N. Hollywood Boy Rescued in San Diego County : Hiker Found With Help of Infrared Camera

A North Hollywood boy who lost his way while hiking in a rugged canyon area of northeastern San Diego County was found unhurt late Wednesday by rescuers using infrared viewing equipment mounted under a helicopter.

Larry Livengood, 12, was spotted about 11:20 p.m. by San Diego County sheriff’s deputies as he huddled at the base of a cliff with 75-foot drop-offs on either side, Sgt. Kurt Fettu said.

Sheriff’s deputies said it was the first rescue in San Diego County to use the infrared camera.

The helicopter’s pilot set one skid of the helicopter down on the narrow ledge, and a rescuer jumped out to bring Larry into the helicopter, Fettu said. Soon afterward, the boy was returned to his grandparents, with whom he had been camping, in good condition.

Explored on His Own

Fettu said Larry set off with friends about 2:30 p.m. and decided to continue exploring on his own four hours later when his friends returned to the Green Valley Falls campground in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, south of Julian.

Sheriff’s deputies were alerted when the boy did not return, and about 40 rescuers combed the brush as the helicopter scanned the area for the missing boy, Fettu said.

The thermal camera had been used only to search for criminal suspects since it was installed in January, San Diego Sheriff’s Lt. George Kneeshaw said.

A computerized camera, which is mounted below the helicopter and moved by a control stick inside the aircraft, senses temperature differences among objects on the ground and projects black-and-white images onto a television screen inside the helicopter.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department does not have similar infrared equipment for rescues, and neither do the Ventura County Sheriff’s and Fire departments.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department has equipment similar to that used in Wednesday’s rescue, but the camera is generally used for checking whether brush-fire hot spots have spread beyond fire lines, not for mountain rescues, according to Allan MacLeod, a senior pilot with the department.

The Los Angeles Police Department uses night-vision equipment for tracking criminal suspects, and the equipment could be used for search-and-rescue missions, Cmdr. William Booth said.