LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Search and Rescue team says the valley’s growing population and a unique year of weather could be to blame for a busy year of rescues.
Metro Air Operations Lieutenant David Gordon says between 2023 and 2024 their number of rescues increased by about 12%, rising from 79 to 89.
The team, which heavily consists of volunteers, is on call 24/7, 365 days a year.
“Unfortunately, our Search and Rescue Team, when we are called out, it’s usually because things have gone awry,” Gordon says.
One of those 89 rescues was completed on Christmas Day, when two climbers were stranded at Pine Creek at Red Rock Canyon.
Gordon says more than 5,000 feet above the valley, the climbers had enough cellphone service to call for help on Christmas Eve.
He says because of the weather, they were unable to fly that day. They told the climbers to shelter in place for the night. Then, on Christmas morning, the team hoisted both climbers to safety.
“Probably seeing that helicopter on Christmas morning was probably better than seeing Santa that day,” Gordon says.
The team is broken into four smaller units: Dive Search and Recovery, Lead Climb Rescue, Mountain Rescue and Tactical Emergency Medical Support.
Gordon says those smaller units consist of Metro Search and Rescue Officers and skilled volunteers from the Las Vegas community.
“That deeper level of expertise and experience, we rely heavily on,” he says. “ER doctors, neurosurgeons, world class hikers.”
Despite the spike in rescues, Gordon says they’re hoping to curb that trend in 2025.
He says the community can help by never overestimating their skills, bringing a cellphone and light source on every hike, and telling at least one person where they’re going and when they expect to return.
You can find more information about LVMPD SAR here.
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