PHILIP KREYCIK SEARCH - FAQ & Volunteer Needs/Information

This doc outlines current volunteer needs/info & FAQs. Check back frequently for updates!

Have a question? Read this doc first before posting in the FB group!

Update 6:00pm Tuesday, Aug 3: It is with great sadness that we want to share the news from Pleasanton PD that Philip's body was believed to be found earlier today.

Although we don't have further information at this time, we first wanted to post a heartfelt THANK YOU again to our first responders and the hundreds of volunteers in our community -- on the ground in Pleasanton and literally around the world -- who came together over the last few weeks and have given so much of their time, energy, support, and love in this search.

Please keep an eye out for further updates. As we continue through the next days and weeks together, let's keep Philip's family and friends in our hearts and take care of each other.

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Donate to support Philip's family: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-philip-kreyciks-family/

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VOLUNTEER NEEDS (updated frequently)

  • Week of August 4th: Future volunteer needs are currently TBD.

FAQ

Philip’s Last Known Whereabouts

Do we know that Philip actually entered the park?

  • His car was at the Moller Ranch Staging Area before 11AM on Saturday, July 10th, 2021.
  • The Pleasanton Police and SAR team are looking into all possibilities. We are looking for any confirmation via witnesses on the trail or home cameras near the area for sightings. Right now Police have stated that all evidence points to Phillip entering the park, but we also are encouraging anyone in the area with camera devices to double check for a sign of Phillip.
  • Neighborhood cameras checked by police could neither confirm, nor rule out, Philip entering the park.
  • Scent dogs tracked him to the start of the trail but no further: many explanations exist for why they may have lost the scent there even if he continued on.
  • Footprints matching his running shoes were found and photographed within the park.

What was Philip wearing?

  • We believe white/gray men’s Saucony Ride ISO running shoes, size 10.5 or 11 with worn soles and grey ankle socks with either black or blue lettering.

 

  • Bluetooth-only enabled Suunto Ambit3 GPS watch (no cell connection)

  • Dark colored running shorts (everything in this photo except for the shirt). Note, he may or may not be wearing a shirt.

What was his planned route?

  • Based on the route planned on the Strava app on his phone, the route we believe he was taking is mapped here.
  • Strava emailed all athletes who had activity in the area in the timeframe that day asking them to reach out to Pleasanton PD if they'd seen anyone, we got nothing from it.
  • We also re-created an activity to match Philip's to see if we'd be able to determine anyone in the vicinity via fly-by and got nothing.

Did he have his phone? Is it normal for runners to leave their phones in the car?

  • Philip left his phone in the car. He often left his phone when he ran because he didn’t want to carry the extra weight. This is not an unheard of practice for trail runners.

Did Philip run in the same area the evening prior?

  • No, Philip ran in a different area (Redwood Peak), as confirmed by his Strava data.

About the Search

Where have you searched?

  • Please see the latest *unofficial* maps from Lee Murray and download the available Google Earth compatible KMZ files
  • Please note this does not include the even larger official SAR response. Please also note this data has some margin of error due to the variety of tools used. Also, not all members posted results and there is quite a bit of private property in the area that volunteers do not have access to.

Are drones being used to search for Philip?

  • Yes, SAR was using drones. This included use of drones with thermal imaging both at night and during the day. Volunteer ask: we are now looking for people with Mavic Pro or Mavic 2 drones, 3 batteries (no mini’s). If available, please respond to Ranjitha Shivaram’s post 
  • If you are a drone operator but not immediately available to help, we are creating a database of drone operators for possible future needs. Please see this post.
  • Also, for drone operators, only please, we also have a NEW and SEPARATE Facebook group, where Ranjitha will be sharing instructions. Please feel free to join if you have questions or would like to share feedback.
  • If you have the skills to analyze drone footage, please let us know as well by responding to Ranjitha Shivaram’s post
  • After SAR completed their search we used drones to search one hillside that was in their primary zone (which they heavily covered) an extra time due to it being difficult to search on foot and an area of great interest. Nothing was found but footage will be made available for review.

