Vice Mayor O’Leary trapped, killed in avalanche

JOY LANDALUCE

March 13, 2008 at 1:25PM AKST

At 3:45 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, Cordova Vice Mayor Mike O’Leary, 56, died in an avalanche on the north side of Mount Eyak.

Cordova Volunteer Fire Chief Mike Hicks coordinated a recovery operation for O’Leary’s body and a rescue operation for Tully Devine , 31, a Cordova musician caught in the slide.

"Shortly after I received the call, I requested assistance from the Points North helicopter," Hicks said.

"We closed the road at Fleming Spit to use as a landing zone and staging area for the 60-70 volunteer firefighters and volunteers from various organizations, including the Cordova Ski Patrol, that were standing by to assist on the hillside if needed."

Hicks added that the rescue team had to minimize the number of people in the slide area due to the potential of additional slides, which could bury or injure rescuers.

"The Points North ground crew quickly stabilized the broken leg of Tully Devine with a ski pole and transported him to us on the helicopter," Hicks said.

Devine was transferred to a waiting ambulance and taken to the Cordova Community Medical Center and then flown to Providence Medical Center in Anchorage.

Two others skied away from the avalanche.

Kirsti Jurica, 33, of Cordova, a biologist who works at the Copper River Watershed Project, called for help. Stephen Witsoe, 36, of Cordova, who worked with O’Leary studying avalanches, was also safe and joined the search.

Rescuers received signals from Mike O’Leary’s avalanche beacon and were able to locate him buried under 15-18 feet of heavy wet snow and debris roughly four hours after the avalanche occurred.

The helicopter transported O’Leary from the hillside and delivered him to a second waiting ambulance for transport to Cordova Community Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.

O’Leary, a commercial fisherman and avalanche safety expert, is survived by his wife, Michelle.

Mayor Tim Joyce described the accident as a tragic loss for the city of Cordova.

"It goes without saying that Mike was an exemplary citizen and a good friend to many," Joyce said. "He and Michelle were always volunteering to make Cordova a better place to live.

"When he was asked by the City Council if he would take on the responsibility of being vice mayor, he accepted knowing that on occasion he would be called upon to volunteer more of his time," he added.

"Mike loved to fish and he loved to ski and he was good at both. Cordova lost a good man yesterday. He will be missed."

"Mike was truly a community visionary," said Torie Baker of the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program.

"In fisheries issues, community life, and in playing hard, his advice and counsel was always sought," she added. "The O’Leary team will always be an incredible example of pride, passion and caring in action. We are less without Mike, and it hurts so much. But he showed us all how to dig down deeper, put your thinking cap on, and make a difference."

Hicks reported that the rescue personnel were removed by helicopter after all recovery efforts were completed shortly before nightfall.

"It is a very sad day for all of us," Hicks said. "Mike was a friend to all and had dedicated so much of his time over the years to this community that he will surely be missed."

Joy Landaluce can be reached at (907) 424-7181.