Hypothermic woman rescued from rural Josephine County location

Josephine County, Ore.- Josephine County Search and Rescue crews saved a man and woman after a frightening experience in the Shan Creek area.

According to the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office, it received a call from a towing company late Sunday night saying a man and woman were stranded on Shan Creek Road. The tow company wasn’t able to help them because of the road and weather conditions.

When a deputy and search and rescue volunteer arrived, they were greeted by a man running down the road looking for help. He told them his vehicle had gone over a cliff, but both he and his female passenger were able to get out. According to the man, the two started walking down Shan Creek Road looking for help. That’s when, he said, the woman also went over a cliff.

Rescuers loaded the man into their snow equipment and went looking for the woman. They found her about three miles up the road and about 100 feet over a steep embankment. While the woman was conscious and breathing, the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office says she wasn’t able to communicate with rescuers.

The man told rescuers the woman had been in the snow for about three hours. They decided there wasn’t time to go back and get additional help, so the rescue team improvised and lowered one person down to the woman. When that rescuer reached her, it was determined the woman had lost part of her ability to move and wasn’t able to help in her rescue because of the onset of hypothermia.

Crews were able to bring the woman back up to the road and get her to the hospital.

The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office says the case is a good reminder everyone should carry emergency supplies at all times, including snow clothing and equipment.

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