MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL
a division of the
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

Troop A - 504 SE Blue Parkway - Lee's Summit, MO 64063


NEWS RELEASE

For further information please contact: Sgt. Collin Stosberg
(816) 622-0800 ext. 3149
A2015-22
July 2, 2015

EMPHASIS: Patrol Helicopter Team Rescues Three From Rising Flood Waters In Benton County


Colonel J. Bret Johnson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, announced that troopers rescued three campers yesterday who became stranded by rising flood waters in Benton County. Patrol pilots operating the Patrol’s helicopter equipped with a short haul rescue line transported the campers to safety.

At 9:19 a.m. on Wednesday, July 1, 2015, a trooper contacted Troop A Headquarters regarding two individuals who were camping and trapped by rising flood waters at the Forbes Campground in Benton County, Missouri. Troopers determined the roadways around the campground were either washed out or flooded and not accessible by boat or vehicle due to the water levels.

It was determined that rescue by air would be the best course of action. A Missouri State Highway Patrol helicopter was dispatched from the Patrol’s General Headquarters in Jefferson City, and a short haul rescue of one adult and one juvenile was completed. During the rescue operation, a third subject was located in the campground and also was rescued.

The men were identified as Timothy McShane, 66, and Jake McShane, 12, from Bell Flower, California, and Robert Jones, 59, from Liberty, Missouri.

This type of rescue requires a helicopter with lift capabilities and a highly trained rescue flight crew. The Patrol’s rescue program allows the Patrol to provide a capability that few law enforcement agencies in the Midwest possess. A training video illustrating this type of rescue can be found at https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LTd71p3PXWk



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