Update: Washington Township man found following search
An 85-year-old man was found in “good condition” Monday morning, Sept. 15, on state game lands in Washington Township after being reported missing by a neighbor.
A slew of first responders converged in northern Butler County late Sunday and again Monday morning working to locate Daniel Dunmire of Washington Township with a mix of tools — including a helicopter, drones, utility terrain vehicles and cellular data — to aid their search.
Dunmire was found about 250 yards from his vehicle in a parking area within State Game Lands #95 at 10:15 a.m. Monday, according to North Washington Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ryan Enscoe.
He said intel from the cellular data was used to obtain his last known position.
His department was requested to assist state police with a search for Dunmire at 9:27 p.m. Sunday. He learned the missing man had been last seen by a neighbor around 9 a.m. Saturday and had not returned home.
“Search teams conducted grid searches while drones and the (state police) helicopter conducted thermal scans looking for signs of body heat,” Enscoe said, noting trees limited the thermal search.
The search was suspended at 4 a.m. due to fatigue and dense brush, which limited visibility and created potentially unsafe conditions, and the effort resumed Monday at 8:30 a.m.
At 10:15 a.m., the state police helicopter and a cellular analytics technician located the man, who was conscious and alert. A utility terrain vehicle was used to transport a team to him and load him into a stokes basket.
A Stat Medevac helicopter was on standby until the man’s condition could be evaluated by medical personnel from Allegheny Health Network’s Medic 95-6 and Karns City Regional Ambulance.
Dunmire was deemed to be in “good condition” and was not taken to a hospital.
Resources were requested Sunday night from West Sunbury, Eau Claire, Marion Township and Petrolia volunteer fire departments. Utility terrain vehicles were requested from Chicora and Prospect volunteer fire departments.
The Emlenton Volunteer Fire Department’s drone team, local company AVIO Drone Search and Rescue, Allegheny Mountain Rescue Group, Rocky Grove K-9 SAR, Greensburg Bloodhound Team, state police in Butler, state police aviation, Butler County Emergency Management and the Pennsylvania Game Commission also assisted on scene.
As the search resumed Monday, the state police’s aviation unit, a state police’s cellular analytics technician, multiple Troop D troopers, Pennsylvania Game Commission, North Washington, West Sunbury and Marion Township volunteer fire departments and Allegheny Mountain Rescue Group returned to the scene.
Emergency medical services standing by for the event’s duration included AHN Medic 95-6 and Karns City Regional Ambulance.
