NYS Federation of SAR -
News!
2004
SAR Teams Assist Local Police
Missing, Despondent 47 year old Woman
Saratoga Springs, NY
May 8th, 2004
Saratoga Springs City Police received a missing person report early Friday evening on a 47 year old woman.
Family members filed a report after the subject failed to show up for a prearranged meeting.
The subject was last seen at 0800, after being dropped off on Route 9. An investigation found items
discarded by the subject in that immediate area. Two additional sightings placed her south of that location
later in the day. A general search of the area was performed by NYS Park Police, the NYSP, and a FLIR
equipped helicopter. The NYS DEC Forest Rangers were contacted to assist later in the evening
and Federation SAR resources were requested for the next morning. Searching continued until late Saturday
and was resumed again Sunday morning. Over 150 personnel participated with almost 60 Federation personnel.
The subject was located, deceased, in a wooded area next to Geyser Brook, several hundred yards
from the roadway Sunday morning at around 1100.
Additional News' Story
Additional News' Story
Local SAR Teams Assist NYSP
Hamlin Beach State Park
Monroe County
May 23, 2004
On September 25th, 2003 a 43 year old white male was
known to have been camping at the state park, using his VW camper. His van was found abandoned at that
time and the subject has not been seen since. The subject was reported to have been despondent
and had made comments about "starting a new life". Using several K9 units, Massasauga SAR and Livingston County SAR assisted
Park Police and the NYSP police in clearing the area prior to the start of the 2004 camping season.
No clues to the subject's where abouts were found.
Searchers Find Missing Children
5 Year Old and 8 year Old Safe
Town of Petersburgh, Rensselaer County
May 29, 2004
Terry Serson, Age 8, and his sister Sara Peterson, Age 5,
were camping at the Broken Wheel Campground with family over the Memorial Day weekend. The children were last seen playing at the
campground's playground at around 1730. When a quick search of the campground failed to locate the children, the Rensselaer County
Sheriff's Department was contacted and the local SAR team responded. At around 2130, with no sign of the children, the NYS DEC Forest Rangers
were contacted and they, in turn, put the NYS Federation of SAR on stand-by. After assessing the situation, the Rangers activated the
Federation for assistance at around 0130 to report at 0700 Saturday morning. Although it was a holiday weekend, over 85 Federation volunteers responded.
With the media broadcasting a message for "off the street" volunteers, the response overwhelmed the Command staff. After almost 10 hours
of searching, still no sign of the children was found during the day. At around 1730 a Ranger SAR team working a drainage area saw movement in the
under growth. Investigating, they discovered both children, alive, insect bitten, slightly hypothermic, but otherwise okay.
Additional News' Story
Missing Resident Returns Home
Hannibal, NY
Oswego County
August 6th, 2004
Local SAR Teams and
the NYS Forest Rangers assisted the NYSP in attempting to locate John White, a 26 year old male, who had fled his
residence the previous evening around midnight. Mr White had been drinking, argued with friends, injured himself and ran
from his residence into the surrounding woods. According to his friends, the subject had been despondent over
personal problems and threatening suicide. Initially the NYSP searched for Mr. White using police dogs, a FLIR equipped
helicopter, and the local fire department. After failing to locate the subject, the local Forest Ranger along with the
Oswego County SAR team were activated around 0600. Assistance was requested from neighboring SAR teams including
Cayuga County and Onondaga County. As State Police K9's had already searched the residence, which had now been declared a possible crime scene,
SAR K9's were not allowed into the scene. A tracking team following the subject's (bare) footprints
determined that the subject had not crossed the road in front of the residence, but, rather, gone into the
swampy area behind the residence. Air scent K9's searched the area behind the house, but only showed interest in
the immediate area of the house.
At around 1100, the subject was discovered in the residence, hiding under a mattress, by an SP Forensic team that
had just started their investigation of the scene.
Search Team Finds Woman
Auburn, NY
Cayuga County
July 26th, 2004
Louise Masterson, a 60 year old female resident of a local home for adults, was reported
missing at around midnight. The subject, who suffers from schizophrenia, had not been seen since earlier in the day. The
subject typically spends her day walking on the city street between the home and several local businesses. After a preliminary
search by the Auburn PD, Cayuga County SAR was activated and responded with personnel and K9 around 0230. Search area included
residential setting and heavy dense brush areas. Oswego and Onondaga County SAR activated at 0500 to begin searching at daylight.
Subject was located at local business establishment around 0615 by search team personnel and was transported to local hospital for
evaluation.
74 Year Old Man Missing
West Sand Lake, NY
Rensselaer County
September 7th- 11th, 2004
William H. Lee was last seen at his home
on Saturday, September 7th. Reported missing by his son, the subject had a history of ill health, no driver's license, and had
not been known to leave his property for the past 10 years. Working with the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Department and the
NYS Forest Rangers, Federation teams spent 4 days and hundreds of hours searching the area, but failed to turn up any sign of the
subject, who is still missing.