GIS (Map) Data

Have the authorities and volunteers tried tracking Philip via his smart watch or phone?

  • Yes, the authorities have tried tracking him using his watch. His phone was left in the car and is in police hands - all available technical capabilities of the phone and phone data are being explored. Police used his phone on the trails on Saturday evening to see if it would pair with his watch to give a clue about his proximity.

Has IR detection equipment been used?

  • Yes, this has been extensively used by rescue agencies using a variety of aircraft. Generally daytime temperatures were too high for it to be useful, and the nature of the terrain made many areas impenetrable to aerial thermal imaging. Handheld flaring and imaging was also done in primary search zones.

Has anyone looked for camera footage?

  • The police have collected all available camera footage. Some trail cameras have not yet been analyzed fully.

Do we have the official SAR search map?

  • No, nor is it likely we ever gain access to that data for our own use. We have been able to review enough of it though in a good resolution to have a strong understanding of what was searched and how, and some low resolution versions were made available to the media if you are interested.
  • Pertinent information that can aid in the search and will be made public will be posted here as it becomes available.

What else do we know?

  • Chris Thoburn, one of Philip’s close friends and one of the last people to see him, did an AMA (TW: goes into detail re: hypotheticals and possibilities of what may have happened to Philip.  Please use your own discretion with reading)

How to help

How can I volunteer?

  • See the top for the most updated needs

How can I spread the word?

  • Amplify the message to help the broader search:

  • Some ideas for using the flyers:
  • Tape to your car rear side window (inside if not tinted, outside if well-taped);
  • Put them in the neighborhood specifically houses with cameras (please don’t put them into mailboxes- that’s illegal; you can do something like this instead);
  • Bring flyers with you on volunteer search missions and ask any hikers passing by if they saw a runner moving fast last Saturday;
  • Print out a large-sized poster and stand near the parking lot asking anyone passing by if they saw a runner moving fast last Saturday
  • Please note: there were some comments that security was taking down posters by the mall. Since this is private property, we cannot post there.

How do I get to the staging area?

  • Please post ride requests / offers on this spreadsheet and we’ll help facilitate
  • The staging area for volunteers, Foothill High School, is 2.5 miles from the Pleasanton BART

How do I use Strava?

  • We’re using Strava to keep track of searched places. Please make sure to use it.
  • Check out this “how to”
  • Or check out this Video to explain how to follow the right account
  • Account to link to: https://www.strava.com/athletes/88719534

How should I prepare to join the search team?

  • Wear long pants and hiking boots - if he fell off the trail, you’ll need to bushwhack and you don’t want poison oak, ticks, stickers, foxtails or to slip. Trail running shoes are ok but hiking shoes are best to go into a ravine or look off trail. The area has many dense patches of poison oak
  • I know many of us are trail runners, but this is not about covering the most miles - this is about hiking, stopping, calling, and listening. Call out his name and listen. Look down the creeks and ravines and anywhere you, as a trail runner, could see yourself falling. Hiking poles are also helpful for those steep edges. This is a VERY HILLY area!!
  • When traveling through the search area, pause often and try to listen for shifting. Explore single track trails shooting off from main trails
  • When observing the area, follow a Z Method: look across; look diagonal; then across again. Starting in this pattern was helpful as you tend to want to look everywhere all at once
  • Feel comfortable hiking as the pace should be slow to maintain alertness of surroundings. Likewise, pick your trusted pair of trail shoes or hiking boots to get the job done
  • Trickiest areas require poles as the steep hillsides are a mix of dry brush covering loose soil.
  • Be mindful of the wildlife. We crossed at least six deer and many turkeys during.
  • If you ever feel uncomfortable going into any area, DON’T DO IT. Best to be safe. Stick to the paths you feel most comfortable taking.
  • Check your phone every so often as the coordinators at camp will check-in for return status at the end of the day. Respond promptly to let them know your ETA to return
  • Things to bring:
  • GPS device (phones work great) so that you can record where you've searched on the Strava app.
  • WHISTLE! If you find him (or find yourself in trouble), you can only yell for so long but you can blow that whistle much, MUCH longer. Three loud blasts on the whistle until you’re found.
  • An emergency blanket if you have one - it’s not just a blanket, it’s a tarp, it’s a shelter, it’s a signal to fellow searchers.
  • Headlamp.
  • Powerbank for your phone
  • Gloves for rough terrain
  • Lots of water and electrolytes/gatorade - keep yourself hydrated.
  • Bug repellant (lemon eucalyptus worked great)
  • Most importantly, NEVER BECOME PART OF THE PROBLEM! Take care of yourself, don’t go alone, and don’t take any chances.

