From the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

A man’s life was saved this morning with the help of a new, Measure Z funded snow vehicle. On February 27, at about 3 a.m., the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Special Services Team was deployed to Big Hill Rd. in Hoopa to assist the Hoopa Valley Tribal Police Department in a search for a missing man.

The man, a 50-year-old Hoopa resident, left to go snowmobiling in the Big Hill Rd. area around 10 p.m. on February 26. When he did not return home that night, his son reported him missing.

Due to the snowy and icy terrain, sheriff’s deputies deployed the Sno-Cat to assist in the search and rescue efforts. The man was located around 7 a.m. approximately 10 miles up Big Hill Rd., spending nearly nine hours in 30 degree temperatures. His snowmobile was found stuck in a deep snow drift. The man was treated for mild hypothermia on scene.

The purchase of Sheriff’s Sno-Cat vehicle was also made possible through funds from Measure S and private fundraising through the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Posse. This was the Sno-Cat’s first deployment. It effectively helped to save a life, cutting down rescue time and enabling a quick response.