Confusion hampered search for Kims

The Sunday Oregonian ^ | 12/17/2006 | PETER SLEETH, STEVE SUO, MICHELLE ROBERTS AND ELIZABETH SUH

[surfer]

Searchers failed to exploit vital clues in the hunt for the family of James Kim, including several crucial pieces of evidence that surfaced in the final hours of his life, when he was freezing, alone and lost in the woods.

An examination by The Oregonian found a search plagued by confusion, gaps in communication, and failures of leadership in Josephine County, where the Kim family was found.

Lt. Brian Powers, the Oregon State Police commander in the region, said the lack of a central command prompted him to take control Sunday, Dec. 3, the day before Kati Kim and her two daughters were found alive. At the time, the search was sprawling over four counties, each with legal authority to conduct its own operations.

"I knew we had information gaps that weren't being filled, and I just felt like the Oregon State Police could provide something to that effort to make sure that family gets found," Powers said. "If that effort meant knocking down some jurisdictional lines . . . I guess that is what it was."

In the end, the family was found by a volunteer pilot, one of several key breakthroughs achieved by people not connected to the official search. The confirmation that the family was south of Roseburg came from a citizen tipster; and the cell phone evidence narrowing the search was provided by amateur detectives at an Oregon wireless carrier.

Many of the key missteps came in Josephine County. The search-and-rescue coordinator now acknowledges she was overwhelmed by the demands of the search. She failed to call for help from the National Guard, which meant that heat-detecting helicopters stayed on the ground in the crucial two nights James Kim slept in the forest. ...

[woodbutcher]

I agree that my last post to you was not very well done.

Althouth I made the point I intended, it was not a good post.

I should have said that I have not applied for the job of manager of SAR in OR. Therefore, your post reference my capabilities as a manager of SAR was a train off the track.

As lost as Kim.

A totally different topic of no interest to anyone.

[The KG9 Kid]

If I had to drive through a snowstorm, I'd stay on the main highway. But that's just me, IF I had to drive through a snowstorm.

Did I mention how I'd stay on the main highway and not go sightseeing in a snowstorm? That's what I'd do, if I even found myself in the unlikely event of driving through a snowstorm.

[woodbutcher]

sorry Mr. woodbucther I don't need numbers. a Ca sportsman wood be, a cut above, a typical LA or sanfran nerd, even among nerds there skill sets do very. A Ca sportsman by definition has some skills and would have made fewer clear errors in judgment.

True story
I took this computer techno geek nerd from LA (spent his whole life indoors) for a hike one time beatiful day great over look of the sea and he said "is this like a movie?"

---

Thank you. After reading that first paragraph, it is clear to me that you do not need numbers.

I hope others will find the pdf interesting. There is an amazing amount of information there.

[Atchafalaya]

Shoup describing Hillary and Obama!!!

[Mjaye]

I finally had a chance to check out the 2005 Oregon SAR stats and was amazed at the thoroughness and detail. Also at the number of volunteer hours posted by some of the counties, i.e. Jackson County had over 16,000 in '05 if I read correctly.

You are right, the vast majority of lost folk are Oregonians, which is not such a surprise. I am somewhat tired of people assuming that every out of stater who drives through is a disaster waiting to happen. The Kim story had many levels to it, and I hope we've all learned from the decisions made and the hindsight offered, the shoulda-woulda-couldas ad infinitum.

SAR needs accountability for a Coordinator who couldn't or wouldn't coordinate, and a manager who wouldn't take calls during an emergent situation (and I'm not referring to the football game), which is despicable. It's possible to be critical of SAR's management without casting aspersions on the rank and file who pitched in to help. At the very least, the Coordinator should have delegated some of the tasks that overwhelmed her or that she didn't understand, and if she gets carsick in mountains, what business did she have accepting the position? (stepping off soapbox)

[PeterPrinciple]

Searchers failed to exploit vital clues in the hunt for the family of James Kim, including several crucial pieces of evidence that surfaced in the final hours of his life, when he was freezing, alone and lost in the woods.

If only we lived in PERFECT world like the libs and coms promise us.

[surfer]

In the libs world the Sara R's and Anderson's would get promoted into higher positions and eventually run for politics...

[poseiden]

unlimited searchers with blood hounds and fresh dirty socks. And dynamic leaders of total competence with out poor sarah R. would not have done a bit of good.

16 miles is about the most a man can travel on foot in one day. Abadoning his clothes and going into a hellish ravine would suggest the onset of poor judgement caused by hypothermia. Though it can be tempting to go down hill when you've had hours of walking and time to start second guess ing your decissions.

I realy don't think Mr Kim lived past the first day of leaving his car. 9 hours of light at 2 miles an hour avg walking speed gives him 18 miles on moderatly rough terrain. Then being warm he abandond clothes he didn't think he needed. Dove into in to a subtropical rain forested canyon were it can take 5 minutes to go ten feet allowing himself to get wet crossing streams. Going into that canyon was realy his, one really fatal error.

