Gallatin Media Center

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

*****ARREST MADE IN GALLATIN COUNTY SWATTING CALL****

On January 26, 2023, the Gallatin County 911 Dispatch Center received a non-emergency call of gunshots inside a residence during an altercation. Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the residence southwest of Belgrade. Responding deputies made contact with three occupants who were able to quickly confirm this was a false report.

It is another occurrence of a growing public safety concern commonly known as “swatting” where an anonymous caller falsely reports active killing or imminent killing of innocent civilians.  This call prompts law enforcement to respond in anticipation of encountering an act of active violence creating tense, confusing and dangerous situations with unwitting citizens and law enforcement.

On this occurrence, after determining no altercation had occurred and through subsequent investigation the male caller was identified as Ray Saldana Flores of Helena, Montana.  As the events Mr. Flores had described were consistent with felonious acts in the State of Montana, deputies obtained an arrest warrant for Mr. Flores for False Reports to Peace Officers (Felony).

The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office in coordination with the Helena Police Department located Mr. Flores who was taken into custody on January 27, 2023. Mr. Flores’ phone was seized with the application of a Search Warrant where the cellular phone application was identified which was used to make the phone calls and texts using out of service phone numbers on the phone. Deputies were able to track Mr. Flores’ location during internet searches and activity placing him in Helena just before the non-emergency call was made.

Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer would like to make it clear, False Reports to Peace Officers (Swatting Calls) put the general public at risk. Individuals who make false reports in Gallatin County will be arrested in accordance with their reports. Sheriff Springer would like to thank the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office for their cooperation in obtaining necessary warrants and the Helena Police Department for arresting the offender.

If you have information regarding swatting calls, please call 406-582-2100.  If successfully prosecuted, you may be eligible for a crime stoppers reward.

On February 14, 2023, at 6:37 am, Gallatin County dispatch received a call for a stranded ice climber in Hyalite Canyon near the Chisholm Campground. The climber was dressed for cold weather and had means of communication but needed help getting out due to a disabled vehicle and heavy snowfall.  

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue volunteers from the Valley Section responded to the Lower Hyalite Trailhead and deployed two teams.  One team deployed on snowmobiles while the other deployed on a tracked side by side.  

The teams located the climber as well as a second stranded individual that needed help. Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue volunteers performed medical assessments and transported both parties out of Hyalite Canyon.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to commend the stranded recreationalists for being dressed for the weather and having communication devices.

Photos courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

For immediate release: Feb. 14, 2023

Media contacts:

Whitney Bermes, Gallatin County Communications Coordinator
whitney.bermes@gallatin.mt.gov
406-595-8963

Takami Clark, City of Bozeman Communications & Engagement Manager
tclark@bozeman.net
406-579-9237

 

Gallatin County 911 and Local Fire Departments Launch Use of PulsePoint Mobile App to Help Save Lives

The PulsePoint Respond mobile phone application will increase community awareness of medical emergencies and alert and direct CPR-trained individuals nearby to cardiac arrest victims. 

Gallatin County 911 and the fire departments within Gallatin County announced the launch of PulsePoint today, a mobile phone application designed to support public safety agencies by increasing cardiac arrest survival rates through improved bystander performance and active resident support.

“This is a great opportunity to involve the community in the life saving efforts that occur every day,” stated Gallatin County 911 Director, Tim Martindale.

Gallatin County’s 911 dispatch center has formally integrated the use of the PulsePoint application with the 911 computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system. When a 911 dispatcher receives and identifies a call related to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), the information on the CAD system will automatically trigger a PulsePoint application push notification.

“Time is one of the most critical factors when someone experiences sudden cardiac arrest,” said Bozeman Fire Chief Josh Waldo. “Having the PulsePoint mobile app to alert nearby CPR-trained citizens strengthens our entire response system and increases the likelihood of someone surviving the cardiac arrest.”

Greg Megaard, Big Sky Fire Chief, also noted the importance of the right person at the right time, adding, “During a cardiac event, time and training is essential to making a difference in the outcome.”

Anyone with the app who is located within a 0.25-mile radius of the incident can receive a push notification to the location of the closest publicly accessible automated external defibrillator (AED) to render aid.

“The emergency medical systems with the highest save rates in the world all start with the same thing – early CPR from bystanders who help when they see someone in need,” Greg Tryon, Fire Chief at Central Valley Fire District, stated.

The PulsePoint app is available for download on Google Play and the iPhone App Store.

About the PulsePoint Foundation
PulsePoint is a public 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation that builds applications for use by public safety agencies to increase community awareness during critical events. The PulsePoint Respond mobile app notifies trained individuals of the nearby need for CPR and the PulsePoint AED registry identifies AED (automated external defibrillator) locations for use by the public and 911 telecommunicators during emergency call taking. PulsePoint also provides specialized mobile apps for professional responders. Learn more at pulsepoint.org or join the conversation at Facebook and Twitter. The free app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play.

About Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Although a heart attack can lead to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), the two are not the same. SCA is when the heart malfunctions and suddenly stops beating unexpectedly, whereas a heart attack is when blood flow to the heart is blocked, but the heart continues to beat. Each year, more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur, making it the leading cause of death in the United States. Survival rates nationally for SCA are less than eight percent, but delivery of CPR can sustain life until paramedics arrive by maintaining vital blood flow to the heart and brain. However, only about a third of SCA victims receive bystander CPR. Without CPR, brain damage or death can occur in minutes. The average EMS response time is nine minutes, even in urban settings; after 10 minutes there is little chance of successful resuscitation. The American Heart Association estimates that effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after SCA, can double or triple a person’s chance of survival.

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FLO RIDA IS COMING TO THE BIG SKY COUNTRY STATE FAIR

Big Sky Country State Fair Announces Flo Rida for Wednesday, July 19th 2023!

Bozeman, MT—We’ve got a “Good Feeling” about our first concert announcement for the 2023 fair! Big Sky Country State Fair is pleased to announce Flo Rida as one of the three night shows for the 2023 Big Sky Country State Fair! Come down to “Our House” this summer and enjoy Flo Rida who is a Grammy Nominated artist with over 80 million records sold worldwide! Flo Rida has made eleven Top 10 appearances on Billboards Top 100. Flo Rida’s top songs includes “Low”, “Right Round”, “Sugar”, “Jump”, “Be on You”, “Club Can’t Handle Me”, “Whistle”, and “Wild Ones”.

Tickets go on sale Friday, February 17th at 10a.m. Tickets will be available to purchase at 406statefair.com . Follow us on Social Media at Big Sky Country State Fair or join our Email List at 406statefair.com, to get a pre-sale code and be the first ones to buy tickets to Flo Rida! Flo Rida is presented in part with 96.7 KISS FM.

All night shows are held in Anderson Arena with doors open at 6 p.m., opening acts at 7 p.m., and the headlining performance at 8 p.m. Wednesday night show tickets for Flo Rida will be $35 for general admission and $40 for reserved grandstand seating. All concert tickets come with gate admission and can be purchased at 406StateFair.com. Additional information may be found at 406StateFair.com.

Big Sky Country State Fair Where Memories are Made will be held Wednesday, July 19th through Sunday, July 23rd in Bozeman, MT. The Fair opens to the public Wednesday, July 19. Carnival and Gate tickets go on sale May 26th, 2023. Check out 406StateFair.com for continual updated information on entertainment, tickets, and competitions.

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The Big Sky Country State Fair is managed by the Gallatin County Fairgrounds, under direction of Gallatin County. The first fair – called Inter-State Fair – was held in 1902 and morphed over the years to its function today. The Fair serves citizens of the Gallatin Valley and regional visitors from agricultural, urban, rural and tourist backgrounds. The much-loved Bozeman Roundup Ranch Rodeo celebrated its 100th year anniversary in 2019.

Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer would like to increase awareness of recent phone scams involving our office.  It appears these scams occur in waves every few months. The caller says they are from the Sheriff’s Office, may even use a deputy’s name, informs the victim that they owe the GCSO money for some reason, such as a warrant, unpaid ticket, not showing up for court, etc. and tells them to get gift cards and/or money to send over the phone in order to avoid arrest. Please know we will NEVER request money or gift cards. Any payments related to law enforcement or the jail go through the courts, never our office.

These calls can look and feel very convincing. It is easy to clone the GCSO phone numbers and deputy names are publicly available, so the call may look and sound like it comes from the Sheriff’s Office.  Please keep in mind that we do often contact citizens for paperwork that may require personal service but again, we will NEVER ASK FOR MONEY.

If you receive a call asking for money, hang up immediately. Scammers will be insistent that you stay on the line, which prevents you from thinking through their demands or calling someone else. If you have any questions or concerns about a call that appears to come from us (or any other scam), call 582-2100 and leave a message; we will return your call promptly.

PRESS RELEASE

Beehive Basin Skier Rescue

On February 5, at 1:38 pm, Gallatin County dispatch received a call for a skier that had sustained a lower leg injury approximately 1 mile up the trail at Upper Beehive Basin.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue Big Sky section volunteers responded and skied to the patient’s location. The patient was assessed on scene and packaged before being transported to the Upper Beehive Basin Trailhead by stretcher sled. The individual was then transferred over to a Big Sky Fire Department ambulance who then transported to the next level of care.

Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind winter recreationalists that even a casual trip out can become an emergent issue. He would like to commend the individuals for having the ability to quickly communicate the emergency to get help on the way and encourages recreationalists to have a fully charged cell phone or some other communication device in case of an emergency.

Photos courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

On February 3, 2023, at approximately 10:45 am, Gallatin County 911 Dispatch received a report of a semi-truck rollover on Interstate 90 near mile marker 284. The rollover partially blocked the eastbound lane of traffic. The semi-truck was carrying a load of cattle. Many of the cattle survived but some died as a result of the crash and some needed to be dispatched due to the severity of their injuries. To protect the first responders working at the scene and to protect the motoring public, all interstate traffic between Logan and Manhattan has been diverted onto the Frontage Road. As of 3:00 pm, operations to safely remove the cattle continue. Updates will be provided as they are available. The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office thanks the public for their patience as first responders work on this incident.

Agencies involved in this event include the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol, Manhattan Fire Department, Three Forks Fire Department, Gallatin River Ranch Fire Department, Department of Livestock, Gallatin Solid Waste Management, Montana Department of Transportation, as well as citizen volunteers and private tow truck companies.

PRESS RELEASE

Slide Creek Lost Snowmobilers

On Thursday, February 2, 2023, at 6:54 pm, the Gallatin County Dispatch Center received a Garmin Device Activation requesting assistance for two lost snowmobilers that had become separated while recreating together.  The Garmin device put them in the area of Slide Creek off Taylor Fork Rd, south of Big Sky.  Volunteers from the Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue Big Sky Section responded to assist the snowmobilers.

Volunteers deployed two teams and quickly located the first individual on the trail. One team remained with the first snowmobiler and warmed them in an enclosed Snowbulancewhile the other team went on to locate the second individual.  The second individual was found shortly after and both were returned safely to the trailhead.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind recreationalists that having communication and knowledge of your location is crucial information in the event of an emergency.  These two individuals prevented a prolonged scenario by being capable of providing their location and status to GCSSAR responders.

Photo courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

For immediate release: Jan. 31, 2023

Media contact:
Sean O’Callaghan, Gallatin County Planning Director
406-582-3130
sean.ocallaghan@gallatin.mt.gov

 

Application Period Open for Project Funding from the Gallatin County Open Lands Program

Gallatin County is now accepting applications from projects seeking funding through the county’s Open Lands Program.

This year, the voter-approved Open Space levy is estimated to bring in over $2.44 million total. While a majority of that money funds conservation projects, such as conservation easements for private landowners, a little over $458,000 has been earmarked by the Gallatin County Commission for “other eligible projects.”

Applicants for projects that fall into the “other eligible projects” category are encouraged to apply for this funding from now through March 17.

These projects must be related to land acquisition, capital improvements, and maintenance projects that support the purpose of the Gallatin County Open Space levy. Applicants must demonstrate how a proposed project is related to the provision of recreation, protection of water quality of streams and rivers, management of growth, or protection of wildlife areas.

Projects funded last year in this category include money toward the expansion and improvement of Peet’s Hill in Bozeman, construction of a “quiet area” at the Gallatin County Regional Park in Bozeman, and improvements to the Anderson Dog Park, also located at the Regional Park.

“We’re excited to see what kind of applications come in and what kind of projects we can support this year,” said Sean O’Callaghan, Gallatin County Planning Director and Open Lands Coordinator.

Application instructions and submittal requirements are available online here.

Applications must be submitted by 5 PM on March 17 to the Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development, 311 W. Main St., room 108, Bozeman MT, 59715.

For questions or more information, contact Sean O’Callaghan at 406-582-3130 or sean.ocallaghan@gallatin.mt.gov.

Following the application process, the Open Lands Board will score submitted proposal and recommend projects to the Gallatin County Commission for final funding approval.

“We get a lot of great projects across the county with this effort and I think it’s really an excellent opportunity to bite off some of the smaller projects outside of the larger conservation efforts,” said Gallatin County Commissioner Jennifer Boyer.

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PRESS RELEASE

WEST ENTRANCE INJURED SNOWMOBILER

On Saturday, January 28, 2023, Yellowstone National Park requested assistance for a snowmobile crash 1 mile west of West Yellowstone on the West Entrance Road. The snowmobiler was reported to have fractured their femur in the accident.

Volunteers from Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue in West Yellowstone, Custer Gallatin National Forest Service and Hebgen Basin Rural Fire District responded to assist with the rescue.

Volunteers quickly made contact with the patient, then packaged and transported them to the West Entrance where medical care was turned over to the waiting Hebgen Basin Ambulance for further evaluation.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind snowmobilers to ride within their abilities and be aware of changing trail conditions.

Photos courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.