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. ...

[poseiden]

week old snow tracks are usually not that discernible.

Sarah R. and the lodge owner didn't communicate with each other effectively. And honestly, I wouldn't want her to search for me or my relatives.

I agree with you and she admits to being the wrong man for the job.

Definitely search and rescue should should never be adamant about refusing help from locals but they often are. They often don't take the time to communicate with locals informatively and this is an example of what happens as a result.

If you dropped me into Iraqs capitol market square and told me to just go on back to the green zone
because of my complete ignorance I wouldn't last as long as Mr. Kim. i would be done for.

Suing of the state of Oregon over a road is ridicules. California Oregon Nevada Idaho every western state in the union i can think of has innumerable beautiful secluded roads you can drive up and get yourself killed on. I personally enjoy driving those roads.

If you don't want to walk on the grass, stay home and watch television. Mr. Kim bravely walked on the grass but was out of his leauge. Please, do not deny the public access to our natural forests and desserts.
This whole road closure fanfare. reminds me of this woman I met. she was like "Lets make a law against this and a law against that." If there is no liberty you will find that when you step out of your house you will be braeking the law. after all your neigbor thinks you are lowering his property values by your lack of beauty.

[Sicon]

OK, so how long until the bottom-feeders (a.k.a. ambulance-chasing lawyer scum) bring a lawsuit against the county, the state, and anyone else they think might have two nickels to be sued for?

[surfer]

That is an unfortunate side-effect to these types of situations. Law-suits only fill the pockets of the lawyers.

Sara R. should resign and do the right thing.

[raygun]

What I came away with from reading the 8 page article on the other thread was: when your number is up, your number up.

I was particularily disturbed at what was stated at the very end of the article. When I read that, I knew that there was hope for the guy whatsoever. I know from personal experience that the instant he did that it, it was all over within 5 minutes. It made me think about how I initially felt after finish reading Jack London's story, To Build A Fire. the first time.

I wonder about the possibility that he heard the helicopters in the distance as they were searching for him. According to the article it seems they have been close enough for him to hear it. I've always been a Radar O'Reilly type guy, and can hear them birds long before they become visible.

I pray for his family.

[surfer]

I think it is possible he heard them. One would hope he died with some feeling or knowledge knowing his family was safe. I wonder if that plays into the hand at all...maybe he did hear the copters and realized they had been found and he just died - the one problem he was trying to solve was solved - he could finally rest.

We will never know. Tough time of year for the families that have lost loved ones this year...

[Drango]

and they ALL said it was obvious to them where SAR needed to COORDINATE their search.

Too bad you didn't have the same connections on Mt Hood. We could have saved 'em.

[surfer]

Mount Hood is a totally different story. SAR and the coordination of SAR were perfectly executed with the climbers situation. The climbers unfortunately were not prepared for an injury and a weather siege. Very sad for them and their families.

Question for you...
If you needed SAR or one of your family members, would you want Sarah Rubrecht handling the coordination of the SAR effort?

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

If you go to Google Maps and ask for directions from Merlin, OR to Gold Beach, OR, it takes you across that deadly road. It doesn't say closed in winter; it blandly tells you it's a two hour drive. Creepy. You'd think they'd change the map now that this has happened, but no...

http://maps.google.com

[Mjaye]

I have been warning my family these last weeks about the mapping services. I knew Mapquest routed through some bad roads, but wasn't aware that the others did to this extent. Unfortunately, those are exactly the types of trips where people really need to know where they are going. Too bad they don't give a description of the roads as well as the directions. A few months back, I had mapped a shortcut for my husband while he was traveling from CA to WY to do an assignment, and it was awful. And of course not all roads are suitable for RVs or towing or whatever.

On other trips, he has tried numerous times to ask locals for info, but he said the people at gas stations aren't what they used to be. Restaurant folks can be helpful t times, and he has occasionally run across a LE officer who is taking a break or has a minute to answer a question or two.