He was realy consistant He never turns around realizing, If he had only crawled back up to the road. He dosen't seem to turn around to easyly.

[poseiden]

I don't know why your looking for scapegoats and fall guys. I mean you want a fall guy look at the pride, the treat, of san farncisco, the new modern man the heroic Mr. Kim himself.

Maybe what we should learn from this is, that the new techno savi modern men should carry a rifle in there car when traveling. Mr Kim would have been able to shoot squirrel's after he got stuck, if he is lucky maybe even a deer, then he wouldn't have been so hungry and feel like he needed to burn his tires for rescue and diner at the Bistro of MacDonald's. He wouldn't have had to go backwards in life by returning down the road he came. He and his wife could of spent the whole winter up there, wrapping there children in squirrel firs (talk about snugly) and deer skin blankets, until the snow cleared and the pass opened.

yes, thats With out a doubt, what we can learn from this; That a techno savi new modern man is one who protects and exercises his second amendment rights.

[onehipdad]

SAR needs accountability for a Coordinator who couldn't or wouldn't coordinate, and a manager who wouldn't take calls during an emergent situation (and I'm not referring to the football game), which is despicable. It's possible to be critical of SAR's management without casting aspersions on the rank and file who pitched in to help. At the very least, the Coordinator should have delegated some of the tasks that overwhelmed her or that she didn't understand, and if she gets carsick in mountains, what business did she have accepting the position? (stepping off soapbox)

I wonder, along with her contention that she was overwhelmed with her responsibilities, that she was also in a state of denial as to the severity of the situation, not wanting to really believe that these people were lost and stuck in her county. Given the history that people have died on that road and that as recently as nine months ago a family was trapped there for two weeks in a motorhome, it should have occurred to someone that it should be the first place to explore.

It's plain that Mr. Kim was not stupid, nor were the climbers on Mt. Hood, but even the most intelligent people sometimes exercise poor judgment - in the wilderness or on the mountain (beautiful, majestic, and deadly), it can cost you your life.

[surfer]

Onehipad you said it well. There is a lot of speculation around this. The facts are clear Sara R. really hurt the chances of success for this effort. Incompetent at best, criminally negligent at worst.

Poseiden - if she acted on Friday and didn't screw up like she did it is far more likely that they would have found James late Saturday or early Sunday and that would have certainly been within time to save him. SAR never even had that opportunity for the absolutely stupid decisions she made.

[surfer]

http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1166234137153910.xml?oregonian?yedcsn&coll=7

This link might be a good read...

[Mjaye]

Interesting post from the Listening Post blog:
Sunday, 10 December 2006 - 3:44 PM

Name: shandi


I was lost on that very same road back in August. My mother lives in Cave Junction just outside of Grants Pass. We decided to take a road trip to Gold Coast. I looked at a tourist map (that I obtained for free). It showed the Bear Camp route trough Agness as a "scenic" route.

We drove around those BLM logging roads for almost 5 hours before finally getting out. Thankfully, I had a full tank of gas... and of course it wasn't snowing.

Why did I get lost? I grew up in the Siskyous and know how easy it is to get off track. Those particular roads are the most confussing I have ever come across. It looks like they were all paved at around the same time. You can't tell which roads are significant and which ones are logging roads. Some of the logging roads are even wider and have the appearance of being more well traveled. And.... signs... There were some, but not stratigically placed at crossroads. There was a BLM map carved on wood placed at the top of the mountain. It said, "you are here" in one corner. Problem was, it didn't resemble the tourist map at all. None of these roads were blocked off. I didn't see any gates, closed or not. Some of the wooden signs were in desperate need of repair and I couldn't make out some of the town names on them. They also directed you to the same town by going in separate directions.

Someone needs to re-map and re-sign these roads, or this tragedy will happen again. I was completely lost... in the SUMMER.

It insults me when I hear people say that James Kim was ignorant and made mistakes that risked the lives of his family. I've been there. It is a very easy mistake to make. One that any of us could have made.

James is a hero in my book and my heart continues to feel pain for his family.

[cyn]

"This is not only for those lost in the woods or mountains of Oregon..............but even for those just in the hospital or other situations that you don't have complete control over. Someone needs to be watching out for you no matter what the situation is these days. You cannot count completely on those "in charge" or others."

You make good points, WCG, especially as regards the extra care needed in such common experiences as a doctor or hospital visit, or other unknown territory. It's a matter of knowing our limitations and calling in reinforcements.

Before that comes personal responsibility and prudent preparations ... which we should constantly reevaluate in light of such cautionary tales. That's why the give and take here on FR are so valuable.

It is interesting that that the Kim family did have some "Someones" watching out for them. Not only their families, but complete strangers who saw some aspect that they could work on, and then -- just did it, no excuses, no second thoughts, and pushed on to find the answers. Thank God for people like them; what excellent role models.

Thanks for posting this & for the additional links, surfer.

