Cranbrook RCMP officers with the help of Denim, a Police Service Dog (PSD), rescued an elderly man who was stranded with his ATV in the Stropky Road area.
Police said the Cranbrook detachment received an emergency 911 call on February 3rd around 4:30 p.m., saying that the man had been quadding in the Stropky Road area when he became stuck in the snow.
The man’s spouse came to help get the quad unstuck or help the man walk out of the area. The two, both in their mid-80s, were unsuccessful, however and called RCMP for support.
“With darkness falling and the temperatures plummeting in the region, front line officers recognized that the need to reach the elderly couple was dire,” said Cst. Katie Forgeron, spokeswoman for the Cranbrook RCMP. “The man’s wife, who was beginning to experience symptoms of hypothermia, used her emergency whistle to help guide searchers to their location. With PSD Denim leading the charge, those police officers were able to quickly locate the couple and escort them to safety.”
According to police, neither the man or woman required further medical assistance, but just needed some time to warm up. RCMP noted that they did have supplies, but neither was prepared to spend the night in the cold.
“Our officers were so pleased that they were able to reach the couple before nightfall and hypothermia could fully set in, one even claiming this is the kind of calls they signed up for. The elderly couple expressed their admiration at the police response time and their appreciation to the officers, with a special invite to join them for bacon and eggs,” said Cst. Forgeron.
Three officers worked together to lift and reposition the stuck ATV so it could be removed from the area.
