WHAS11 coverage

(WHAS11) - Joe Sanders was a Saint Matthews firefighter in the 1980’s.  Wednesday, members from the department took to the skies to look for a man they call their brother.

Two St. Matthews firefighters say they did what they had to do to find one of their brothers.  A former St. Matthews firefighter helped them out.

They were looking for Joe Sanders, who used to be a member of the St. Matthews fire department.  Sanders, an experienced hiker, was last seen 11 days ago on a hiking trip at Red River Gorge.  No one knows what happened to him.

The firefighters learned there had not been a full air search yet for sanders, so they took to the skies.  Later on the ground they used thermal imaging cameras through the thick foliage.

The firefighters say Sanders’ family will be on the ground at red river gorge tomorrow searching for him.

Sanders is a graduate of St. X High School.