Help TCSAR Outfit and Train the First New Class of Volunteers since 2015

From gear to training to wellness, supporting new SAR members builds on the team's future

Teton County Search and Rescue is excited to bring on 10 new volunteers to the team. But first, each new member must be equipped and trained to handle rescues in the Jackson Hole backcountry. For the next six months, each new member will attend roughly 18 training sessions, including Land Navigation, Swiftwater Rescue, Wilderness Medical Response, Avalanche Rescue, and Rigging for Rescue.

"Our goal with training the new class is to both build on the amazing skills they bring to the team and reframe their existing skill sets to a Search and Rescue mindset," says TCSAR volunteer KC Bess, who will help train the new class. "We plan on getting hands-on with the training using SAR-specific scenarios and techniques. Bringing them on board we hope to help them integrate as quickly and seamlessly as possible with the operational team."

Due to the cost associated with adding new SAR members, TCSAR Foundation is looking for community support. As with any new class, the new members stand to be the future of the team. It's the Foundation's goal to help set them up to maintain the legacy of excellence established by all those who have come before.

Help us bring on the new class. Who are they, you ask? We'll let you know next week!

Heli-Yes! Rescue Chopper Service Secured for 2021, Bring on the New Class!

Teton County Search and Rescue Foundation is excited to announce that due to generous donations, emergency rescue helicopter service has been secured for the remainder of 2021. These extraordinary gifts mean the Foundation can hit pause on its annual Heli-Yes! campaign and instead focus on supporting a new class of volunteers and re-up team trainings that had been postponed or canceled this past year due to the pandemic.

TCSAR volunteer Chris Leigh conducts a short-haul training operation during the winter of 2021. Photo: Will Smith/TCSAR

“These donations benefit the entire community, as it allows the Foundation to ensure uninterrupted helicopter service for Teton County,” said TCSAR Foundation Executive Director Stephanie Thomas. “Heli-Yes! will continue again next year, but we are excited to be able to focus our efforts this year on supporting the new class and our wonderful volunteers.”

Part of the donations stem from the giving by Foster and Lynn Friess, who this year gave many of their friends the opportunity to select a favorite charity for their donation. Jerry Blann, former longtime president at JHMR, and his wife, Rebecca, designated their Friess gift for TCSAR’s heli program. The other heli gift came from an anonymous local donor. Combined, these gifts keep TCSAR’s heli flying at least through 2021.

The Foundation could not be more grateful for these donations, Thomas said, and reminded the community that without adequate heli funding, Teton County would not have a dedicated rescue ship during the spring and fall. Maintaining uninterrupted heli service remains one of the top priorities for the Foundation.

With heli funding secured, the Foundation is helping the TCSAR team bring on a new class of volunteers, the first time this has happened since 2015. It’s an excellent opportunity to invite fresh energy and ideas to the team while presenting some funding opportunities for the Foundation. 

With the Jackson Hole backcountry continuing to see increased use, TCSAR volunteers remain an essential component to the health and safety of our community.

After starting from a pool of 150 candidates, the team is bringing on 10 new volunteers at a cost of approximately $20,000 per person. This investment includes outfitting the volunteer with essential rescue gear and equipment, as well as paying for a rigorous schedule of trainings. New volunteers must attend all trainings and then gain certifications before achieving “operational” status. The whole process takes about a year. 

The Foundation also looks forward to helping current volunteers maintain and renew advanced training, which were called off last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Techniques such as technical rescue, swiftwater rescue, avalanche safety, wilderness medical training, among others, must be continued in order to empower the volunteers during complicated missions as well as keep themselves and patients safe.

To help support these efforts, the Foundation is calling on the community to pitch in. With the Jackson Hole backcountry continuing to see increased use, TCSAR volunteers remain an essential component to the health and safety of our community.

To contribute to these efforts, or for more information on how you can help, please visit www.TetonCountySAR.org/2021-spring-projects. Thank you for supporting TCSAR.

Mike Estes is Named as the new TCSAR Coordinator

The new SAR Coordinator is no stranger to organizing, solving problems, and putting smiles on people's faces. Mike Estes, who is part of TCSAR's original 1993 Class of Volunteers, has been hired to be the SAR Coordinator for the Teton County Sheriff's Office. In his role, Estes acts as the official liaison between the Sheriff's Office and TCSAR.

The Foundation is excited to see Estes in his new role, starting on March 29, and we can't wait to welcome him to his new office at the TCSAR hangar. Estes comes to the SAR Coordinator position after working for the county for more than two decades, most recently as coordinator for the heavily used stretch of Snake River between the Wilson and South Park boat ramps.

As Estes takes on his new role, the Foundation, team, and Sheriff’s office would like to thank Jess King for her seven years of fantastic work progressing TCSAR and our partnerships. King decided to take some time to travel and be closer to family. Her last day was March 1. We would also like to thank Anthony Stevens for serving as the interim Coordinator for the past month. Stevens is handing the Coordinator reins to Estes but isn’t going anywhere; he will remain a volunteer and our Training Advisor. 

This transition presented an opportunity for the team to evaluate the roles of the TCSAR Coordinator and Board of Advisors in leading our team of volunteers. The conclusion of that evaluation were some changes to the TCSAR Coordinator role that are important to share.

• Estes’ primary role is to support the TCSAR Board of Advisors in ensuring the team is rescue ready at all times. He will lead record keeping and organization, ensure gear maintenance, and facilitate training. He is an employee of the Sheriff, but takes the majority of his direction from Chief Advisor Cody Lockhart and the Board of Advisors.

• On missions, Estes will no longer be in command or in the field. He will continue to provide mission support as needed. Moving forward, please direct questions or concerns about the details of specific operations to Lockhart.

• The TCSAR Board of Advisors now supervises the volunteers, not the SAR Coordinator. Please direct any questions or concerns about a specific team member to the Membership Advisor, who is currently KC Bess. 

• Otherwise, Estes will coordinate communications between TCSAR and various partners. When in doubt, call Estes first with your question, request, or concern. He will handle what he can, and distribute the rest to the appropriate Advisor or team member. Our goal is to get you what you need faster. 

To reach SAR Coordinator Mike Estes:
(307) 732-8337, mestes@tetonsheriff.org