Rescue Crews Welcome Vehicle That Can Drive Through Mud, Snow, Dirt
Apr 26, 2019, 6:49 PM | Updated: 6:51 pm
BRIGHAM CITY, Utah — Box Elder County has a new tool to get county workers to hard-to-reach places.
The county took in a large delivery Sunday afternoon— a SHERP. The boxy vehicle with huge tires is designed to push through all kinds of terrain, including dirt, snow, mud, and bodies of water.
“It’s a piece of equipment that would cover all areas of the county… not just search and rescue, not just the sheriff’s office, not just emergency management, but everything as a whole,” said Chief Deputy Dale Ward of the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office.
Ward said a GIS worker was working in the West Desert of Box Elder County in the summer of 2018 when his truck got stuck and broke an axle. This vehicle would get them into the desert and would help rescuers get to people in muddy spots near the Great Salt Lake.
“It looks dry and they think they can drive on it. They can get out there and get stranded and this unit would be able to drive on those mud flats with no problem and get out to save those people,” Ward said.
Ward said the SHERP cost $122,000 and was paid for using mineral lease money from the federal government.
It was put into service the day it was delivered.
Brittnee Crossman said her 12-year-old son Kobe was hiking in the mountains above Brigham City Sunday night when he slipped.
“(He) was just climbing down and lost his footing, slid off a rock about 15 feet and then hit the ledge and fell about 20 feet,” she said.
Crossman said Kobe was stuck on the mountain for about four hours while rescuers worked to get him down.
“The storm was coming in, so there was a possibility they were going to have to sleep on the mountain,” she said.
Ward said the SHERP, which holds eight people, helped shorten the hike up the mountain for rescuers.
“His care was much better at that point because we got our people on him quicker,” Ward said.
Ultimately, it took a helicopter to get Kobe off the mountain. Crossman said he had a broken ankle and will recover by the end of summer.
