Desert Sheriff's Search & Rescue

Today we remember the tragic loss of the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who tragically lost their lives in the line of duty while fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire e...ight years ago today. The tragedy is primarily attributed to an extreme and sudden shift in weather patterns, causing the fire to intensify and cut off the firefighters route as they were escaping. Our thoughts go out to the family and friends. Your loved ones will not be forgotten.

Statement from Saskatchewan RCMP Commanding Officer, Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore: Tragedy unfolded early this morning for our Saskatchewan RCMP fami...ly. While responding to the call of duty, Constable Shelby Patton of the Indian Head RCMP Detachment, lost his life. 26-year-old Constable Patton worked at the Indian Head Detachment since 2015, the entirety of his six years and four months of service with the RCMP. Before officially beginning his duties at the Indian Head Detachment, he was on assignment at Parliament Hill in February and March of 2015. This morning I, along with the Indian Head Detachment Commander and Saskatchewan RCMP Chaplain, had to tell Constable Patton's wife the difficult news that he is not coming home. I am heartbroken for her and her family. Constable Patton's family is also part of the RCMP family. They have lost a husband, son and brother. We will continue to support them during what is an extremely tragic time. No one should have to wake up and learn their family member died as a result of doing their job and this is what happened today to Constable Patton's loved ones. Constable Shelby Patton was killed this morning at around 8:00 a.m. while following two suspects who were driving a stolen vehicle, a truck, from Manitoba. Constable Patton initiated a traffic stop with the truck in the town of Wolseley. During the course of the stop, while outside of his police vehicle, Constable Patton was struck and killed by the truck. Sadly, Constable Patton died at the scene. The truck then left the scene and was later located in a rural area northeast of Francis, Saskatchewan. Two suspects, an adult male and adult female, were located and arrested with the assistance of RCMP Police Dog Services in a field in this vicinity just before 10:00 this morning. Both suspects remain in police custody. I would like to express sincere appreciation to a member of the public who provided medical assistance to Constable Patton until emergency responders could arrive. Also, to farmers in the area who provided assistance to our responding police officers who arrested the suspects. The RCMP Major Crime Unit North has taken the lead on this investigation with the assistance of multiple RCMP Detachments, Collision Reconstruction and Forensic Identification Services, among other supporting units and partner agencies. We know the public has many questions. At this time, we are in the initial stages of this investigation and therefore, we cannot release more specific details. We commit to sending out more information in the coming days, as we are able. A tragedy such as this shakes our entire RCMP family to its core, coast to coast. Although we wear a police uniform, we are regular people, going to our job each day, just as everyone else does. Today, Constable Patton will not come home from doing his job protecting the public. I want to thank those in our RCMP family and members of the public who have already offered support and messages of condolence. To show our respect and honour our fallen colleague, flags at every RCMP detachment across the province will remain at half-mast until sunset on the day of the funeral. Information regarding Constable Patton's funeral service will be shared in the coming days. If you would like to send messages of support and/or condolences to the wife, family, friends, colleagues and community of Constable Shelby Patton, please send them to: [email protected]

You’ll never be forgotten Brother God Spede You Jeremiah EOW: February 12, 2013

Please join us in congratulating our newest Tactical Flight Officer, Deputy Daniel Zipperstein! Deputy Zipperstein earned his wings after completing a strenuous... training program, spread out over several months. Deputy Zipperstein will be assigned to an aircrew which will be based out of our Thermal Sheriff's Station hangar. Riverside County Sheriff's Department Join RSD See more

, ’. Text to 911 services are now available in Riverside County. Using a phone to dial 911 is still the most efficient wa...y to reach emergency help. Use Text to 911 only when calling is not an option. Use Text to 911 if you are hearing/voice impaired, are in a dangerous situation where you are unable to speak, or during a medical emergency in which you are incapable of speech. Simply enter 911 in the to field of your message, provide your location and the nature of your emergency, and respond to any questions the dispatcher sends. Text in English only. Translation services are not available at this time. Do not send pictures or videos. Do not use emojis, acronyms, abbreviations or send in a group message. Riverside County Sheriff's Dispatch #riversidesheriff #textto911

39 years of Search & Rescue are complete. From St. Louis County, MN to Riverside County, CA. I really should do one more to even it out to 40!. I’m not retiring yet!

