17:16: Station 62 dispatched to 229 Whitestown Road to assist Lancaster Township Police. The original call was for a male overdose patient who left a residence on foot; it was unclear as of this dispatch if EMS was to respond for the patient or the patient’s spouse. The call was going to be sent to backup, but 62-2 advised they were near the county line in Adams Township and would take the call with an extended ETA. 62-1 is going to proceed as QRS.
17:17: Control states it sounds like the actor/patient has left on foot and 62-2 is asking if there is a patient there. They’re advised that is unknown; he took a whole bottle of pills (possibly Lithium) and fled on foot; they may be responding for the patient’s wife.
17:18: Control is now advising 62-2 that PD state the patient’s family is requesting he be evaluated once he is found.
17:29: 62-1 is on scene.
17:35: 62-2 is on scene as well.
17:40: 62-2 is asking for Stations 22 and 13 to be placed on standby at their stations for a possible search; Station 13 will be needed for their UTV.
17:41: Stations 22 and 13 are alerted.
17:42: Station 22 acknowledges the call.
18:04: Chief 22 states they are beginning an active search. Multiple additional units are requested. A helicopter with IR capability is being dispatched (unclear from whom). C-22 has contacted a drone company by phone and they are 1.5 hours away.
18:05: Station 13 acknowledges the request from C-22 directly.
18:06: C-22 is also asking for PSP to be dispatched to the scene.
18:07: Station 19 is added to the call for their UTV. Staging at 229 Whitestown Road.
18:08: Brush and UTV 13 are en route. Station 19 acknowledges the call.
18:09: Squad 22 is en route.
18:12: Rescue 22 is responding.
18:13: Control is advising Command there is an individual with 2 dogs from Mountain Rescue en route and the County HAZMAT coordinator is en route with thermal equipment. Squad and UTV 19 are en route.
18:16: C-22 is stating the staging location is updated to Miller Lane; all apparatus are to proceed there.
18:17: S-22 is instructed to drop cones to stop traffic but it is unclear exactly where this will be.
18:18: C-22 now asking for Rescue 42 to provide a warming station. Control is asking if they want a rehab company instead.
18:19: UTV-13 is on scene. R-42 is asking C-22 if he needs the truck only or additional manpower; he states he’s not refusing either.
18:22: R-22 is on scene.
18:28: C-22 is now advised Station 29 is bringing their warming tent. C-22 states the searches are going out now.
18:29: S-19 is arriving at Miller Lane and beginning to unload their UTV.
18:32: C-22 is asking if Control has had any luck with a helicopter and is advised only PSP appears to have a thermal capability. C-22 is asking if Stat MedEvac or LifeFlight could assist with their spotlights due to massive open farmlands. LF-4 left the Butler Airport at 18:14 en route to the Grove City Hospital; Stat 3 is at their base in Cranberry.
18:33: R-42 is advised they can proceed non-emergency for the warming station.
18:35: C-22 is asking Control to contact Unmanned Aerial Response from Beaver County(?) for additional resources. R-29 is en route. Control is asking C-22 to contact UAR or Beaver County dispatch directly.
18:38: E-22 is approaching and instructed to back down Miller Lane and send their manpower to the command post.
18:39: Units operating in the western sector are being advised there is a live electric fence. R-42 is stating they spoke with a representative from Unmanned Aerial Response and they are working on mobilizing and will advise an ETA when possible. C-22 is asking for Stations 24, 12, and 20 to be added; Control states they’re still working on a helicopter.
18:41: 62-2 is advising C-22 has full command of the incident.
18:42: Stations 12, 20, and 24 are alerted for the call.
18:43: Station 24 acknowledges the call.
18:45: Control is advising PSP is working on the FLIR, Stat is checking.
18:46: Chief 12 is either acknowledging or is en route; his transmission was walked on. Station 20 acknowledges the call.
18:47: C-22 states they are going to close the roadway due to the male being suicidal and constant passing traffic; he is asking for Control to get police to close it at Watercrest Drive and Pallack Lane.
18:48: C-22 is advised UAR is en route with a 25-30 minute ETA. Rescue 24, Brush 24 en route.
18:51: Squad 20 is en route.
18:52: Control advises Stat MedEvac is available to send a helicopter and is requesting where to search; they’re to check the farm fields north and south of the original address.
18:53: Stat is to be advised all operating personnel are wearing Hi-Vis vests and using flashlights.
18:56: Stat 3 will be en route with a 15 minute ETA. R-42 is arriving.
19:00: R-24 is on scene.
19:01: B-24 is on scene.
19:02: Units are advising they had to cut locks to get into the MarkWest well pad property.
