Gallatin Media Center

On 7/18/2024, at 6:19PM, 911 dispatch received a text-to-911 from a hiker approximately 3 miles up Wheeler Mountain Trail who had become lost and needed assistance getting out.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue (GCSSAR) volunteers from the valley section responded to assist the hiker. A hasty team was sent up the trail and relatively quickly located the lost hiker, and after a quick medical evaluation, the hiker was guided back down the trail without incident.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to commend the hiker for asking for help early and having a means of communication. Even with bad cell reception, text-to-911 is a valuable tool Gallatin County 911 is able to use to assist you. Even simple hikes on a trail can quickly turn into an emergency, and the sooner we are notified the easier it is to help.

For Immediate Release: July 22, 2024

Summer heat sends many people to their favorite outdoor recreation spots, but it also increases the potential for Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). When HABs are present it can be dangerous to your health. The Gallatin City-County Health Department wants to make sure you, your family, and your pets stay safe while enjoying the lakes, rivers, and streams in and around Gallatin County.

Read the full press release here.

For Immediate Release: July 16, 2024

The Gallatin Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) Program is headed to a new location in Belgrade! The Belgrade WIC office is now in the Heck/Quaw building at 91 West Southview Ave., Entrance 8 in Belgrade. This space is provided through a cooperative partnership with the Belgrade School District to better serve the families of Belgrade, Three Forks, Clarkston, and Manhattan.

Read the entire press release here.

Find more information on the Gallatin WIC Program here.

On July 9th, 2024, at 10:18 PM, Gallatin County 911 Dispatch received a call from a skier who had encountered an individual having trouble making their way down “The Great One” couloir near Fairy Lake. The individual had suffered a fall and was bleeding from an injury to the shin and suspected a possible broken ankle.

The reporting party and the injured subject made their way to a rocky overhang out of the elements and awaited assistance from rescuers. Volunteers from the GCSSAR Valley section and Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to the trailhead near Fairy Lake. A hasty team made their way to the patient in order to conduct a medical assessment and provide first aid while a second team followed with additional equipment and a third team cleared the trail of various obstructions that had gathered during the winter. GCSSAR volunteers were able to assist the subject to the trailhead where they elected to transport themselves to follow-on medical care.

Sheriff Springer would like to thank the individual who stopped to assist a fellow skier in need and remind recreators that it is always a good idea to have the means to contact emergency responders when engaging in extreme sports. Furthermore, it is advised to be sure to carry more food and water than you expect to need because the remote nature of backcountry rescue means you may be waiting several hours for help if you find yourself unable to get out on your own.

On July 9, 2024, at approximately 5:45 pm, there was a rollover motor vehicle crash on Gallatin Road at mile marker 71 (immediately north of the mouth of Gallatin Canyon in the northbound passing zone area). The crash resulted in the death of the driver. The driver was travelling southbound in a pickup truck towing a camper trailer.

The joint investigation involving the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol has gained information that a dark sedan was travelling northbound at a high rate of speed weaving in and out of traffic and may have caused the crash. The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the dark colored sedan. If you have dash camera footage of the incident or information about the vehicle, including make, model, color, and/or license plate number, please contact Montana Highway Patrol Dispatch at 855-647-3777.

On July 2, 2024, at 8:51 PM Gallatin County Dispatch received a call from a hiker in need of assistance. The hiker had been trail running with a group when they injured their leg. The hiker provided his location indicating he was close to the top of Baldy Mountain. The hiker indicated they were in a group with three other individuals who were assisting them down the mountain.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue volunteers from the Valley Section responded to the “M” trailhead. Search and Rescue volunteers from the Valley section deployed three teams up the trail carrying various medical gear, warm clothing, and a one-wheel litter. Volunteers contacted the hiker on the ridge above the M. After loading the hiker into the litter and providing the group with warm clothing, they escorted the group back to the trail head. The injured hiker was taken to Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center by a member of his group in a personal vehicle.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to commend the hikers for having packing sufficient food and water supplies as well as having communication devices. Early activation with a direct way of contact not only provided our teams with an accurate location, but the patient was also able to relay information about what happened and injury details. This type of information can expedite rescue and ensures our crews have all necessary supplies, resulting in a faster and more efficient rescue.

For immediate release: July 1, 2024

On the afternoon of Sunday, June 30, 2024, the Gallatin County Coroner’s Office along with Montana Highway Patrol investigated a fatal motor vehicle accident between a motorcycle and an SUV that occurred at the intersection of Sourdough Road and Lariat Loop.

