There is No Off-season in the
Jackson Hole Backcountry
Today, Teton County Search and Rescue Foundation is excited to kick off our annual Heli-Yes! campaign. Our goal is to raise enough money to preserve life-saving, emergency helicopter service for the community. If successful, the program ensures that Teton County maintains no gaps in emergency helicopter service, particularly during the Spring and Fall seasons.
Check out this Heli-Yes! page to get all the backcountry info on the program.
The time is now to make sure we have the tools to continue saving lives!
Why is a Rescue Heli Important?
Last year, the TCSAR helicopter helped save the lives of four people when such a rescue tool was not always available. Due to generous donations through Heli-Yes! these people were reunited with their families. One such person was Preston Reidy, a 24-year-old Telluride resident who took a road trip to Jackson with his girlfriend, Maggie, in the middle of October.
On a day hike, they set up a hammock between a couple of trees near Amphitheater Lake in Grand Teton National Park. They were relaxing among the grandeur when one of the trees broke, hit Reidy in the head, and sent him into a seizure. The TCSAR helicopter was able to extract him via short-haul right before nightfall, quickly concluding a rescue that would have taken a ground team several hours.
"Without having a helicopter in the offseason,” Reidy said, “I could’ve died or been permanently disabled.”
This rescue was just one of several in 2019 that would have been much more difficult and lengthy without a helicopter. Photos: Courtesy of Preston Reidy
Throughout the next month, the Foundation will be bringing you regular updates on Heli-Yes! including stories about survivors, profiles on TCSAR team members, and details about our essential, life-saving heli program.