GRAND MARAIS Minn. — On August 8, at approximately 4:00 p.m., a Grand Forks Sector Supervisory Border Patrol Agent (SBPA) assigned to the Grand Marais Station assisted the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office with the coordination and execution of a rescue of a lost female kayaker in the Boundary Waters. The lost woman was able to call 911 reporting that she became lost while trying to negotiate a narrow creek on August 7.
The Grand Marais Station Resident Agent assembled a team comprised of a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer, and a member of the St. Louis County Rescue Squad. This team worked closely with another team comprised of the St. Louis County Rescue Squad who were shuttled in via a U.S. Forest Service floatplane to canoe towards the coordinates given. The SBPA and his team utilized ATVs to traverse an old logging road, until it became impassable. After dismounting from their ATV’s the team continued on foot towards the distressed kayaker.
Upon arriving at the reported coordinates, the team led by the SBPA was able to locate the missing woman and immediately began assessing her health and injuries. After assessing her condition, the team assisted her through the thick woods back to where they had left their ATVs. She was driven out to an awaiting ambulance at the trailhead for further treatment and observation.
“This Resident Agent’s immediate actions coupled with expert planning and tactics of the entire team, without a doubt saved this lady’s life today”, said Patrol Agent in Charge of Grand Marais Station Edward Fowler. “The teamwork that went into this rescue was simply amazing by all responding agencies and is a great example of how we protect not just our country but also the communities in which we live and serve.”
A Resident Agent is an agent who is assigned to one of Grand Forks Sector's seven Border Patrol Stations, but lives and works at an assigned location away from the station. The Resident Agent Program was conceptualized to develop and maintain full situational awareness within the Grand Forks Sector area of responsibility.
In an unfortunate and separate event on August 5, a Grand Forks Sector Border Patrol agent assigned to the Duluth Station, assisted the Superior Police Department in Wisconsin locate a missing person.
Cell phone pings of the individual who had been missing for over a week placed him in a wooded area between Lake Superior and U.S. Highway 2. The Duluth Station agent and his K9 partner, along with a detective from the Superior Police Department, conducted a search on foot in an area the investigators believed the cell pings originated from. The agent and his K9 partner who is trained in tracking and trailing worked the high ridge downwind of the search area. The team was able to locate the man, but unfortunately he was deceased.
“Every day across America, United States Border Patrol agents assist, or engage directly, in search and rescue operations,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent William J. Maddocks. “Although we are always hopeful for the best possible outcome, when tragedy strikes and a search becomes a recovery operation, we also hope our efforts can provide some closure for the family.”
Residents are encouraged to report suspicious activity anonymously at 1-800-982-4077, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week or email at gfndispatch@cbp.dhs.gov.