The motorcyclist was traveling southbound on Sourdough Road when she struck an SUV turning northbound from Lariat Loop. The driver of the motorcycle was declared dead at the scene. The victim was identified as 23-year-old Mackenzie Hatter of Big Sky. Her cause of death was determined to be blunt force injuries and the manner was ruled an accident.

Sheriff Dan Springer wishes to express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mackenzie Hatter during this time.

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On June 28, 2024, at 5:53 pm, West Yellowstone Police Department Dispatch received a 911 call from a group on a guided horseback trail ride after one of their riders had suffered a fall. The injured rider fell from their horse, hit their head, and was dragged by the horse for a short distance. The reporting party indicated that due to the rider’s injuries, the group felt it was best for the patient to stay in place and requested medical assistance. The patient was located 8 miles west of West Yellowstone, Montana near Buttermilk Trailhead.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue (GCSSAR) volunteers from the West Yellowstone detachment, Hebgen Basin Rural Fire District, and Gallatin County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the request for aid. It was determined the best and most efficient way for responders to assist would be through via use of a side-by-side utility vehicle. Hebgen Basin Rural Fire members responded to the patient via side by side and provided medical attention at the scene of the fall. The patient was transported on the side-by-side from the scene to a staged Hebgen Basin Ambulance for further assessment and treatment. The patient was later transported to Big Sky Medical Center for higher level care.

Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer would like to commend the individuals on the horseback ride for remaining calm, keeping the patient stationary, and providing accurate coordinates which allowed responders to make an efficient and hasty response.

For immediate release: June 21, 2024 

Media contact:
Patrick Lonergan, Gallatin County Chief of Emergency Management & Fire
406-548-0111
patrick@readygallatin.com 

 

Gallatin County Receives Additional Funding to Support Wildfire Mitigation Efforts 

Gallatin County has funding available to help residents in the Gallatin County Wildland Urban Interface reduce the risk of wildfire impacting their property.  

Wildfire risk is present throughout Gallatin County with the severity and risk varying based on location. Through the process of developing the 2022 Gallatin County Hazard Mitigation and Community Wildfire Protection Plan, 1,000,107 acres have been identified as Wildland Urban Interface in the county. Studies have shown that treating the area within 100 to 200 feet of your home greatly reduces the potential impacts of a wildfire.  

“You can take action to prevent the likelihood of your life or home being impacted by wildfire. And we can help you through that process,” said Jay Pape, Preparedness and Mitigation Manager with Gallatin County Emergency Management. “We can provide you with concrete steps you can take on your property and with as well as grant funding opportunities to help ease the costs.” 

The first step is for property owners to self-evaluate their property. This is a quick way to see what may easily be done to reduce wildfire risk.  

Residents can then request a FREE home risk assessment and Gallatin County staff will meet with homeowners on their property. The evaluator will review the self-assessment, walk around your property, and discuss what they are seeing. Following the in-person visit, owners will get a copy of the assessment.  

A home risk assessment provides an opportunity to ask questions, receive more in-depth guidance, and learn about approaches to wildfire mitigation. Mitigation projects could range from hand thinning areas around homes and structures, to larger forest thinning type projects, depending on the property’s size and continuity with neighbors.  

Many of the items identified during home risk assessments can be completed by homeowners. But in some cases, specialized skill or equipment may be needed. Homeowners can apply for a support that will offset their out-of-pocket expenses for any mitigation measures that may require more complex work.  In some cases, work may be 100% funded with support form the Montana Resiliency Fund. 

Montana’s investment in the Resiliency Fund makes a concerted effort to prevent costly repairs following a disaster by working with communities to mitigate potential damage risk prior to natural disasters. With this funding, MT DES works with local programs to apply for FEMA mitigation grants. FEMA grants typically require a 25% cost-share from the local government that is applying for the grant. Using this account, the state will be able to off-set the 25% local match. The 2023 legislature approved $4 million dollars a year for the next four years to the Resiliency Fund. By leveraging FEMA grants, this will result in a projected $64 million in disaster mitigation projects for Montana communities. The average disaster mitigation project has a 6:1 cost benefit, meaning this investment will save Montanan’s $384 million over the life of these projects.   

Wildfire mitigation is not a one-time project, but an ongoing activity. Properties may need heavier initial work, but annual maintenance that will be needed to keep the wildfire risk reduced over time. Residents who take part in a mitigation project with Gallatin County are required to follow a treatment plan for 10 years.  

Gallatin County’s wildfire mitigation program started in late 2022. We currently have four active funding programs covering several areas around the Gallatin Valley.  Interest in the program drives future identified project areas. 

This spring, the program added a three-person crew dedicated to helping homeowners conduct this mitigation work. 

Residents interested in getting their property assessed can find a step-by-step guide to scheduling assessments, applying for grant funding, and much more, at this link. 

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