Can I search on my own?

  • At this time, we cannot provide support for unorganized search teams. Should you go, take all necessary precautions. Do not go alone. Avoid hazards. Avoid private property and respect all laws, rules, and regulations. And most importantly, do not become part of the problem. If you do go out please link to the Strava account https://www.strava.com/athletes/88719534  to share where you've been.
  • Please know that some of the areas on publicly available maps that appear not to have been searched actually have been. In particular, we want to discourage searches in the area from Sunol Ridge down to Palomares Road. We feel SAR covered it adequately. We also have fairly good indications that Philip did not make it over there. Exhausting options closer to his point of departure, if there are any perceived gaps, is better use of time.

Where can I donate money?

  • We love that so many of you are interested in helping out financially! Tom Wooten has just started a GoFundMe for Philip’s family to assist with the search and for ongoing expenses: https://gofund.me/e502613c
  • Please also check the above options for non-monetary actions and help us spread the word to any social media platforms, e-mail lists, and other local community groups by sharing the FB Volunteer Group link!!! (https://www.facebook.com/groups/227893015854510/)

Can I bring food or water?

  • We are well supplied with food and water for now and do not need further donations.

Can I donate other equipment or supplies?

  • Needs are changing day to day. Check with the onsite coordinator or post a question in the group and we will tell you what is needed most. We will also update this space as needs evolve, at the moment no particular supplies or equipment are needed.

Does the family need support?

  • The family has not expressed specific needs at this point, but we will reach out if and when that changes. Your interest in helping to ease their burden is much appreciated.

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Digital volunteer outreach & coordination (Remote OK)

Sign up HERE if you want to be a digital volunteer: LINK

  • Online Q&A / vol support: A lot of folks are asking questions on the FB group, public posts, etc. Help answer Q&A in the FB group and public posts, and direct people to this document & the Volunteer Group! (https://www.facebook.com/groups/227893015854510/)
  • Outreach: Help spread the word to any social media platforms, e-mail lists, and other local community groups. By:

Coordinators

FAQs for Digital outreach & coordination volunteers

  • Check the answer in the relevant section in this FAQ.
  • If you need help answering a question, please reach out to a coordinator
  • If the question is answered in the FAQ, provide an abridged answer and guide folks to the answered section of the FAQ (provide the link, state the section)
  • If you want edit capability to this document, please reach out to the coordinators in the box above
  • Group Discussion Management
  • Please become familiar with this FAQ and keep up to speed with updates. Answer questions based on the info that’s available, ideally directing folks to this sheet
  • Do not make net new posts unless you have a +1 from an Admin. Focus on topics already in discussion, particularly the announcements
  • Please click ‘Report post to group admins’ to flag posts that do not meet the community rules (ex. speculation).
  • For moderators: please delete comments that also don’t meet community rules (be strict about hiding speculation/redundant questions if you see any of these.)
  • Note that if you hide the comments, they are only hidden for YOU. Please make sure you delete them if you’re an admin/ moderator and see something that does not meet the community standards.
  • If you don’t know an answer, try and link the question to a coordinator who may know the answer
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