May 14, 2016

Maine Warden Service finds missing woman in Wellington

[Wellington, Maine ? Friday, May 13, 2016] Maine game wardens located a lost woman in the woods of Wellington early last evening. Betsy Mace, 59, from Detroit, Maine had gone to walk property lines with her brother Robert Morrison, 62, on a property that was for sale on the Zion Road in Wellington. At approximately 5:15 PM last evening, Piscataquis County dispatch received a 911 call in reference to a female being lost in the woods of Wellington. The two separated and had planned to meet up later at the vehicle. When Robert Morrison returned to the vehicle he discovered that his sister was not out of the woods. Four Game Wardens and a Piscataquis County Sheriff?s Deputy responded to the scene.

Several nearby roads were searched by vehicle. Rain had started to fall and an aircraft was not able to respond. Game Warden Kris MacCabe and his K-9 Morgan responded and met with Morrison and walked to the location where he had last seen his sister. At 6:45 PM, Warden Kris MacCabe and K-9 Morgan located Betsy sitting in the woods. She was wet and cold, but in good health.

Follow several safety guidelines when recreating in the woods: ? Always tell a trusted person where you are going and when you will be back. Including from where you will be parking or leaving. ? Stick to the original plan or tell someone when they change ? Have a safety pack with you to include fire starter material, space blanket, food, water, & signaling device such as a whistle and a flashlight. Start a campfire or small fire. ? Do not rely on cell phones to be a primary safety plan. Many rural areas of Maine have limited or no cell phone coverage. Also the battery could become very weak in limited cell coverage areas. ? If you do have cell phone, call 911. This can assist us in locating you if you are in a good coverage area. ? Once you realize you are lost, stop, find an open area, build a shelter, start a fire, use your signaling device. This will assist game wardens and search volunteers greatly.

*Maine Warden Service also reminds those with an interest in searching to contact the Maine Association of Search and Rescue (MASAR) to get started on becoming a professional volunteer search and rescue person in the state of Maine.

The Maine Association for Search and Rescue (MASAR) is a non-profit organization that promotes and develops search and rescue resources for the state of Maine. MASAR provides training and certification for search and rescue volunteers using nationally-recognized standards. See mainesearchandrescue.org for more information.