[poseiden]

yep; maybe so if she had understood the lodge owner better; (that he was on the trail of tire tracks) or that the lodge owner had been better at communicating what he suspected was/might be the kims tire trail.
And she had acted on that tip with a snow cat and tracker.
Maybe Kim would have been picked up saturday on the road, before he went down the big windy.
Does she have access to a snow cat and tracker???
Or if she did have the authority to dispatched a helicopter down that road.
sure Kim would have possibly been spotted in time.

Once he started down big windy canyon all bets are off. It sounds like it took over a full day just to do a 4 mile canyon search. most of those canyons are complete hell for anyone. Mr. Kim really impressed me with the phenomenal amount of ground he covered. I've walked in a few coast range canyons and you need a compass, spiked logging boots and a machete. Begs the question, Do you stay on the road or just go straight line towards the ocean or do you follow the windy waterway when your lost? The answer is; that depends.

Newspapers are notoriously one sided seeping with slant and favoritism.

Sarah R. is guilty of not projecting a positive upbeat appearance to the media. Guilty of not recognizing Mr. Kims position of wealth and power. Guilty of not saying "no comment".
Guilty of disclosing her personal health problems (sea sickness). guilty of possibly not evaluating conversations correctly and trying to explain it away as a feeling bad. Guilty of admitting to the fallibility of being overwhelmed. guilty of not being respected by males and other leaders supposedly on her team. God she is guilty of so many bad things. I bet she farts in her search truck. and here she has held this exalted position for years and had plenty of time to train herself for this job, given to her, because of equal opportunity laws (she is a woman in a traditionally mans job). She is definatly guilty. And I bet, after this, she will gladly give up this pucky (Is she paid or does she have to pay for her own gas?) position for a raise and a promotion to a more sedate desk job. maybe she would like to be dispatch coordinator Then nobody will realize she is running the show. I bet she gets a bumper sticker that says take this job and heave it.

Mr. Kim had an undeniable absolute right to be rescued dead or alive especially since we all knew exactly were he was. (Isn't he an 80 year old man dieing of thirst and a busted hip on his kitchen floor right this minute.) There were tire tracks with Mr. Kims gold leafed embossed name on them clearly printed in the week old snow. every time I go up too the snow there are tire tracks all over the f'n place; going in here for Christmas trees. up that road for bob sledders, another 10 tracks over there from a 4 wheel drive jamboree. Some frezzin old codjer getin firewood. If you follow my 4 wheel drive tracks you will find my name written clearly in golden yellow snow every couple miles.

Gosh why couldn't this rescue lady clearly see the tracks from the tracks.

I honestly don't know if I really like her either lets declare her guilty. And lets declare Mr. Kim a Hero of innocence, an oppressor of the down trodden, a veritable icicle of purity. a man who, never makes a mistake, never turns around, is allways correct in everything he does. A man who didn't deserve to die. Does anyone but those who are evil realy deserve to die? Why don't we admit Mr Kims fallibility along with are own and find strength in trying to make ourselves better.

[woodbutcher]

honestly don't know if I really like her either lets declare her guilty. And lets declare Mr. Kim a Hero of innocence, an oppressor of the down trodden, a veritable icicle of purity. a man who, never makes a mistake, never turns around, is allways correct in everything he does. A man who didn't deserve to die. Does anyone but those who are evil realy deserve to die? Why don't we admit Mr Kims fallibility along with are own and find strength in trying to make ourselves better.

---

When the officer in command of the state police and others directly connected with SAR are quoted as saying that there was a major problem in SAR communications, your complete failue to understand the problem was a mystery.

That is, it was a mystery until your last post.

Now we understand.

[surfer]

Poseiden,

Your name is appropriate since you are clearly upside down about this.

Sara Rubrecht had the resources (Sno Cats, etc) and ability to call in whatever support she needed. BTW she was in the job for 5 years and had plenty of time to figure that out.

She didn't do any of that. Someone died - he paid the price for his mistakes and so does his family every single day for the rest of his life.

If you had a relative (someone from the city) and they were lost in Josephine County - would you want Sara Rubrecht coordinating the search? - now try to answer honestly.

[woodbutcher]

Also don't forget that the wonderfully clever post about the "golden tracks" and the education we got on snow boarders and 4 wheelers missed a very important point.

There was only one set of tracks going only one way and the type of track immediately made it plain that it was made by a vehicle type that could not possibly make it all the way through to the other side.

That is all anyone would need to know. What kind of tires, vehicle type, road conditions. Conclusion inescapable.

[surfer]

woodbutcher I have spoken to several locals directly - people very familiar with the exact area where the Kim's were lost and they ALL said it was obvious to them where SAR needed to COORDINATE their search. This is not a new problem. Here are two more links:

http://www.currycountyreporter.com/news/results.cfm?story_no=1907

Here is another:

http://www.ocnsignal.com/index.html#anews

Scroll down to the bottom - story by Carl.

[surfer]

another editorial today...summarizes well the position and thoughts.

http://www.oregonlive.com/editorials/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1166487929309700.xml&coll=7