12 Year Old Autistic Child Safe
Mt. Vision, NY
Otsego County
September 24th, 2004
12 year old, twin autistic, non-verbal brothers are allowed to
play at a recreation area less than mile from their home and return, on their own, using a stream as a guide. On the evening of
September 24th, one of the brothers returned home while the other didn't. The subject Searcher scoured the woods starting at around 1930,
and despite the use of a state police helicopter and law enforcement K9, no sign of the subject was found. NYS Forest Rangers
and the Federation were contacted at around 2200.
Federation searchers were in the field just prior to 0700 with several K9 teams. At approximately 0900 one of the K9 units reported
finding a child's sneaker in a drainage southwest of the PLS. A bloodhound team working immediately to the north, adjusted their
search pattern based on the clue. The dog quickly picked up the scent, leading searchers to the child who was sleeping in a wooded
area about 500 yards from the PLS. The child was in good health and responded to the searchers in a positive manner.
Lost Hunter Located Safe
Parish, NY
Oswego County
October 17th, 2004
A 37 year old male hunter went deer hunting
in the Happy Valley State Wildlife Management Area around 1430. Although he had hunted in the area before, he was not familiar with
this particular area. The subject parked his truck on the roadway and went east down a trail. He did not take a map or a compass.
At around dusk, he reported that he shot a deer from the trail, but had to go into the woods to retrieve it. With darkness settling in, he
elected to drag the deer back to the trail before gutting it. Although the subject stated that he had brought a flashlight with him, he was unable to locate it
and was unable to find his way back to the trail. He continued to drag the deer for sometime. Reported missing by his wife at around
2100 his vehicle was located by Sheriff's Deputies at around 2200. When sirens failed to prompt a response from the subject the
local SAR team along with the Forest Ranger were activated by 911 at around 2355.
Responding units checked several locations where, historically, subjects generally turn up when lost in that area with no results.
While the Command Post was set up and additional information on the subject was obtained, a Sheriff's car was sent back to the
subject's vehicle to provide a stationary source of attraction with it's siren and lights. Mutual aid SAR units from Onondaga County
arrived on the scene with additional units en route from Cayuga County. Just as the first teams were being dispatched into the field,
the subject made his way out to the Sheriff's car, aided by the noise and lights.
Subject was wet, tired, and cold but otherwise in good shape. Subject stated that he had fired his gun in response to the
sirens from the first units on the scene and that he had tried following their sirens, but as they were moving, he got more confused.
Subject stated that this was the second time he had gotten lost while hunting.
Missing Woman's Body Found
Walton, NY
Delaware County
October 19, 2004
Nancy Griffin, 52, fled on foot from the Delaware County Mental
Health Clinic on Monday, October 19th, after a relative brought her to that facility. Griffin had been characterized as "despondent" and "depressed" since the
death of her husband in June. Griffin was said to have left the clinic at around 1400 and was last seen at around 1630.
Searches on Monday were conducted by local agencies and were hampered by rain and poor visibility. On Tuesday, NYSP K9's were
brought in along with local and county Law Enforcement, local FD's, and NYS DEC Forest Rangers and Environmental Conservation Officers.
Federation SAR resources had been requested Monday night and were also on the scene Tuesday. Searching continued through the day
and, although teams were prepared to stay over and continue the search Wednesday, a decision to limit search efforts
was made late Tuesday night and the volunteer teams released. No sighting or sign of the subject had been found.
As a footnote, on November 21st, a farmer checking his beef cows discovered the body of the subject in the Town of Walton,
near the West Branch of the Delaware River, south of the village.
Additional News' Story
Missing Student's Body Found
Canton, NY
St. Lawrence County
November 18th, 2004
Adam Falcon, a 20 year old student at
St. Lawrence University, was reported missing by friends on Sunday the 14th. Adam had last been seen at a local bar in the
village of Canton at around 0130 Sunday morning. Falcon was reported to have been drinking.
Village of Canton police, along with the NYSP, and local emergency services personnel searched for several days, finding
Falcon's cell phone and his hat, both several blocks from the bar.
The Federation was contacted on Tuesday for possible assistance, but due to mis-communication was not requested until
Thursday, the 18th. Federation personnel were teamed with Forest Rangers to search vegetated areas in and around the village.
A K9 team was dispateched with the County dive team to assist with searching the river. The K9 team reported interest by the
dog in an area upriver of the bridge and south of the dive team's current location. The divemaster was informed and the K9
team returned to staging for reassignment. At around 1600, the dive team, now searching south of the bridge, reported finding
a footprint, underwater, leading into the river. Another K9 unit was dispatched to the location and alerted strongly in
that area. Divers were put into the river to investigate a "hole" in that area and located a body within minutes.
Based on autopsy results, it is theorized that the subject, under the influence of alcohol, passed out somewhere in the vicinity of
where his cell phone was located. With night temperatures in the low to mid 30's, he might have become hypothermic and as a result
entered the water in an attempt to "cool off", drowning in the process.
Additional News' Story
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