Search & Rescue for Mushroom Pickers, Nov. 22

News release Coos Co. Sheriff’s Office.  On 11-19-2016 at approximately 4:00 PM the Coos County Sheriff’s Office received a broken 911 call from what appeared to be missing hikers. The call that came in was broken and hard to understand. The missing individuals were able to call 911 several times which allowed Coos County Sheriff’s Dispatch to plot the missing persons location in the County Forest near Lost Dog Rd. Coos County Dispatch was able to get enough information from the calls that two adult females and a 9 year old boy had become lost in the woods while mushroom picking. The weather was worsening and it was getting dark and they expressed concerns for their safety. Coos County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted by Coos County Search and Rescue deployed to the area at the end of Lost Dog road in the county forest where they located several family members who had also been called and advised that their family members were missing. Several Deputies and a Search and Rescue K9 headed into the brush to the last known coordinate of the missing persons, which was approximately ¾ of a mile through dense brush. The Team set out into the forest at approximately 1630 hours, just as it was getting dark. The team was aided by GPS and digital mapping software along with the experience of a veteran K9 team. The missing family was located 2 hours later near the area of their last cell phone coordinate. It took the team another 2 hours to extract the family through dark dense forest, beore they were reunited to the awaiting family members.  The missing family was wet and cold, but did not require medical attention; they were happy to be out of the woods and back with loved ones.  The family was identified as: Busch, Ashley D.; 30 YOA, Coos Bay; Loreman, Jayden B.; 9 YOA, Coos Bay; Leany, Kathy A.; 55 YOA, Coos Bay. The Coos County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind our citizens that a cellular phone is a great tool to keep in touch friends and family, but it does have its limitations when used in a wilderness environment. If you are planning a trip into the woods please be prepared and take the necessary equipment to ensure your personal safety should you become lost or injured.