On 04 December, 2013 at approximately 11:00pm, deputies from the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, officers from the University of Colorado Police Department and Boulder Police Department, a City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Ranger, and rescuers from Rocky Mountain Rescue Group and American Medical Response, responded to Chautauqua Park to search for a 19 year old male student from CU-Boulder who had been reported as suicidal.

The male victim’s roommates had found a backpack containing some of his belongings in the area of the Bluebell Shelter and began their search from there, calling CUPD back to update them, as they had been working with CUPD officers initially to report their roommate as missing and suicidal.

Rocky Mountain Rescue Groups rescues a suicidal man from Flatirons

Rocky Mountain Rescue Groups rescues a suicidal man from Flatirons

A BCSO deputy, CUPD officer, and OSMP ranger were able to hike in to the victim, who was severely hypothermic, semi-responsive, and severely frostbitten.  They provided immediate lifesaving efforts to gently warm the victim until volunteer rescuers with Rocky Mountain Rescue Group could safely perform a technical evacuation of the victim down to an AMR ambulance.  He was transported from the scene to Boulder Community Hospital for further evaluation.

While we discourage individuals from engaging in such a rescue effort without the proper training, equipment, and resources in place (in order to avoid becoming additional victims themselves), especially on such a bitterly cold, dark night, the victim’s roommates’ courageous efforts led to a successful suicide intervention and likely saved their roommate’s life.

 

At the time of this press release the victim’s medical condition is unknown.

 

A copy of this press release can also be found at:  www.bouldersheriff.org  A photograph of the rescue, provided courtesy of RMRG, is attached to this press release.

 

Sergeant Clay Leak

Boulder County Sheriff’s Office

5600 Flatiron Pkwy

Boulder, Colorado 80301

303-441-3650