Gallatin Media Center

PRESS RELEASE

North Cottonwood Rescue

On Thursday, September 1^st, 2022, at 5:30 p.m., Gallatin County Dispatch received a call from Park County for a lost person in the Fairy Lake area.  GCSO Deputies learned that about 10:00 a.m., two people were camping at the Fairly Lake Campground when one decided to take a ride on their dirtbike.  After becoming lost on some trails, and many hours of trying to find their way back, the lost party was able to contact the remaining camper who eventually called for help.

 

Once notified, Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue Valley Section was able to send a locator through their mapping system to get an exact location on the missing party. Based on this information, SAR teams deployed to the North Cottonwood Trailhead to hike to the area of the missing person. Two teams departed up the trail, one hasty team to reach the patient as quickly as possible, followed by a team with additional medical supplies and the one-wheeled litter.  Just after dark the hasty team made contact with the party and assessed the patient, who had sustained minor injuries, was dehydrated, and was suffering from exhaustion.

 

Rescuers provided medical aid and sustenance to the patient.  After a short recovery time the patient was able to hike under their own power 5 miles to the trailhead where they were reunited with their family.

 

Sheriff Dan Springer reminds backcountry users to use caution when in the backcountry.  Make sure to tell people where you are going and when to expect you back.  Enjoy the backcountry with other people when possible and carry a means of communication with you.

 

Photos courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

PRESS RELEASE

Lionhead ATV Crash

On August 26, 2022 at 7:37 pm, the West Yellowstone Police Department dispatch center received a call for an injured ATV rider who missed the trail and crashed near Junction 8 on the Lionhead Trail.  The injured party was bleeding from a lacerated leg and a tourniquet had been applied.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue volunteers from the West Yellowstone Section responded to the scene and treated the patient before transporting back to town. An ambulance from Hebgen Basin Fire Department received the patient, accessed and treated the injury, and transported to Air Idaho at the West Yellowstone Airport.  The patient was ultimately transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center for further care.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind recreationalists that even a nice afternoon ride may not go as planned so take plenty of water, sun screen, a first aid kit, reliable communications and be prepared for any weather so you are prepared for an unexpected adventure.

Photo courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

Today, at approximately 8:30 am, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a 47 year old male who had gone missing yesterday and was last seen in the River Rock area. At approximately 3:40 pm, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office used a drone to fly over the River Rock pond. A deceased body was located near the shoreline. The cause and manner of death are unknown at this time. The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death. The Sheriff’s Office will release further information as it becomes available. There is no known threat to the surrounding area or other members of the community.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Sheriff Dan Springer
406-582-2125

Montanans: Plan for a Sober Ride and Help Everyone Get Home Safely This Labor Day Weekend Law Enforcement is planning increased patrols in Gallatin County over the holiday weekend. Residents are encouraged
to plan for a sober ride home.

August 18, 2022, – As the Labor Day weekend approaches, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and the Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) are encouraging Montanans to plan for a sober ride home before celebrating. Labor Day weekend marks the end of the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer” for traffic safety in Montana. Law Enforcement will be increasing patrols across the state and making DUI arrests to ensure every Montanan gets home safely. Local Law Enforcement agencies, the MHP and the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) are committed to reducing fatalities and serious injuries on Montana’s roadways during busy holiday weekends.

If drivers have a BAC (blood alcohol content) of .08 or higher, they could receive a DUI and other serious consequences, including having their driver’s license revoked, being required to take mandatory classes, and receiving possible jail time and up to $10,000 in fines and legal fees.

“If you’re drinking this holiday weekend, be sure to make a plan for a safe ride home before going out,” says Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer. “There are lots of ways to plan a sober ride. Designate a sober driver, arrange a rideshare service/cab/public transportation, or call a friend or family member to pick you up. Assist your friends in returning home safely”.

Why are Montana’s state and local law enforcement on high alert during the holiday weekend? These are Montana’s sobering statistics for 2020:

• Impaired driver crashes in Montana accounted for 10% of all reported roadway crashes in 2020, but 66% of all roadway fatalities.
• In 2020, 99% of impaired driver roadway deaths occurred in rural crashes.
• 77% of impaired roadway deaths in 2020 involved a male driver with a BAC above 0.079.

“Do not drive impaired – it’s dangerous for everyone on the road. We’ll have increased patrols out Labor Day weekend to keep Montanans safe as they travel to and from their activities in these final days of summer,” said Montana Highway Patrol Colonel Steve Lavin. “Have fun, but please be responsible as you spend time with your friends and family. Together we can make sure everyone gets home safe.”

