The plaque honoring Los Alamos Auxiliary Fire Brigade Search and Rescue in recognition of outstanding public safety service for a fellow citizen. Photo Courtesy LAPSA
LAPD Cmdr. Daniel Roberts, center presents a plaque Nate Conroy and Matt Holmes of the Los Alamos Auxiliary Fire Brigade Search & Rescue. Photo Courtesy LAPSA
BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com
Nate Conroy, current President of the Los Alamos Auxiliary Fire Brigade and Matt Holmes, the Incident Commander for the May 2023 backcountry rescue of a 75-year old man in the area of the Pajarito Ski Hill, accepted a plaque January 25 from the Los Alamos Public Safety Association (LAPSA).
LAPSA holds an annual awards banquet to recognize outstanding First Responder(s) in the community. LAPSA treasurer/Los Alamos Police Department Cmdr. Daniel Roberts presented the 2023 plaque to Holmes and Conroy during a banquet at the Los Alamos Sheriff’s Posse Lodge. Cmdr. Roberts read the following narrative about the rescue:
“On May 12, 2023 at 4:19 p.m. dispatch received a call for a backcountry rescue in the area of the ski hill. It was determined that a 75 year old male was lost. The situation increased in severity when it was learned that the lost subject was not well-dressed and also suffered from Parkinson’s disease. LAPD’S Dispatch Center was able to obtain the last known coordinates before his phone died. Officers responded to the last known coordinates and began a search of the ridgeline. New Mexico Search and Rescue activated the Los Alamos Auxiliary Fire Brigade (LAAFB) Search and Rescue team at 5:30 p.m.
“Incident Command, led by Matt Holmes, assisted with the search. After more than three hours of searching, contact was made with the lost man and crews began treatment. Members of the Los Alamos Auxiliary Fire Brigade SAR stayed with him.
“During this time, bears were sighted within the area. A mother bear and her cubs began to enclose on the subject and individuals assisting with the rescue. The Incident Commander deployed more resources to assist, provide protection, and make an exit route. They were deployed with a shotgun, chainsaw, hedge trimmers and extra fuel from Los Alamos Fire Department. While en route to where the subject had been located, the weather turned for the worse and it began to rain. It was also relayed that the bears were beginning to get closer to the rescue team and subject.
“The decision was made to start hiking back up to the top of the mountain with the subject. As they continued to slowly hike up the mountain the bears followed at a distance. Incident Command advised the rescue team to drop all unnecessary gear and get to the subject as fast as possible due to the danger of an approaching bear.
“To make a faster recovery, the Incident command informed us NM National Guard Helicopter LOBO 61 was en route to try and extract the subject. LOBO 61 arrived on the scene and due to the fog and rain was unable to assist with extraction. The decision was then made to hike the subject out. To make it to the top of the mountain as fast as possible, members cut a path down the mountain through dead and fallen trees.
“Around 4 a.m. on the morning of May 13, 2023, after nearly 12 hours of searching, the subject and all responding LAFD, LAPD and SAR members made it out safely.”