Heroes of the Week: K9 Unit Helps Rescue 3 People Lost in Woods

Hiking in the wintertime may be nice and peaceful, but it's sometimes easy to get turned around. That's what happened to 3 people who were hiking in the woods near Sebago Lake (west of Portland, Maine). The K9 and her handler's biography is included in today's blog- because they're heroes! 

(Caption: K9 Corporal Lucas Bellanceau and K9 Breezy. rescue pair of lost hikers in steep falls SOURCE: from Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife))    

K9 Warden helps locate and rescue pair of lost hikers in Steep Falls

WMTW - TV, Portland, Maine, Dec 31, 2023

STANDISH, Maine — Two missing hikers were rescued in the woods of Steep Falls on Sunday afternoon by Game Wardens and a K9 after they got lost while on a hike.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife says 48-year-old Joseph Caroto of Limington and 55-year-old Stacey Gain of Baldwin were on a hike with another friend Saturday afternoon off of Mills Street in Steep Falls when they got turned around and could not find their way back.

After the three spent the night in the woods Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, one of them was able to hike out and wander to a house to get help. 

  (Photo: Steep Falls, Standish Maine. Credit: mainetrailfinder.com)  

When authorities were alerted, K9 units from the Maine Warden Service and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office started searching the large bog in the area.

Officials say around 3 p.m. Sunday, Warden K9 Breezy struck on a scent and led Warden Lucas Bellanceau to the stranded hikers, who were severely hypothermic, and unable to walk.

Game Wardens started a fire and gave the two food and warm drinks. Wardens and officials from other emergency response units were able to carry the hikers out through the bog.

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About:  K9 Corporal Lucas Bellanceau and K9 Breezy

Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife: Fryeburg district

Warden since 2012, K9 Handler since 2016

Breezy will do anything for a ball (or anything she can retrieve) and would run all day long if Lucas let her. K9 Breezy is certified in tracking, evidence, hasty air scent search, and human remains detection (land and water). She is eager to please and very energetic when it is time to work.

Lucas has been the K9 Corporal since 2019. As one of the oldest conservation-related K9 units in the country, his vision is to continue the incredible work done by the handlers and K9s by improving training methods and working closely with other agencies and K9 organizations. He is determined for the team to have the most capable and highly trained K9s as possible to best serve the public and natural resources of Maine.