Somerset Search and Rescue crew assist in successful rescue of lost elderly woman

NEW BALTIMORE — An elderly woman who went missing in the woods Tuesday in the borough was found safe – thanks to a county group.

The Somerset County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team 400 was dispatched to assist the New Baltimore Fire Department with the search for the woman.

"Using advanced GPS and mapping technology with GPS Coordinates provided by a cellular telephone ping of the lost woman’s cell phone, Search and Rescue Team member David Leake led a ground search with members of the New Baltimore Fire Department of the heavily wooded area and located the woman at approximately 11 p.m. that evening," according to Somerset County Sheriff Dusty Weir.

"The woman had walked more than 4 miles into the woods and had fallen down," he said.

She was successfully rescued and transported out of the woods to emergency medical technicians.

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Leake, president of the search and rescue team, found her with his crew.

Chief Dan Dively of the rescue group directed Leake to lead a team consisting of another member of the search and rescue team, Evan Yoder, and three firefighters.

"It was the middle of the night, we had just traversed a huge hill, and when we got the coordinate, we yelled the woman's name. I heard a response 'please, help me' coming from the woman laying on the ground 75 yards away," Leake said. "She had fallen down a slope into some rocks and was lying on the ground unable to get up. When we got to her and verified she was not injured, that moment made all the training and dedication over the years worth it. We were able to get her out of the woods to EMS safely."

When the team found the woman the amount of relief was "indescribable," he said.

"When you dedicate yourself to something for so many years trying to help others, and when you are able to help in a way that is so impactful as helping rescue an elderly woman stranded 4 miles into the woods, the gratitude and emotion is enormous," Leake said.

As for how the search affected Leake himself, he said: "This search has revitalized my dedication to our team, and I can speak for every member when I thank the New Baltimore Fire Department for requesting our team's help. We ask that if any agency in the county has a situation involving a lost person, that our team be requested so we can come help."

The search and rescue team (that includes dogs and horses when needed) is entirely volunteer and funded by donations.

"The dedication of our team members, all the way from our chief, Dan Dively, to our junior members is unparalleled. All of our members have dedicated large portions of our lives training to locate missing individuals in peril," Leake said.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Somerset Search and Rescue crew assist in rescue of lost elderly woman