Report details missteps in search for Kim family

[RamboLiberal]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/01/19/BAG8INLLFF11.DTL

<snip>

The report was commissioned after a request from the Josephine County Sheriff's Office on Dec. 23 and aimed to determine, "if, among other things, a reasonable standard of care was utilized by searchers, resources were used appropriately and if lessons could be learned to inform future operations."

The report details organizational confusion, with "frequent" questions about which agency was leading the search effort, what person was actually in charge and who was responsible for what duties. There were also problems with radio communication, and the report says that the intense media attention also drained resources from an already exhausted team.

"Those in management positions were rapidly overwhelmed by the scope of the mission, media attention and exhaustion," the report states. "Lines of communication between the investigative team and the search management were not clear ... on at least one occasion, the command center was closed prior to search teams leaving the field ... (and) documentation indicates that on only one day were plans prepared in advance of the next operational period."

Yet search and rescue commanders did not take advantage of help offered from other public and private agencies, the report states, even as rescue personnel "became exhausted and overwhelmed."

<snip>

However, at least one major failure in communication is detailed in the document, which is more than 100 pages: Two volunteers had searched the forest road that leads to the access road where the Kims were stranded and told two sheriff's employees that it needed to be checked further, because they had not been able to search the entire road on snowmobiles.

Report: http://www.co.klamath.or.us/sheriff.html

[Ian David]

1. As usual, the same bang-up job they did on 9/11 and after Katrina...

nobody knows who is in charge, the radios don't talk to one another, everyone's too busy getting their photo-ops ("I am a fashion god") and anyone offering help without a no-bid contract is turned away.

Heckuva job again.

[jody]

2. The Kim incident was very sad, but the basic cause was poor decisions made by the father. SCOTUS

has repeatedly ruled that government is not obligated to protect a single person unless she/he is in custody.

Perhaps the tragic incident may serve as a lesson to others who underestimate nature because nature is unforgiving.

[aquart]

3. Then why were they searching?

And why are they asking questions now?

You have probably missed the primary function of government, the reason we have nations at all: a compact between the people to protect each other from this unforgiving, hostile planet which cares nothing for us. Or you thought defense was only against hostile outside forces? Which would also describe a snowstorm.

[jody]

4. Sorry but SCOTUS has ruled that government is not obligated to protect any person unless she/he is

in protective custody.

Neither is government obligated to send rescue teams to find someone if they are lost.

If government were so obligated, then the Kim heirs would have a strong case against some government agency.

The Kim family doesn't have a case. That's just the way things are. :shrug:

[aquart]

5. Are the Kims suing? Is that what we're talking about?

Because I missed that discussion.

You didn't answer my questions, btw.

[jody]

8. The article cited in the OP criticized government and volunteer efforts. I pointed out that govt.

was not obligated to protect nor search for Kim.

[Bunny]

10. They may not be obligated to do so, but once they enter into a

search, what could possibly be wrong with having a detailed protocol in place? And how will they develop such a protocol unless they study everything that went wrong?

[jody]

12. I agree with reviews but I don't agree with blaming search groups for mistakes. n/t

[JanMichael]

19. Yes, the government was "obligated" to search for Kim

http://www.co.jackson.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=451

"The sheriff of each county has the responsibility for search and rescue activities within the county. The sheriff is responsible not only to conduct the search, but also for the people who physically do the search, rescue or recovery."

It appears from reading the news articles on this particular case that there might be a case for negligence, and it does need to be investigated. Not wanting to leave a football game on the tube when one gets a call to do a job does not look very good-- nor were some of the other problems that happened with this search.

I do not know when so many people in the US decided that we are all own our own in the event of natural events, getting lost...etc...that's pretty libertarian.

[jody]

22. I'm not sure being responsible and being obligated are the same. n/t

[gardenista]

20. They WERE obligated to lock the gate to that logging road

and they did not.

[jody]

23. Who was obligated to lock the gate? n/t

[progressivebydesign]

16. His father is raising a ruckus about it.. sounds like he'll sue.

Which makes me sick, as you could see how devastated the rescuers were that they could not find him alive.

[uppityperson]

6. What case are you talking about? Are they suing?

I thought this was just information on what went wrong, hoping to not have it happen again. What are you talking about since I haven't heard this is a case? i haven't been online much recently and may have missed it.

[jody]

9. See # 8. n/t

[uppityperson]

11. May not be obligated to search, but they did and mistakes were made

I think it is a good idea to look at what happened afterwards to try to make it better for next time since, regardless of whether or not the gvt is obligated or not, it is a good idea to have protocols in place that work. (If they are going to do it, do it right and look at what happened afterward to improve)

I am still confused by your saying Kim's don't have a case since it seems like a non-sequiter.

[jody]

13. My point is government is not obligated to search. I agree with reviews but I don't agree with

blaming search groups for mistakes.

[uppityperson]

14. I understand. My point is that mistakes are always made and good to look at them

Any search is better than none. Mistakes will always be made. It is good to look at what happened afterwards to see if mistakes can be avoided next time, and new mistakes will be made, ...

[uppityperson]

7. Thank you for posting this. Sounds like lots of errors were made.

Hopefully next time it will go differently.

[progressivebydesign]

15. Makes me sick to see Kim's father attacking the rescuers..

He has come out publicly attacking them.. and all I can remember is seeing the Sheriff's personnel in tears because they found Kim dead. I'm sorry if I don't sound like a liberal here, or what you'd expect from me, but at SOME point you have to look at the fact that the family made terrible choices, made mistakes of their own. I guess what I mean is that rescuers do the best they can, but if you get yourself stuck like that.. do they owe you extraordinary efforts to rescue you? I don't mean that to be cruel, but just realistic. The people were doing the best they can to rescue the family, unless someone can prove malice, then that's something else.

[Bluebear]

17. It's not "liberal" to expect good communication & working radio equipment

Yes, the rescuers were doing their best, but hard questions must also be asked for the next time something like this happens.

[BlueManDude]

18. I agree - they did their best

[lynne]

24. I think he's probably striking out in grief -

- and looking for a way to not blame his son for what happened. I have great respect for the rescuers as they put themselves out in the same conditions that killed Kim just to look for the family. Hindsight being 20/20, I'm sure there were ways that communication could have been better during the rescue and hopefully everyone will learn something from this tragedy but it is unfair to strike out at those who were risking their own lives attempting to help.

[gardenista]

21. Poor communication among the searchers

and poor leadership contributed to this tragedy.

I'm glad that they are reviewing the case, and hope that some positive changes take place.