Today we recognize the work and dedication of our brothers and sisters in law enforcement. We appreciate the sacrifices, the long hours, the sleepless nights, the unit hood-top lunches, the missed birthdays and holidays.......thank you! www.JoinRSD.org

After a long cold night of searching for a lost hiker...... The lost hiker was located this morning and airlifted to safety. #CityOfLaQuinta #rsd #covetra...ils #desertsheriffssearchandrescue See more

A friend asked for recommendations on how to not get "turned around" in the woods. It's a great question, and one that requires a detailed answer. We'll try t...o take a whack at it here. Survival author Laurence Gonzales identified three antecedents (a thing or event that logically precedes another) to a survival event: 1. Stuff happens. 2. Failure to prepare. (By the way, you can't fail to prepare and then blame your getting lost on "Stuff happens!") 3. A Vacation State of Mind (VSOM) "Nothing's going to go wrong." "It won't happen to me." "I'll just call 911 and help will come." "I'll have cellphone coverage." (And again, you can't have a VSOM and write off your misery to "Stuff happens!) So how do you avoid getting lost? 1. Leave word with someone where you will be going...your intentions, your planned route, and where you will park your car. 2. Leave a "Panic Button Time." When do you want someone to call 911? "If you haven't heard from me by 10 o'clock this evening, I want you to call for help, because it means something has happened." Do NOT say "when you expect to be back." Expectations mean NOTHING! All that does is cause your loved one to enter that amorphous state called "Worry Time." Worry Time can be two minutes or two days! A Panic Button Time puts the burden on YOU to call home when you're safely out of the woods. 3. Plan your trip in advance. Do a "virtual recon," studying maps of the area, trails, terrain, oriented directions, and alternate trailheads. 4. Good woodswalkers carry gear! A durable lightweight pack with a compass, GPS, waterproof tarp, extra insulating layer, at least two sources of flame, headlamp or flashlight, hydration, soup, jerky, or energy bars, and a "morale builder" (favorite candy bar, extra tin of snoose, a good cigar, whatever). If it's over 20 pounds, you packed too heavy. 5. Orient yourself BEFORE you enter the woods! A compass won't tell you the way out unless you know how you went IN. It merely points North. 6. Identify your "Safety Direction." If you get off-trail and can't regain it, what direction...most tolerant of error and able to run path-of-least-resistance...will get you out? For example, on one of our navigation courses the start/finish point is the westernmost point on the course. So in our briefings we say, "If we have to dump the woods in a hurry, any direction with a 'W' in it will get you out...from SSW to NNW, path of least resistance...go West." 7. Maintain Situational Awareness! Did you pass the XYZ trail junction? How long ago? Are you sure you passed Hill 1354? Why are you sure? What's the next landmark, and when should you expect to encounter it? What does it mean if you don't? When you come to the next junction, which way should you go? How long does it ACTUALLY take YOU to walk a mile in hiking boots in 2 inches of power on rolling terrain? (A preparation item...most people grossly overestimate their distance traveled.) If you carry a GPS, save your vehicle as a waypoint, save major decision points along the way, and remember to clear your trip computer before you head in. Finally, if you find yourself lost close to sundown, STAY PUT! Find a sheltered, well-drained site, open up your pack, build a fire, construct a shelter, and savor the experience! "Embrace the Suck!" There is nothing large and hairy coming to eat you. Sasquatch and the Windigo are not coming to carry you off! Kick back, enjoy that morale builder, and think of the stories you'll be able to tell your family and friends! Getting lost is simply a TIME problem. You need time to find the trail, and you don't have it. Tomorrow morning (if we haven't found you), you'll have plenty of time to find your way out of the woods. Tonight's photo is of squadmember GF "Gluten Free" Alex...well-dressed, well-prepared...consulting his GPS on a difficult search sortie a loooooooooong way from Base Camp. He's rockin' it, and so will you. Be safe out there, eh?

Rescue 9 has finally made it home. This state of the art Airbus H145 will serve our deputies, our communities, and our search and rescue teams well. It is a v...ery proud day for Riverside County Sheriff’s Aviation. Thank you Airbus Helicopters Inc. for your support of our H125’s and their new big brother. See more

Rescue 9 is home Riverside County Sheriff's Department Join RSD Airbus Helicopters Inc.