UTAH COUNTY, Utah — On Tuesday morning, a search and rescue volunteer from Utah County went to her vehicle and noticed the window was smashed and her gear was stolen.
A majority of search and rescue team members in Utah and across the nation are volunteer. They use their own time, their own funds and a fair amount of their own equipment to respond to search and rescue callouts which most of the time involve bringing someone to safety.
STOLEN: A @UCSO_SAR volunteer had her vehicle window smashed and gear stolen.
— 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐞𝐞 (@brian_schnee) August 25, 2022
“Every single piece of gear that was taken is something I use on every rescue.”
She estimates the cost of the gear amounted to roughly $1,000 plus the cost of replacing her car window. pic.twitter.com/kA50Ydpff0
“They took my radio which is my main form of communication with my team, they took my pack, full of the gear I had just used on my rescue so technical gear that I use to get people off the mountain,” said Deb Yokshas, who said her vehicle was parked in the brickyard area of Salt Lake City at the time of the smash and grab.
“That’s not personal gear that I use on my own it’s to help other people and someone took that and now I’ve got to replace it,” she said.
Deb estimates the cost of the gear amounted to roughly $1,000 plus the cost of replacing her car window. Fortunately, her team has already stepped up to help her purchase new gear.
“I cannot describe the amount of time that our team members put into helping others,” said Yokshas.
“We take it on financially, emotionally, physically, and to come out and to know that I purchased this gear out of my own pocket that I worked hard for and I’ve done it, that gear is to help other people,” she said.
Deb has been working with Utah County SAR for the last three years. Working to help others primarily in the mountains, is something she loves to do.
“I was going through some tough things in my life and I was spending a lot of time in the mountains and I saw a couple of accidents and I felt helpless, and I wanted to be able to find a way to feel useful,” said Yokshas.
“It is a really good outlet for me to give back to my community in ways that I’m passionate about,” she said.
While Deb recognizes the importance of the gear and equipment taken, if she wished to have one specific item back, she says that it would be her helmet.
“It’s got my name on it, it’s got search and rescue on it,” she said. “Every single piece of gear that was taken is something I use on every rescue.”
