By Kevin Brewer
The Virginian-Pilot
Copyright 2007 Landmark Communications, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
NORFOLK, Va. — How far can a 2-year-old travel?
That was on our minds when we responded to a search a few weeks ago in Louisa County. Matthew Hollis , barefoot and wearing only a diaper, had disappeared from his yard the evening before.
Tidewater Search and Rescue — known as TSAR — has been involved in a number of wilderness searches this year and had a profound presence at two, not just in spirit but in name and duty. Matthew's disappearance was one of these.
There are statistics about how far a 2-year-old can travel, so we knew where to start looking. By the time TSAR arrived, K-9 units had already been on the scene several hours, activated through the Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference.
Being on dispatch, I was acutely aware of what was going on and couldn't understand how come the child wasn't found quickly.
Searchers go where sign or scent dictates. After several hours of limited success (finding nothing is actually finding something - you've found where he is not), more resources were needed, both on the ground and in the air.
This is where fate, karma, destiny - or whatever you want to call it - comes into play. Search management is not just throwing a dart on a map, and being a ground search-and-rescue person isn't just a leisurely stroll through the woods hoping you'll trip over the person you're looking for.
TSAR member Theresa Crossland of Chesapeake and new volunteer Jackie Welch of Louisa County found Matthew nearly one kilometer (nearly 0.6 mile) from where he was last reported. He had been missing for 17 hours.
This was meant to be, on this particular day, with these particular people working in those specific positions. They all had to come together for the team to make the "find."
The TSAR member who found Matthew embodied the entire search effort, everyone played a part in her being in the right location, at the right time with the right teammate.
That's one fortunate 2-year-old.
Kevin Brewer is commander of Tidewater Search and Rescue. Info: tsarcommander@tsar.org
