Scenes From LAPSA 2023 Awards Presentation For Outstanding Public Safety Service For A Fellow Citizen

Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on January 28, 2024
- 11:26 am

Los Alamos Police Cmdr. Daniel Roberts, center, presents the 2023 LAPSA Award to Los Alamos Auxiliary Fire Brigade President Nate Conroy, right, and Incident Cmdr. Matt Holmes in recognition of their outstanding public safety service for a fellow citizen. The presentation was made during LAPSA’s annual banquet Thursday evening at the Posse Lodge. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com

Cmdr. Daniel Roberts, center, presents the 2023 LAPSA Award to Auxiliary Fire Brigade President Nate Conroy, right, and Incident Cmdr. Matt Holmes. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com

Narrative detailing the incident that resulted in selection of the 2023 LAPSA Award recipients:

Los Alamos Auxiliary Fire Brigade President Nate Conroy and Incident Commander Matt Holmes were honored Thursday night by the Los Alamos Public Safety Association.

On May 13, 2023, at 4:19 p.m., dispatch received a call for a backcountry rescue in the area of the ski hill. It was determined a 75 year old male was lost. The situation increased in severity when it was learned that the lost subject was not dressed well and also suffered from Parkinson’s disease. LAPD’s Dispatch center was able to obtain the last known coordinates before his phone died. Officers responded to the last known coordinates and began a search of the ridgeline. NM SAR activated the Los Alamos Auxiliary Fire Brigade (LAAFB) Search and Rescue team at 5:30 p.m.

Incident command, led by Matt Holmes, assisted with the search. After over three hours of searching, contact was made with the lost subject and crews began treatment. Members of the Los Alamos Auxiliary Fire Brigade SAR stayed with the subject.

During this time, sightings of bears were within the area. A mother bear and her cubs began to enclose on the subject and individuals assisting with the rescue. The incident commander deployed more resources to assist, provide protection, and make an exit route. These members were deployed with a shotgun, chainsaw, hedge trimmers and extra fuel from LAFD. While in route, the weather turned for the worse and began to rain. It was also relayed the bears were beginning to get closer to the rescue team and subject.

The decision was made to start hiking the subject back to the top of the mountain. As they continued to slowly hike up the mountain the bears followed at a distance. The incident command advised my team to drop all unnecessary gear and get to the subject as fast as possible due to the danger of the approaching bear.

To make a faster recovery, the Incident command informed us NM National Guard Helicopter LOBO 61 was in route to try and extract the subject. LOBO 61 arrived on scene and due to fog and rain was unable to assist with extraction. The decision was then made to hike the subject out. To make it to the top of the mountain as fast as possible, members cut a path down on the mountain through dead and fallen trees.

Around 4 in the morning, after nearly 12 hours of searching, the subject made it out safely as well as all responding LAFD, LAPD and SAR members.

The silent auction table at the annual event. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com