OCR Text |
Show Law Enforcement, Search and Rescue Given that GSL is divided by causeways and under the jurisdiction of five counties, coordination of search and rescue operations is a key challenge. Coordination is accomplished through the local County Sheriff jurisdiction but more often through two or more counties, since emergency response usually covers more than one county on GSL. Every major search and rescue effort follows an established five county operational pre- plan for the lake. The purpose of the pre- plan is to bring together all agencies with search and rescue responsibilities. The objective is to coordinate search and rescue activities in a timely and professional manner with all five counties and DPR. Coordination is accomplished by inter- local agreements and a coordinating council comprised of representatives of each jurisdiction. A coordinated training effort is conducted at least yearly on the lake along with other meetings. The planning team identified the following resource concerns: • Identify the meander line to enhance law enforcement. • Access for search and rescue needs to be improved. Two state parks on GSL provide equipment and expertise for search and rescue: Saltair Marina provides 24- hour service with a 36 foot Boston Whaler, Antelope Island provides 24- hour service with a 25 and 27 foot Boston Whaler, an 18 foot air boat and 16 foot Pram. The initial information collected by agencies receiving emergency messages will dictate what boat or boats will respond to the incident. Currently resources are not available to respond adequately to an airliner crashing on approach or departure from SLCIA. The flight paths direct aircraft over Bear River Bay; Ogden Bay and Farmington Bay. It is difficult to place rescue equipment into these shallow areas, and the response will usually be by air boat only. DPR has an air boat assigned to Willard Bay and one on Antelope Island. If an airliner goes down, other sources of boats will be from DWR, the Utah Air Boat Association, brine shrimpers and recreational boaters. The association has offered their help at anytime when requested. Air boats can generally carry only four passengers safely. Response time to 90 percent of search and rescue requests is usually 30 minutes or less, depending on the time of day. Response time to outlying areas such as the Bear River Bay or the north arm can take over two hours, since boats must be trailered to other locations and launched. The only boat ramp ( Little Valley Harbor) available for rescues on the north arm is of poor quality. The poor quality and relative inaccessibility ( across private land) of the Little Valley Harbor ramp complicates rescues on the north arm. DPR staff will most likely get involved on all emergencies due to location, expertise and equipment. All five counties have assorted equipment and volunteer search and rescue teams to assist with various types of emergencies. To improve rescue operations 5- 10 passenger hovercrafts are needed due to shallow water conditions. 157 |