Montana Department of Transportation — Vision Zero
This is a Vision Zero message from the Montana Department of Transportation. This and other enforcement and educational campaigns are strategies to reach Vision Zero — zero deaths and zero serious injuries on Montana roadways. For more information about Vision Zero, contact Janet Kenny, Montana Department of Transportation, 406-444-7417 or jakenny@mt.gov.
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Alternative accessible formats of this document are provided on request. If you need an alternative format, contact the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Transportation, 2701 Prospect Avenue, PO Box 201001, Helena, MT 59620. Telephone 406-444-5416 or Montana Relay Service at 711.

PRESS RELEASE

Bear Basin Rescue

On August 16, 2022, at 10:39 am, Gallatin County Dispatch received a call that a rock climber had fallen approximately 100 feet and sustained severe injuries near Bear Basin in Big Sky. The reporting party was with the patient and advised they were on a small ledge about 300 feet up from the bottom.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue Big Sky Section, the SAR Heli Team, Big Sky Fire Department, and Life Flight responded to assist with the call. Big Sky Section ground teams deployed on foot to the patient with ropes and rigging gear while the Heli Team deployed from the Valley.  After conducting a recon flight, two members of the Heli Team were flown to the patient where they were able to perform a medical assessment. The patient was packaged and short hauled to an awaiting medical unit. The patient was transferred to a Life Flight helicopter and flown to Bozeman Health for further medical care. The reporting party and a remaining Heli Team member were also short hauled off the mountain.

Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer would like to commend all involved parties on this extremely difficult and technical rescue. He also commends the reporting party for having a means of communication to call for help when the outing turned in to an emergency and was able to advise of the technical terrain the incident was located in.

Photos Courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

PRESS RELEASE

Hyalite Reservoir Rescue

On Friday August 12, 2022 at 2:15pm, Gallatin County Dispatch received a call from the International Emergency Response Communication Center (IERCC) stating they had received an SOS from a GPS Communication device regarding a hiker who had a serious lower leg injury.  The IERCC gave a latitude/longitude of the patient’s location, which was described as approximately 150 yards up a trail near the main parking lot at Hyalite Reservoir.

Deputies from the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office responded along with personnel from Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue Valley Section, Hyalite Fire Department, and AMR. Rescuers arrived on scene, assessed the patient, and created an extraction plan based on the hiker’s location. Volunteers loaded the patient onto a one wheeled litter and transported them back to the Hyalite Reservoir main parking lot. The patient was transferred to AMR and ultimately transported to Bozeman Health for further evaluation.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to commend the bystander that activated their GPS communication device to summon help.  The quick SOS activation and the willingness of folks to help a stranger in need made for a more efficient mission and highlighted the character of backcountry users in Gallatin County.

Photos courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

For Immediate Release: August 10, 2022

Harmful algae blooms (HAB) are present on Hebgen Reservoir in the northeast portion, in the Grayling Arm area, of the reservoir. Routine monitoring and field testing in the Rainbow Point area of Hebgen Reservoir has detected the presence of an algal toxin, anatoxin-a, that poses a risk to people, pets, and livestock.

For the full press release, click here.

Report a suspected HAB at www.hab.mt.gov or call 1-888-849-2938.

You may also report a suspected HAB by calling the Gallatin City-County Health Department Environmental Health at 406-582-3120, or visit our website.

 

For immediate release: August 9, 2022

The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) and Gallatin City-County Health Department (GCCHD) confirmed a single probable case of monkeypox virus in a Gallatin County adult.

You can see the full press release here.

 

For the most updated information in Gallatin County, visit the monkeypox page on our website.

For statewide information, visit the MT DPHHS site.

 

For immediate release: August 9, 2022

This November, Gallatin County voters will be asked to decide on a mill levy to fund continuing operations at the Gallatin Rest Home, the soon-to-be only skilled nursing facility in the county.

See full press release here.

Media is welcome to use any photos of the Gallatin Rest Home found on their Facebook page.

Media contacts:
Whitney Bermes, Gallatin County Communications Coordinator
406-595-8963
whitney.bermes@gallatin.mt.gov

Darcel Vaughn, Gallatin Rest Home Administrator
406-404-4001
darcel.vaughn@gallatin.mt.gov

On August 7, 2022, at 12:01pm Gallatin County 911 received a call from a mountain biker who had crashed on Ross Pass. The biker injured their shoulder and requested assistance getting down the trail. The biker had plenty of water and was dressed appropriately for the weather.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue (GCSSAR) volunteers from the Valley Section responded to Bracket Creek for the rescue. Several OHV teams were able to reach the summit of the pass quickly and then hike to the patient’s location. A medical assessment was conducted and the patient was stabilized by GCSSAR personnel before moving down trail.  The patient was ultimately escorted to the trailhead and released from GCSSAR care.

Sheriff Springer would like to remind everyone recreating in the mountains that accidents can happen to anyone, to bring along plenty of water, a communication/location device, and a first aid kit in case of emergencies.

Photos courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.