Pam Bennett and Axle
Three Rivers Search and Rescue Teams
Valley Falls, Fairmont, West Virginia
A student at West Virginia University was last seen standing
bare-footed on the first set of falls at Valley Falls State Park,
located near Fairmont WV. He slipped off the rocks into the falls,
went over the first falls, second falls and was last seen just
before going into the first set of rapids.
This search went on for eight days. The falls are a Class 3 rapids,
and on the first evening and second day of the search, the
water was moving rapidly. Pam Bennett and Axle arrived that evening,
working just a short time because of high water and poor visibility
along the river making it too dangerous.
Day two four dogs and handlers worked along the river. The dogs
picked up scent just below the first set of rapids. They worked the
dogs downstream until they went out of the scent. The area where the
dogs alerted was marked with orange flagging tape.
Because the water was so dangerous, divers couldn't go in and check
where the dogs were hitting. The doors on the Tygart Dam were closed
for short periods of time, allowing the water level at the falls to
recede. The divers went into the water and searched the area where
the dogs had alerted with negative results.
Day three a dog in a boat alerted and the divers searched this area
with an underwater camera and came up with nothing. Days four
through seven handlers only walked the riverbanks just looking.
Day eight the water was dropped to the lowest level yet. Dogs worked
on shore as close to the river as possible. They alerted in the same
area, indicating that the body hadn't moved. Divers searched this
area again and found the body.
Lesson learned: Searching under water is a difficult job,
particularly in dangerous water. If the divers do not find the body
right away, it doesn't mean that the body isn't there if the dogs
continue to alert.
K-9
Specialty Search Associates
