Randolph County hosts annual search and rescue exercise

SOPHIA — Randolph County was chosen as the site of North Carolina’s annual statewide search and rescue exercise.

Beginning Thursday and running through Sunday morning, first responders from all over the state gathered at Camp Caraway in Sophia to practice their search and rescue skills.

“The state facilitates one exercise per year,” Randolph County Emergency Services Coordinator Jared Byrd said.

The exercise alternatesbetween being held at the coast, in the mountains and in the piedmont. This year, it was the piedmont’s turn, and Randolph agreed to host.

For 72 hours, first responders from EMS, fire departments and sheriff’s and police departments all across the state worked together to locate a “lost” person in the woods.Previous4/4HIDE CAPTIONOutside the briefing area, Hickory Civil Air Patrol NCO Mark Emaus looks over a map with assistance from Dawn Matthews, PAO with NC Civil Air Patrol. [PAUL CHURCH / THE COURIER-TRIBUNE]1/4HIDE CAPTION‘Suzie,’ a Southern Pride Search Dog from Durham, was at Camp Caraway with handler Nancy Culberson for a statewide search and rescue training excercise that runs through Sunday. Responders from all over the state are participating. [PAUL CHURCH / THE COURIER-TRIBUNE]2/4HIDE CAPTIONJared Byrd, Randolph County Emergency Services Emergency Management Coordinator, points to the ‘victim,’ Byron Huntsinger, who was being searched for during training at Camp Caraway for a statewide search and rescue training excercise that runs through Sunday. Responders from all over the state are participating. [PAUL CHURCH / THE COURIER-TRIBUNE]3/4HIDE CAPTIONPlenty of technology was on display inside the briefing area for a statewide search and rescue training excercise held at Camp Caraway. [PAUL CHURCH / THE COURIER-TRIBUNE]4/4HIDE CAPTIONOutside the briefing area, Hickory Civil Air Patrol NCO Mark Emaus looks over a map with assistance from Dawn Matthews, PAO with NC Civil Air Patrol. [PAUL CHURCH / THE COURIER-TRIBUNE]1/4HIDE CAPTION‘Suzie,’ a Southern Pride Search Dog from Durham, was at Camp Caraway with handler Nancy Culberson for a statewide search and rescue training excercise that runs through Sunday. Responders from all over the state are participating. [PAUL CHURCH / THE COURIER-TRIBUNE]2/4HIDE CAPTIONJared Byrd, Randolph County Emergency Services Emergency Management Coordinator, points to the ‘victim,’ Byron Huntsinger, who was being searched for during training at Camp Caraway for a statewide search and rescue training excercise that runs through Sunday. Responders from all over the state are participating. [PAUL CHURCH / THE COURIER-TRIBUNE]3/4HIDE CAPTIONPlenty of technology was on display inside the briefing area for a statewide search and rescue training excercise held at Camp Caraway. [PAUL CHURCH / THE COURIER-TRIBUNE]4/4HIDE CAPTIONOutside the briefing area, Hickory Civil Air Patrol NCO Mark Emaus looks over a map with assistance from Dawn Matthews, PAO with NC Civil Air Patrol. [PAUL CHURCH / THE COURIER-TRIBUNE]Next

“We’re treating it like a real search exercise,” Byrd said, noting that organizers ran the operation day and night, just like they would do in a normal operation. Rescue personnel searched into the dark until around 1 a.m., using the remainder of the night to make assignments for searchers.

The search and rescue expert contractor that facilitated the exercise brought along equipment needed during the operation, including a “lost” person.

“There’s a guy acting as a person who walked out of the camp into the woods,” Byrd said.

The man who took on the role of the lost camper is no stranger to the outdoors. According to Byrd, he’s hiked the entirety of the Appalachian Trail and rode a bicycle across the entire country.

To aid in their search, ground searchers, dog teams, computer monitors displaying maps, drones and more were used.

“It’s a good opportunity to practice,” Byrd said. “There’s a lot of moving parts and it’s good practice for when it happens.”

In total, around 130 first responders from across the state participated in the exercise, though they weren’t all present for the entire 72 hours. They came in shifts, just like groups would during a normal search and rescue operation.

From Randolph County, members of Randolph EMS, the sheriff’s office, Ash-Rand Rescue and Westside Fire Department participated.

By Jamie Biggs jbiggs@courier-tribune.comPosted Sep 14, 2019 at 3:16 PMUpdated Sep 14, 2019 at 5:23 PM

Randolph County hosts annual search and rescue exercise – News – The Courier-Tribune – Asheboro, NC