19:03: Neither Stat 3 nor the PSP helicopter have departed their respective bases at this time.
19:05: Stat 3 is now airborne in Cranberry.
19:11: Stat 3 is contacting ground operations on the radio now; they are circling now at the dispatched address.
19:30: There is still no indication of a PSP aircraft en route at this time.
19:31: Beaver County Engine 26 states they are moving to Station 21 to cover their area.
19:32: R-29 states they’re about a minute out with the heating tent; they’re being told to pull past Miller Lane to the command post.
19:34: R-29 is reporting on scene. Command is advising Stat they can proceed to the west side of Whitestown to check the field between there and the Interstate next.
19:39: Cap-22 is advising Stat they are getting a heat signature on the gas line right-of-way and requests they check it immediately.
19:41: Stat is being advised Command has a drone getting ready to deploy.
19:45: Unmanned Aerial Response is reported on scene.
19:49: UAR states they are setup and deploying the drone now. The drone will be staying east of Whitestown and Stat is to stay west.
19:50: Stat is advising Command they have exhausted their search capabilities at this time and are returning to their base. No PSP aircraft is en route. Personnel are being told to stay in groups of no less than 4 as the drone is using thermal sensors and will not be able to detect flashlights or smaller parties.
19:51: Command is being advised the search party has been operating in a continuous line and is asking if the drone crew can be advised or if they will need to regroup and redeploy. As this is the western side of Whitestown, they are told they can remain in a line.
19:52: The dog team states they are operating with 2 humans and a dog; they are are on the east side and so Command will advise UAR. The current drone team will be UAS-1 and there is another team inbound.
20:03: C-22 is asking Control to contact the PA Search and Rescue Council (PSARC) for a full response.
20:06: Units are instructed to return to the command post after completing their initial searches; they are going to change mode of operation to a more detailed search.
20:07: All units are advised there are snacks and water available near the command post and the warming station.
20:10: Control states a representative from PSARC has been advised and they will begin their response. Control is asking if there is a PIO contact in the even of media requests; C-22 advises he will be the contact if necessary but they are active in operations and so will not be available for the media.
20:25: Control is advising that PSARC has multiple teams en route to the staging location; Command states the second drone team is on scene now.
20:42: Command is discussing with a PD unit and UAS-1 the possibility of the subject having walked across some unknown property possibly 45 minutes ago.
20:43: Command is asking if there are additional radios that could be transported to the scene; they are advised Control has a cache available and is working on it.
20:44: Command is being advised the homeowners just south of Watercrest Drive are going to be checking their property with their own UTV. Control is asking how many radios they will need and C-22 states bring what they have; they have multiple search teams to outfit.
20:45: C-22 is advised his request has been processed through the County EMA and the radios will be sent.
20:50: A PSP helicopter is now airborne out of the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe and is likely headed to this scene.
20:57: Station 64 has now been activated to standby at the scene.
21:01: 64-1 is en route and is advised by Control the search is still ongoing.
21:05: The PSP helicopter is now passing over the area of the Armstrong-Butler county line just north of Freeport.
21:09: Command is advising all units to report to the command post if they have come across a game camera and they know where it is so their memory cards could potentially be checked.
21:11: PSP is entering the southern Butler Township area.
21:12: The helicopter appears to have turned back to the south near the Butler Senior High School.
21:13: Command is asking Control to reach out to the National Guard in Johnstown for the possibility of an aircraft with Forward Looking Infrared Radar (FLIR). He states he knows this is a long shot.
21:14: PSP is circling in the area of Pullman Square and the High School.
21:15: Control is advising Command of the location of the helicopter, asking if Command can relay the correct location to a trooper. 64-1 is reporting on scene.
21:20: Command is stating Portersville EMS is requesting an ALS unit.
21:21: Control is notifying Squad 98 and they are en route.
21:23: Control states they spoke with someone – their transmission was not clear – and the process is 3-4 hours if Command wants to start that. C-22 states to start the process. The PSP helicopter has departed the Butler Township area headed west now.
21:26: UAS-1 is now advising the helicopter is in the area.
21:29: Control advises the FEMA process has been started and the radios are possibly en route.
21:32: Squad 98 is on scene.
21:33: Units are being sent to check an unidentified heat spot that has been located.
21:35: Command is reporting that they have begun detailed searches, the PSP helicopter is overhead, and they have Mountain Rescue teams operating as well.
21:41: Units are advising they’ve checked the area of the aforementioned heat spot but didn’t find anything of interest; it was possibly coming from a transformer or other equipment there.
21:50: The Rehab unit is advising there is food available at their tent for search personnel.
