Montana SAR volunteer killed in a snowmobile accident during training

Missoula, Montana — Press Release: Lincoln County Sheriff's Office

A Libby Search & Rescue volunteer [DTSAR Team Web site] was killed in a snowmobile accident Saturday morning southwest of Troy.

On Saturday, January 18, 2014, members of David Thompson Search and Rescue and CANAM Search and Rescue were taking part in a joint avalanche preparedness training exercise in the Bear Mountain area up Keeler Creek, about 12 miles southwest of Troy, Montana.  This joint training also involved members of search and rescue teams from Sanders County, Montana and Boundary County, Idaho, along with personnel from the U.S. Forest Service and other volunteer members of the community.

At about 9:50 AM, Troy Dispatch was advised of a snowmobile accident on the Keeler Creek road, with one male adult victim.  Medically trained personnel already at the scene of the accident requested an air ambulance response and began CPR on the patient.  The Alert Helicopter out of Kalispell was launched to respond.  Troy Volunteer Ambulance (TVA) and Advance Life Support (ALS) personnel responded to the scene from Troy.

Upon arrival at the trailhead parking area, an ALS member was transported up the drainage by snowmobile to meet the patient.  The patient, identified as Cameron Mitchell Goins, age 47, of Libby, was declared dead at 10:33 AM, shortly after ALS arrival.  The helicopter response was cancelled.

Sheriff Roby Bowe responded to the scene with Detective Nate Scofield.  U.S. Forest Service investigators also responded.

The accident investigation revealed that Goins, along with a group of other snowmobilers, was riding his snowmobile alone up the Keeler Creek drainage toward the avalanche training area when, for an unknown reason, Goins drifted off the maintained snowmobile trail and struck a tree with his body.  Goins was wearing a helmet.

Goins had been a member of David Thompson Search and Rescue for two years.  He was an active member of the Snowmobile Unit, ATV Unit, and Mountain Unit.

“Cameron Goins was a dedicated community volunteer and will always be remembered and have a place within David Thompson Search and Rescue, and the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to his family.”   - Sheriff Roby Bowe.

Sources: NBC Montana, JoCoSAR Blog