Fourth Of July Creek Rescue

May 29, 2025 Seward Folly Staff

On May 24, 2025, at 11:57hrs, the Seward Fire Department was dispatched for a rescue in the Fourth of July Creek headwaters for a 61-year-old male pinned by a boulder in the creek. Seward Fire and Seward Volunteer Ambulance Corps responded and requested mutual-aid assistance from Bear Creek Volunteer Fire Department. Crews arrived and established a command post at the SMIC quarry. Seward resident Kell Morris was located 1.9 miles upstream from the command post. He and his wife, Jo Roop, were climbing up towards Godwin Glacier when a rock pile near the creek let go.

Crews responded on foot and utilized Bear Creek’s ATVs to move slowly toward the patient due to the extreme terrain. One of Bear Creek FD volunteers works for Seward Helicopter Tours and heard the call while working and he and a pilot volunteered to respond to the scene and pick up six firefighters via helicopter and transport them to the patient, thus cutting down 45 minutes of travel time. The patient was in a boulder field and the helicopter could only hover while firefighters had to jump from the helicopter to the ground, as the helicopter could not land safely.

Morris was found lying in the creek on his stomach with an approximately 700-lb. boulder on top of him, with his spouse holding his head out of water. The patient was hypothermic and in and out of consciousness. Crews used air bags, ropes, and brute force to lift the boulder off the patient and pull him to safety. Once out of the water, the crew re-warmed the patient. He became more alert, and his vitals improved. It was determined there was not an effective and safe manner to bring the patient down the canyon.

The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center (AKRCC) through the Alaska State Troopers was contacted for assistance. The AKRCC dispatched the 176^th Wing Air National Guard Pararescue Jumpers to hoist the patient out of the canyon and transfer him to the waiting ambulance.

The patient was transferred to and treated at Seward Providence Hospital, where he is expected to make a full recovery. No life-threatening injuries were noted.

There is no doubt that without the help from Seward Helicopter Tours, this incident could have had a much different and potentially fatal outcome. It is community members and businesses that we work so well with that make our jobs easier and more productive.

The Seward Fired Department sent out a huge send huge thanks to Seward Helicopter Tours, Pilot Neo Martinson and Sam Paperman, Seward Fire and Bear Creek Fire responders, AK State Troopers, AKRCC, the 176^th Air Wing, and SVAC for making this a successful rescue.