
Search and rescue team members must complete 60-plus hours of training and provide their own gear, including backpack, clothing and boots. The only gear
that is provided is basic rope and rigging equipment.
In order to be issued the rope and rigging gear, one must be able to pass a credentialing course and an annual “pack” test. The pack test involves a 2-mile, 30-minute walk wearing a 25-pound vest.
The training focuses on search and rescue fundamentals, such as spacing, how to search and what to look for, map reading and tracking, clue tracking as well as basic survival skills and how to dress properly for the task.
Funding for the team comes from Payment in Lieu of Taxes, or PILT funds. The federal government gives counties a certain number of dollars to use toward search and rescue if they have federal lands within their jurisdictions – such as the Nantahala National Forest, as is the case with Cherokee County.
Members of the team devote numerous hours training to sharpen the skills needed to conduct the searches. Several of them are already members of local fire departments.
Randy Manuel of Marble said he already works with the Valleytown Fire & Rescue Department and also teaches wilderness medicine at the Nantahala Outdoor Center. He has been a member of the Cherokee County Search & Rescue team since it was organized last year.
“I’m proud of it,” Manuel said of his involvement. “I think volunteering is important for us to do, whether it’s at the homeless shelter, the hospital or anything else if we’re capable of it.
“This is just what I’m capable of doing.”
Eric Schechter and his wife, Zoe, are both members of the search and rescue team.
“We love Cherokee County, and when the opportunity arose to participate in the new wilderness search and rescue team we were committed to obtaining the training required,” Eric said.
“We believe a group of trained citizens can change the world we live in.”
The team meets for training every other month on the second Thursday as well as on one Saturday per quarter. For details on the Cherokee County Search & Rescue team, email sam.davis@cherokeecounty-nc.gov.