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Ross Patterson and Salbei | Debbie Conley and Risa | Kristen Andersen and Timber | Jill Snyder and Balto | Vickie King and Jamie

Ross Patterson and Salbei  (pic)

     Ross lives on a farm in South Weber and loves the outdoors. He graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Soils and Water. Currently he is looking for a job in that field; however, the construction business keeps him busy. (We love the fact that his time is flexible!)

     Ross is also an avid runner and loves to run trails. This is helpful when you call us on searches. We can send Ross "running" all over the mountainside. On a recent search with San Pete Search and Rescue, Sheriff Picket was amazed at Ross’s drive. After their search and rescue located the victim, Ross offered to help transport the victim out. (This followed two hard days of searching!)

     Even though Ross has been with search and rescue for only two years, he is knowledgeable and intuitive. His love of the outdoors and keen understanding of nature’s forces, make him a definite asset on any search. Ross says when the right girl comes along, he’ll snag her up in a heartbeat; however, she will have to be willing to embrace his love of search and rescue--and of course his dog. A wife would definitely play second fiddle to Salbei.

Debbie Conley and Risa

     Debbie works for Icon Health and Fitness. The nice part of her job is that her boss is also in search and rescue! It’s easy to get time off for searches, but sometimes she has to flip a coin to see who gets to go! Before Debbie worked for Icon, she was in the Air Force where she spent nine years as an aircraft mechanic. She still has great dreams of working overseas doing the job she was trained for, but for now her search work keeps her busy.

     Risa is the love of her life! She is also a very celebrated show dog having earned awards in Confirmation Show Championships. Everyone who is around Risa loves her. She is gentle and well mannered, yet all business when out searching. Debbie’s quiet thoughtfulness and dedication to do a job effectively combine to make her an important resource in American Search Dogs.

Kristen Andersen and Timber

     Kristen, our new mother of the group, is a valuable asset to American Search Dogs. This past year she has served as the treasurer of ASD. Along with training Timber, she has kept herself very busy attending State and National Search and Rescue Conventions and Board Meetings. But the most important thing she has done this year surpasses all her work in search and rescue! On August 31, 1999 she delivered a little boy, Kyler Brent Andersen, who is the spitting image of Jordon! Kyler was eight pounds and 14 ounces.

     Having a new baby has been a challenge, but they are raising Kyler in the true Andersen spirit. Before he was even one month old, he had attended his first dog workout. Kyler will have to be added to our membership. He hasn’t missed a workout!

     What Kristen misses most about search and rescue is the late night calls, the trips through the poison ivy, and the plane rides. Wait, she doesn’t miss any of that! In fact, having a baby has allowed her to quit her job at the Idle Isle Candy store where she worked for the last four years. Now she is a stay-at-home mom, and she can search full time. Watch out search and rescue, she has a backpack for little Kyler. We won’t count Kristen out of all the fun!

Jill Snyder and Balto

     Jill and Balto have been with ASD for the past six years. Jill teaches English at Northridge High School where her principal supports civic duties and community service. Through his support, she is often able to take time off for searches.

     Search and rescue is in her blood. While growing up in Syracuse, her father was a sheriff for Davis County and then a Chief Deputy for Salt Lake County. Because of his strong influence, she has embraced search and rescue. Through her dedication, she has gained a lot of field experience and uses present and past situations to strategize--making her a valuable asset.

     Balto has become somewhat of a legend in the group as he attempts to communicate with Jill. On several searches he has demonstrated his uncanny ability to communicate by jumping on Jill’s back when she leaves the scent cone, or grabbing her hand or sleeve to pull her back into an area in disaster training. On one search he was able to identify an alleged murder suspect, which led to a homicide trial where Jill had to testify.

     Jill has served in the presidency of ASD for the past several years, and does not foresee a life without search and rescue. She has a very supportive family who steps in to help at home when she is away on a search.

Vickie King and Jamie

     In ASD Vickie is thought of as the guru of search and rescue. For the last 19 years she has dedicated her life to public service. Vickie’s résumé of search experience covers a wide array of specialties, including water searching where she has been instrumental in using new and upcoming techniques to help understand the scent patterns of a victim underwater. She has traveled to Texas to work as a consultant in water searching.

     Vickie’s most exciting search story has to be the one about the search in the Colorado mountains where she thought Bigfoot was trailing her. No wait, it must be the one about John Denvers when he was on the same mountain as her. No wait, maybe it’s the one when her plane almost crashed. No wait, wait, wait, wait--there are so many amazing experiences that it’s hard to choose the most exciting one, but the most fulfilling one has to be the search in Yellowstone for a three-year-old boy who she found sleeping with a moose standing guard.

     On a more serious note, Vickie’s dedication to search work led her to quit the Weber County Mental Health Department and start her own business. She has a doggy day care where she is surrounded by her four footed friends 24 hours a day. Vickie donates countless hours conducting wilderness safety demonstrations for children and adults. She also volunteers at several day care homes and brings her dogs in as therapy dogs. Her wit and humor have touched thousands of people. She is highly sought after as a public speaker and greatly admired in ASD.