Three Weatherford firefighters rescue man from mountains in Colorado

WEATHERFORD, Okla. ( KFOR ) – Three Weatherford firefighters helped rescue a man who was found unconscious while elk hunting in southern Colorado in late September.

Chief Kory Selman, Lt. Jay Whitson, and Jimmy Litsch go to the rugged wilderness area of the Rocky Mountains each year to hunt. They jumped into action when asked to help a man found severely sick and incoherent in his tent. They knew they would be putting their own lives at risk to save him.

“Eight miles up the trail, he was camped on a flat spot,” said Whitson.

The man was found by cowboys moving cattle in the area. He had been exposed to carbon monoxide while sleeping in his tent for 13 hours.

“He had a kerosene heater in his tent and he had the kerosene itself stored in his tent as well,” said Selman.

The campsite was situated at an elevation of 10,000 feet in a very remote area. The firefighters were the only ones with the equipment to reach the man quickly.

“We started him on oxygen and Jay started taking some vital signs on him. After about five minutes he had improved quite a bit,” said Selman.

In a twist of fate, the man rescued was a fellow Oklahoman.

“He says he’s from Norman,” said Whitson. “I said we’re from Weatherford. So, you know, I think relief came over him.”

His name was Les Patton, an avid outdoorsman and hunter who lives in Norman.

“It was calming to say the least,” said Patton, about being rescued by a fellow Oklahoman. “When I didn’t really know where my life was headed at that moment.”

Patton said God and a little bit of luck placed rescue crews in the right place to save him. He was eventually loaded onto a medical helicopter and taken to a hospital in Durango.

“Doctor came in, I guess they started all the IVs and oxygen and said as one very lucky man,” said Patton. “He said I was full of carbon monoxide when I got there.”

First responders from Colorado posted a letter to Facebook thanking the three Weatherford firefighters for their help. They have yet to see Patton since the rescue but plan to reach out and set up a meeting.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.