HIKER RESCUED NEAR PAULINA

Date: 08/11/20

By: Lt. Bryan Husband, Search and Rescue Coordinator

Location: Trail Near North Paulina Peak, Approximately 4 Miles From Paulina Lake Lodge

Rescued: Donnette Spaulding, 52 year old female, Grand Ronde, OR

On 08/10/20, at about 7:57pm, 9-1-1 Dispatch received a report of a hiker near Paulina Lake, Donnette Spaulding, who was feeling ill and unable to make it back to the Paulina Lake Lodge, where she was staying. Spaulding’s hiking partner was able to dial 9-1-1 and request assistance. Spaulding was reportedly about four miles up the trail from the Lodge. One Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Deputy and 12 DCSO Search and Rescue Volunteers responded to assist.

DCSO SAR Teams began to arrive at the Paulina Lake Lodge at about 9:25pm and started up the trail towards Spaulding with a wheeled litter. The first DCSO SAR team reached Spaulding at about 10:30pm. Spaulding was assessed by a DCSO SAR Medical Team member, stabilized as best as possible and then loaded onto the wheeled litter for transport back down the trail. The La Pine Fire Department was requested to respond and meet DCSO SAR teams when they arrived back at the Paulina Lake Lodge. At about 12:25am, DCSO SAR teams arrived at the lodge with Spaulding and transferred her to the awaiting La Pine Fire Ambulance crew. La Pine Fire then transported Spaulding to St. Charles Hospital in Bend for further assessment.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is a full service agency that oversees the adult jail, provides patrol, criminal investigations, civil process and search and rescue operations. Special units include SWAT, Marine Patrol, ATV Patrol, Forest Patrol, along with four K9 teams. Founded in 1916 and today lead by your duly elected Sheriff L. Shane Nelson, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office serves the nearly 190,000 residents in Deschutes County. The agency has 230 authorized and funded personnel, which includes 187 sworn employees who provide services to the 3,055 square miles of Deschutes County.