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SALT LAKE CITY — Bret Hutchings had a great job, but he always was searching for something more. That search ended when his searching began.
Hutchings is a helicopter pilot for Utah’s Department of Public Safety, conducting search and rescues.
“I've only been with the department about a year,” Hutchings said. “It's very satisfying, I have to admit it.”
Missions like the one this past weekend is what he has always been looking for — literally.
"I kept saying (to the tactical officer), 'I think we're just looking for a body out here, if anything.’ I didn't place a lot of hope we'd even find his body.”
They were flying in a remote area of Coyote Gulch in Kane County, looking for 72-year-old Jerry Mitvalsky of Bicknell who had been missing for six days. Rescue crews weren't sure he would be alive — until Hutchings saw something.
"Man, all of a sudden, I went, ‘Are you kidding me?’”
Hutchings saw Mitvalsky alive.
"As we came back along, he happened to stand up and had enough energy to start waving his yellow shirt, and that's the only reason we were able to see him," Hutchings said.
On the very first flight for their brand new helicopter, the crew ended up saving a man's life. It's about as satisfying a job as you can get.
"It's nice to have a positive outcome like this,” Hutchings said. “We've had a number of incidents where it's not very positive."
Hutchings said Mitvalsky did three things right that the public can learn from. One is having a bright-colored shirt or something that can be easily seen. Another is letting someone know where you're going, so if you don't come back at a certain time, help is called. Lastly, once you realize you're lost, stay in one place. That way, you don't wander into an area searchers may have already checked and cleared.
Contributing: Xoel Cardenas
