News

Base, city team up to find lost hunters

  • Published
  • By Wayne Crenshaw
  • 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
The cooperative efforts of emergency personnel from Robins and the local community led to the rescue Sunday of two lost hunters.

The hunters were in the vast expanse of woods and swamp on the east side of the base, said Robins Fire Chief Forest Johnson.

The hunters went out at about 7 a.m. and later used their cell phones to report they were lost.

78th Security Forces members, Robins Fire Department personnel and the Houston County Fire Department's Search and Rescue Team worked to find them. An ambulance from Houston Healthcare also assisted.

Houston County 911 was able to determine the hunters' approximate location by triangulating their cell phone signals. A Georgia State Patrol helicopter then helped pinpoint their location, and search teams in boats and all-terrain vehicles found the pair.

One hunter was dehydrated and was taken to the hospital where he was treated and released.

Johnson said a key mistake the hunters made was not carrying a compass. They also had only one bottle of water.

Hunting is available in certain parts of the base, but hunters are required to have a state license, a base hunting permit and must take a hunters safety course. Also, to ensure there aren't too many hunters in one place, hunters must get a daily pass which allows them to only hunt in a certain area.