Mission Critical: Every Person Counts

Thank You for Supporting TCSAR’s Purchase of a Year-round Rescue Helicopter

Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation is excited to announce that it has completed Mission Critical, successfully raising the necessary funds to bring a year-round rescue helicopter to Teton County, Wyo.

“With over 1,200 donations to the campaign, our community has stepped up to show the importance of bringing this critical asset to Teton County,” said TCSAR Foundation Executive Director Stephanie Thomas. “We are humbled and in awe by the efforts of everyone who made this happen.”

One year ago, in July 2023, TCSAR Foundation initiated a capital campaign to raise $7.25 million to purchase a year-round rescue helicopter for Teton County. Nine months later, the campaign successfully crossed the finish line. The community stepped up to the challenge and accomplished the goal, ensuring the arrival of a year-round rescue helicopter to Teton County by October 2023.

Mission Critical was the largest capital campaign ever run by the Foundation, and everyone at the organization extends its sincere gratitude to everyone who pitched in. We know that this initiative will help save lives, support TCSAR volunteers with the best tool for mountain rescues, and help the team respond to the growing demand for rescues in the Jackson Hole area.

Thank you for supporting Mission Critical and TCSAR! Follow along as we track the arrival of the new ship this fall.

“In the world of Search & Rescue, there is no substitute for a helicopter. It puts less people in harm’s way and allows us to safely respond to emergencies in complex and challenging terrain. We can get to critical and life-threatening injuries faster, and, ultimately, a helicopter provides a higher level of SAR service to our community.

But it needs to be year-round for two very important reasons:

First, TCSAR is seeing an annual increase in rescue calls as more people recreate in our surrounding public lands. Secondly, leasing a seasonal helicopter is unpredictable and leaves the team short-handed at certain times of the year. Having a rescue-ready ship for 365 days a year will enable TCSAR to fulfill its responsibility of serving the community over the long term.”

— Cody Lockhart, TCSAR Chief Advisor