ST. GEORGE — Two men were lost and then stranded for nearly nine hours Monday when two of their vehicle’s tires were flattened, leaving them in a remote area near Parowan in frigid cold temperatures.
At approximately 8:30 p.m. one of the men called 911 to report that his vehicle had two flat tires, leaving him and his passenger stranded in what he thought was an area near Southern Utah University’s cabin, which is located off of state Route 14 near mile marker 11.
Using reverse 911, emergency dispatchers were able to obtain a possible location for the vehicle, and Iron County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue teams were called in to assist deputies in locating the vehicle, Iron County Sheriff’s Lt. Del Schlosser said.
“We weren’t able to identify exactly where they were with reverse 911, and then a second call gave an entirely different GPS location, so the rescue teams split up to check both areas,” he said.
It took five phone calls from the stranded driver before deputies were able to obtain more accurate location information, which turned out to be the Kane Springs area near Parowan.
The Utah Department of Public Safety’s helicopter was called in to assist in locating the stranded pair, who were in a disabled vehicle in 18 degree temperatures for several hours.
The helicopter crew were able to follow fresh tire tracks during an aerial search, which led them to where the vehicle was located, and that information was then relayed to deputies and Utah Highway Patrol troopers on the ground who headed in that direction.
Rescue personnel arrived at the vehicle at about 1:30 a.m. and found the men uninjured.
“The men were fine, they were just stuck and cold from being out in the elements because they were lost for about four hours before their call,” Schlosser said.
The men were transported out of the area to a location where they were able to call a tow truck to retrieve the vehicle.
Schlosser went on to say that before a hike or drive out into remote areas or sites, make sure someone knows the location they’ll be in, and to check in with the person so that if they become lost, stranded or injured, that person will be able to relay that information to emergency personnel.
It is also important to bring provisions, such as water, granola bars or other food items and warm clothing to be better prepared for the unexpected, he said.
This report is based on statements from police or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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So what does the photo have to do with this story? It misleads the reader into believing the two men were involved with a stolen vehicle. Duh
Agreed and replaced with a more generic image, Cabin-time.
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Joyce Kuzmanic
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