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.