08/13/2026
Last night around 10:30 PM, Ashe County Rescue Squad was dispatched to the area of Barlow Road in Creston, NC, to assist the Ashe County Sheriff's Office in the search for a missing person. The individual was last seen around 11:00 AM on August 12th, 2026. Quickly after dispatch, members began assembling at the building to gather all necessary supplies and equipment to begin searching for the individual. Upon arriving at the scene, crews began setting up to put a drone in the air to conduct an aerial sweep of the terrain. By utilizing the drone early in the search process, crews were able to study the terrain, plot coordinates, map out potential and vital search areas; and prepare ground crews to begin searching on foot, if necessary. As a result of drone use and collaboration with the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office, the individual was successfully located using imaging and pinpointed using a drone spotlight. This allowed crews to begin plotting coordinates and studying the fastest, most efficient way to get to the individual. The individual was successfully located within the hour of arriving at the scene. Once the individual was located, deputies worked hastily to get to the individual and were able to stay with her while members of the Ashe County Rescue Squad worked to bring resources to the individual's location to begin carrying her out. Once the individual was able, members of the Ashe County Rescue Squad, Creston Fire Department, deputies from the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office, and a member from West Jefferson Fire Department were able to safely carry the individual out. Upon getting the individual to safety, members of the Ashe County Rescue Squad and coordinating departments were able to assist her in getting medical attention until a crew from Ashe Medics arrived to provide additional support to the individual. The Ashe County Rescue Squad is very fortunate to have a membership that is devoted to training and preparing for these situations. While each search is different, members continue to familiarize themselves with the many different contributing factors of a search, such as terrain, climate, accessibility, and even potentially complex dynamics of the missing individual. Again, the Ashe County Rescue Squad would like to thank West Jefferson Fire Department, Ashe Medics, Creston Fire Department, and Ashe County Sheriff’s Office for the great coordination and teamwork that led to a great outcome. We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to serve our community in this capacity, and we appreciate the continued support from our community and fellow departments.