22:09: Control is advising Command they are at the 4 hour mark; C-22 advises they continue to operate as they were before.
22:10: The PSP helicopter is now near Swain Hill Road at the Jackson-Lancaster Township Line and is continuing an erratic search pattern in the area.
22:14: The helicopter appears to be starting a new search pattern to the southeast of Seneca Landfill and southeast from there toward Prospect Road, in the vicinity of Hartmann Road.
22:25: Control states they’ve checked 2 local hospitals with negative findings; they are still checking more as of now.
22:29: Captain 22 is being advised by Command to make sure his junior firefighters are working on a plan to get back now.
22:32: Control advising no findings at an additional hospital now.
22:45: The helicopter seems to be departing the area headed south-southeast and is over Evans City.
22:48: PSP is crossing the Butler-Allegheny County line in Adams Township, continuing south-southeast; their course would be a straight line to the Allegheny County Airport. LifeFlight and Stat MedEvac routinely refuel here.
23:00: The PSP helicopter is descending into AGC now. The search is ongoing but there have been no further significant updates from the scene.
23:13: 64-1 has been released; 62-2 is back in the area and will continue the standby with Squad 98.
23:21: Command is asking one of the dog teams if they’ve had any luck with scent; they have not.
23:51: A unit is asking Command to send some sort of transport or UTV to an address on Little Creek Road to pickup at least 1 junior firefighter who is to be picked up at the staging location before midnight. The search continues.
00:04: 62-2 is now responding to an unrelated medical call.
00:05: The PSP helicopter is airborne from Allegheny County Airport, en route back to the scene.
00:16: There is a unit stating they are on Buckeye Drive now. No other updates coming from the incident.
00:20: The helicopter has arrived back in the vicinity of the search.
00:39: All units are advised by Command that when they return from their current assignments, they will not be assigning new orders; search operations will cease.
00:46: Rescue 24 and Brush 24 are back in service.
01:02: A unit using the callsign Tango states they’ve completed their assignment and are returning to base.
01:12: Tango has returned to base; Command states there is still 1 team in the field.
01:13: Station 13 units are advised they can wrap up and return; if Station 20 has all of their personnel, they can also return.
01:14: Station 19 units state they are searching one more area and then will make their way back.
01:15: The PSP helicopter appears to have begun to depart the search area headed southeast.
01:16: Station 42 units have all of their personnel together and are released by Command.
01:17: Squad 20 is back in service.
01:18: All units have returned with the exception of UTV-19 and can break down and return. Command now advised UTV-19 has just returned.
01:19: R-42 is reporting back in service; Command is asking if they’re still in the drive.
01:20: Station 13 units are back in service. R-42 is down the road and requested to hold their position; C-22 has some of their equipment.
01:21: PD has located the male at Crab Run and Little Creek. He is hypothermic. Control advised Squad 98 and is working on getting a transport unit.
01:22: Station 64 is alerted for the call.
01:23: Squad 98 is reporting he believes Station 64 is out of service and advising Control to alert the next due service. Station 13 units are clear of the scene. Rescue 42 is directed to proceed to the patient as they are the closest unit with any warming capability.
01:24: Control is asking 62-2 for their recommendation for another service as they have no other backups listed. They’re stating 51 or 99, whichever would be closer. Station 51 is alerted for the call.
01:25: Station 64 advises they will have a unit en route. Squad 98 is reporting on location with the patient. Station 19 units are back in service.
01:29: The patient is reportedly conscious and alert at this time.
01:30: Stat MedEvac is requested in the air to the parking lot of the Seneca Valley High School. Rescue 22 is going to proceed there to handle the LZ. The update for the aircraft is that the patient is conscious and hypothermic.
01:33: 64-1 will be coming past Seneca Valley in 7 minutes.
01:34: Command states the LZ will now be Crab Run at Little Creek. Control is advising Stat 3 has a 9 minute ETA. Station 21 units have been released by Command and are returning in service. C-22 states the destination will by Presby.
01:38: Stat 3 is airborne from Cranberry.
01:40: The PSP helicopter has returned to their base at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport.
01:41: Rescue 29 is returning to station.
01:43: Stat 3 is requesting their LZ brief.
01:45: 64-1 is on scene. The helicopter appears to be on the ground.
01:47: C-22 is now reporting the helicopter has landed.
02:01: Stat is in the air to Pittsburgh.
02:04: 64-1 is back in service.
02:05: Chief 22 reports the helicopter was in the air 5 minutes ago and all units are now clear of the incident.
02:09: Rescue 42 is reporting back in service.
02:16: Stat 3 appears to be on the helipad at UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh.
02:18: Squad 98 is clear of the incident.