KVOA (April 16, 2026)

A hiker in her 60s was rescued from the Arizona Trail after falling and injuring her leg, capping off a busy weekend of training for the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team.

The rescue call came in at approximately 10 a.m. on April 14. Extreme wind conditions made a helicopter extraction uncertain, and multiple air assets commonly used by CCSO SAR were unavailable.

The only air asset able to respond was a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Black Hawk. While it remained unknown whether an air rescue could be safely completed, CCSO SAR simultaneously initiated a ground response from the Old Sawmill Trail toward the hiker’s location.

Ground rescue personnel included a paramedic, EMTs and technical rescue personnel. This ensured a contingency plan was in place if aviation support could not complete the mission.

CBP’s Black Hawk was ultimately able to conduct the rescue. An onboard paramedic performed the initial medical assessment and stabilized the injury.

The hiker was then flown to the landing zone, where she was transferred to a waiting ambulance for transport to a local hospital for further treatment. Once the air rescue was successfully completed, the ground team was recalled.

The mission served as a reminder that having a backup plan is never wasted effort. In rescue operations, it is always better to be prepared for more than one outcome than to fall behind when conditions change.

The rescue followed a weekend of training for the CCSO SAR team. On April 12, team members participated in practical tracking training exercises at French Joe Canyon under the instruction and critical evaluation of Dave E.

The training focused on sharpening tracking skills through realistic field applications. It also focused on continued development of search capabilities.

On April 13, the CCSO SAR K9 team trained in the Forest Lane area, working on trailing and wilderness search problems. A primary focus of the day was handler training, which remains a critical component of K9 team success.

Developing the handler is just as important as developing the dog. The team continues to place strong emphasis on that principle.

 

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