By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News | Photo courtesy of the Emery County Sheriff’s Office

The Boy Scout motto “Be Prepared” proved true on Thursday, March 20, when the Emery County Search and Rescue team performed a motorcycle rescue just a week after completing their motorcycle training.

The call came at approximately 2 p.m. on Thursday from a rider who had crashed his motorcycle and broken his collarbone. The rider – who has only been identified as a 27-year-old male – had crashed along the “Mountain Dew” trail 12 miles east of Castle Dale.

Working quickly, members of the SAR team, along with authorities from Emery County EMS, Emery County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, rushed to the scene. The first rescuers arrived around 3 p.m. and triaged the victim.

After quickly applying first aid, the rider was treated and packaged for transport. The EMS team then safely removed him from the scene.

Just a week before this rescue, the SAR team underwent motorcycle training to prepare for the summer, where the San Rafael Swell is predicted to be a go-to destination for many riders. “Emery County has miles of single-track trails that are only accessible by motorcycles. We have trails such as the Five Miles of Hell that attract riders from all over the country,” reads a release from ECSO,” Oftentimes these riders have emergencies that require emergency responders.”

Emery County Sheriff Tyson Huntington has previously spoken on the dedication of the SAR team,” I cannot overstate the importance of our Search and Rescue Team. All of our members are just regular people with huge hearts and a desire to serve others at the cost of themselves … They have no desire for praise or accolades. In the past, talk of compensation came up and the team collectively scoffed at the idea so loud that the National Weather Service noticed an anomaly in the wind patterns over Castle Country.”

Closing the release, ECSO shared,” Thank you to those who helped this young man and who were prepared to respond so quickly, and thank you all for your support of our rescue teams.”