SALT LAKE CITY?Utah sheriffs fear the multimillion dollar claims brought by relatives of a 2-year-old boy who died when he wandered away from his father’s truck could cripple Utah search and rescue programs.

“Whatever comes of this action will certainly affect search and rescue efforts in Utah for quite some time,” Davis County Sheriff Bud Cox.

Cox said sheriffs throughout the state fear that if the counties pay any settlement, it could spur other lawsuits making the mostly volunteer teams more vulnerable to litigation and less likely to volunteer.

Cox said the action could also hinder the ability of teams to call on other agencies to assist.