Fremont Rescue

July 2006 Searches

Fremont County Search and Rescue, assisted by Fremont County Sheriff’s Department and Madison County’s Sheriff’s Department and Search and Rescue, responded to a possible drowning for a 20 year old BYU Idaho student from Texas after he rode his inner tube over Chester Dam in Fremont County, Idaho.  Chester Dam, with a 15 foot drop, is an extremely hazardous low-head dam on Henry’s Fork of the Snake River.   

Three BYU Idaho students launched their inner tubes at Twin Bridges in Chester, Idaho, intending to tube to the Fun Farm Bridge downstream from Twin Bridges.  The three individuals were unaware of Chester Dam between Twin Bridges and the Fun Farm Bridge. When the three students approached the low-head dam, two students, recognizing the potential danger, steered their inner tubes to a safe place on the west side of the river before reaching the falls.  The third individual, not knowing the danger of the low-head dam, CHOSE to go over the dam on his tube.    In his attempt to go over the dam, he lost hold of his tube, forfeiting all possibility of staying above the dangerous hydraulic waters below the 15 foot dam. His tube, inflated with air, was buoyant and would have assisted him in staying above the hydraulic affect of the dam.   A fisherman witnessed the student go over the falls, stand up, and disappear again in the undertow at the bottom of the dam, never to surface again.  He immediately called 911 for assistance.  

Rescue members responded promptly with rescue equipment, including ropes, life jackets and other necessary rescue gear.    Brett Mackert, Fremont County Search and Rescue’s commander, requested the two canals fed by the dam be shut down and turned back on in an attempt to pressure shock the river and force the individual out of the turbulent water where he possibly was lodged in rocks or debris.

This procedure producing no results, Brett contacted responsible individuals from Island Park and Ashton Reservoirs to shut down flow out of both reservoirs to restrict water going over Chester Dam.  This process requires approval from four government levels for each dam before this procedure can be accomplished. The estimated time frame for decreased water supply to reach Chester Dam from Island Park Dam is approximately 14+ hours. Island Park Dam would shut flow by one half, Ashton Dam would initially release water, then hold back water at a given time to decrease water going over Chester Dam, allowing rescue personnel an 8 hour opportunity to dive the river and perform additional recovery procedures.

Because the Fremont County’s river boat was being repaired, immediate assistance was requested from Madison County Sheriff’s Department and Search and Rescue Unit.  Homeland Security’s lighting system, housed in Madison County, was also requested. Madison County searched the river by boat for numerous hours below the dangerous waters, with no success recovering the individual.  The search was put on hold until the next morning after rescuers determined it too dark to safely go on with recovery efforts.

Early the next morning, a paraglider, owned by a Fremont County Officer, accompanied by a fellow officer, flew the river and located the young man ¼ mile downstream from the dam.  It is unknown when the individual was ejected from the dam.

July 28, 2006                                                           Chester Dam

Here we go again! Fremont County Search and Rescue members responded to Chester Dam for the second time in one week.  2 gentlemen swimming above Chester Dam on the Snake River in Fremont County, ID, nearly succumbed to disaster.  One gentleman hung onto a pillar by the front of the dam near the crosscut canal until he was rescued.  The other went through the head gate on the crosscut canal.  Fortunately for the two individuals, they did not tumble over the unforgiving 15 foot cement diversion dam.  The gentlemen sustained only minor injuries.

July 30, 2006                                                              Island Park

Fremont County Search and Rescue quickly responded for a missing 12 year old young man in Island Park.  The lad and his 17 year old brother had been hiking to the top of Sawtelle Peak Mountain in Island Park, ID.  When the two became separated, the 17 year old returned to his residence for assistance locating his younger brother.  The 17 year old estimated the two had hiked between 10 and 20 miles. The last seen location was 4.5 miles from the cabin.  Shortly after rescue members began searching, the young man, walking on the Red Rock Road, was picked up by a passerby and returned by vehicle to his residence.