RESCUERS FIGHT DEATH IN DESERT; GROUP SEARCHES WILD TERRAIN.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

Since 1982, Tex Thomas has rescued dozens of people, but he never forgets one who died in the desert.

The 41-year-old psychologist from Ohio, who was determined to hike 40 miles across Death Valley, died one-half mile from where he parked his car at Badwater.

Thomas, 48, a member of the Desert Search and Rescue Group for 15 years, was among those called out to look for the man in the searing heat of mid-July. After searching two days, they found his body, next to a video camera.

The hiker left a videotape explaining that he had driven to Badwater for another attempt at walking across Death Valley after having failed twice before. But he changed his mind and decided to take some photos and shoot a video. Then he inadvertently let himself run out of water and become so dehydrated that he could not move farther - even the relatively short distance back to his car.

``He said he had messed up,'' Thomas explained about the videotape message. ``It's very emotional. You deal with the death, but you never want to find anyone that way.''

Thomas is among 20 members of the Desert Search and Rescue Group, all from Eastern Kern County and Lancaster, who volunteer their time to comb the desert for missing bikers, hikers and stranded motorists. The group, formed in the 1960s, is one of a dozen rescue teams that help the Kern County Sheriff's Department.

Members supply most of their own equipment and are trying to raise $3,500 to $4,000 for a radio repeater - a device that picks up a radio signal, then retransmits it. A repeater at a high spot, as on a mountain top, improves communication among searchers using low-power hand-held radios, especially in mountainous terrain.

``We've always had communications problems,'' said Fred Ellinger of Lancaster, a member of the group. ``It just gets to a point where you have to do something about it.''

To raise funds, the group is planning a raffle with a maximum of 3,500 tickets. The prize will be $10,000 cash if fewer than 2,000 tickets are sold or a 1998 Ford Ranger XLT Extended Cab Pickup from Kieffe and Sons Ford, Mojave, if more are sold.

Since summer, the group has sold about 750 tickets for the drawing that will be held in Boron at 3 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Amargo Cruisers Cruise-in.

Tickets can be obtained at the Boron Flower Shop, KTM in Mojave and Karl's hardware in Rosamond or from any member.

A ticket also may be bought by mail from the Desert Group Search and Rescue Volunteers at P.O. Box 1470, Rosamond, CA 93560, for $10 plus 50 cents postage and handling.

While Thomas saves a copy of the dead hiker's videotape, he also has happy memories of searches in which the lost have been found alive.

Thomas enjoys the outdoor adventure and the chance to help.

``I really enjoy it,'' he said. ``I get to meet a lot of people and go to a lot of places that an average tourist would never be able to go.

``It's a lot of work. But each successful rescue . . . makes it worthwhile.''