Ohio Special Response Search & Rescue Team lauded by sheriff for likely saving man's life

A 62-year-old Mansfield man with medical issues who was reported missing Sept. 15 was found in dense underbrush along a creek south of Rosedale Avenue after a search by members of the Ohio Special Response Search & Rescue Team.

Richland County Sheriff J. Steve Sheldon on Tuesday presented a certificate of appreciation and letter to the response team members at the sheriff's office, 597 Park Ave. East, telling them they "saved a life."

Capt. Alan Plastow: Volunteer team found man using research

The team of volunteers was called on Sept. 15 after the sheriff's office exhausted their search using their manpower, K9 and Ontario Police's drone. Due to the missing person's health, nightfall approaching within hours and dropping temperatures, it was crucial to call in OSRT, who likely saved the man's life, Sheldon said.

Thirteen members plus a K-9 named Besa, owned by Sarah Gentry, a nurse from Ashland, attended the event Tuesday. Nineteen volunteers plus the German shepherd responded in the September search.

Capt. Allen Plastow of the Ohio search and rescue team, on Tuesday said there was a brief discussion about calling off the search, but he feared the search would become a recovery mission.

First the group searched areas the missing man would not be in, as training dictated. Then members used their research for finding people who are disoriented or diagnosed with dementia to determine where the person would most likely be ― near water and down a hill.

"I yelled, 'Attention on deck' to get his attention," Plastow said, noting the man, a retired Marine, while very disoriented, seemed to know they were there to help him.

Members of the search team said the man sent them a thank-you note. He declined to attend the ceremony.

At 10:13 a.m. Sept. 15, a family member reported a man with medical issues missing from their residence in the 800 block of Fifth Avenue, according to the sheriff's office.

The man had last been seen at 1 a.m. Sept. 15 and, at 3:46 p.m., a neighbor who resides on Rosedale Avenue was mowing the field across from his residence when they found items belonging to the missing person along the tree line.

Deputies responded to the area to coordinate a search.

At 6 p.m., the sheriff’s office reached out to the Ohio Special Response Team, which specializes in searches, and OSRT personnel and two of their K-9s began the search along with other law-enforcement officials.

At 11 p.m., OSRT located the missing person along a creek a quarter-mile south of Rosedale in dense underbrush.

The man medical treatment. Madison and Mifflin EMS and the sheriff’s office assisted OSRT in removing him from the area.

Sgt. Jason Shoemaker of the Richland County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday said it was a daunting task getting the man out of the woods. The man was not able to walk and could barely stand. He was carried to a utility vehicle and then transported to an emergency squad and taken to a hospital for treatment.

Shoemaker recalled the man telling rescuers he had taken trash outside at 5:30 a.m., became disoriented and couldn't find his way back to the residence.

"He said he fell and something hit his good eye and it was very hard for him to see at that point," Shoemaker said.

OSRT found him after he had been outside since 5:30 a.m., for 17½ hours.

"This positive outcome is partly due to the cooperation of all parties involved including the volunteers who stopped what they were doing that day to aid us in the situation," Shoemaker said. "Our department would like to publicly thank the Ohio Special Response Team for their dedication to our community and for those in need. Thank you each and every one of you."

Members of the search and rescue team drove to the sheriff's office Tuesday from as far away as Geauga County. Several local residents who are part of the team also attended.

Denise Kroger, a member of the team, who resides in Ashland County, is a deputy at the Medina County Sheriff's Office.

"I actually got into this because I was sitting and watching Sarah Gentry and Dale Thompson at the fair doing a demonstration," Kroger said.

"And I had a German shepherd at the time," Kroger said. That was in 2017-2018. "I needed something to do beyond once I go to retire. This is perfect."

Anyone who wants to join the Ohio Special Response Search & Rescue Team can as long as they have a clean police record.

"We take everybody. We need anybody who can do ground-pounding," Kroger said. "We have K-9, we have the drone. We have a little bit of everything. We need somebody who is good and can run with our electronics and set-up."

There are several teams in the state of Ohio, she said.

lwhitmir@gannett.com

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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Ohio search and rescue team honored for recovery of missing man