Search And Rescue: Helen's Summer, Episode 3

Excerpted from Helen's email message:

I’m back in Kugluktuk. I just came back from a search and rescue; my niece’s husband Ronald Angohiatok went missing while goose hunting, so all my brothers and I went and joined the search. I loaned my machine to one of my brothers for the search (part of his muffler had come off). I went to stay with my sister and niece at Klengenberg Bay to be with them in case he was found not alive.

It was crazy in the cabin - three kids, three adults, waiting, every once in a while crying, especially on the last day. I was trying to keep positive and make sure the kids were eating. We finally decided it was best to go back into Kugluktuk and wait there.

As we were traveling back, we went by Cape Kendall, you will see on the map, David Enogaloak's cabin. As we were passing by I saw David waving his arms wildly, but our drivers didn't see him. I was on one sled and my sister and niece on another, and we finally got the drivers’ attention. We thought maybe David was in trouble.

But no, it was good news – they had found Ronald. David had heard on the VHF radio, there was a dispatch for the S&R and she relayed the message to him to tell to flag us down when we passed by. What a joyous occasion.

It was the usual story: no gear, weather went bad, got lost, spent two nights in a blizzard, crouched for warmth. One more night and he would have been in real trouble.

But the Search and Rescue guys here have to be the best. What trackers! They found his snowmobile tracks, recognized Ronald's tracks, and stuck to them. The storm picked up, and the two who found the tracks had to turn back because they were getting soaking wet. They marked it with a GPS point and the rest of the crew went to camp at that site. It was only 3 kilometers from Ronald: however they didn't find him until the next morning.

The S&R was led by Jack Himiak, Joanne Klengenberg’s husband. The team members were Isaac Klengenberg (the brother I lent my machine to), Stanley Klengenberg, Danny Klengenberg, George Egotak (Agnes’ husband), George Kapolak, Darren Ihumatak, Andrew Bell, and John Kapakatoak. Some tracked and some scoped: the scopers found him. I want to praise them all, especially the dispatching and relaying messages to by Joanne Klengenberg. Good job.

It was storming all the time, and whiteout. As soon as Ronald was found, the storm stopped, as if it was turned off. The sky just opened up. It was as if it had been defeated.

When they found him he was soaking wet. Good thing I left my clothes in the sled as I thought Ronald might need dry clothes, and so I left my survival suit in as well. The search and rescue team had no extra clothes with them, so that stuff came in handy.

Apart from that, just a normal week. Right now I am stuck for the long weekend in Kugluktuk writing a couple of proposals that are due on Tuesday. Until next time!