Down the Home Stretch, All Donations to Mission Critical will be Tripled

Jackson, Wyo. — Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation is excited to announce that it is on the precipice of reaching its goal of purchasing a year-round rescue helicopter for Teton County Search & Rescue. With six weeks left in the fundraising campaign—called Mission Critical—TCSAR Foundation is presenting the community with the unique opportunity to have every donation tripled. This is due to the generosity of two anonymous local donors who are pledging to match the next $50,000 donated to Mission Critical. 

The community can help bring a rescue ship home to Teton County by having every donation tripled for the next six weeks. Photo: Dirk Collins

Since August 2022, TCSAR Foundation has raised 99 percent of the funding needed to purchase a year-round backcountry-dedicated helicopter for Teton County. This amount stems from roughly 1,000 individual donations since Mission Critical was launched last summer. If the community can come together to raise another $50,000, TCSAR Foundation can successfully close out the campaign.

TCSAR does not own—and never has owned—a helicopter. TCSAR currently leases a rescue helicopter for eight months out of the year, leaving a critical gap in their ability to respond to life-threatening injuries. The lease model also puts TCSAR in jeopardy of not receiving a contracted helicopter in the future. 

With this excellent opportunity to triple every donation, TCSAR Foundation is asking everyone to pitch in for what will be a true community asset. A successful campaign means that Teton County will have an on-call rescue helicopter available 365 days a year. The helicopter will also be available to fight fires that threaten local homes and businesses, be able to respond to natural disasters, and be a resource for other backcountry emergencies in Teton County. 

Each year, TCSAR volunteers collectively donate 10,000 hours of their time to perform rescues, complete training exercises, provide education, and participate in community events. As backcountry use has exploded in our area, the volunteers are repeatedly called upon to respond to people in need of their help. Last year, nearly half of all rescues performed by TCSAR were for local and regional residents. Investing in the SAR ship is an investment for the health and safety of all backcountry users in our community.

For the next several weeks, TCSAR Foundation will continue its Mission Critical spring tour to get the word out and collect donations. To see the full schedule and to donate to the campaign, visit www.TetonCountySAR.org/mission-critical.

We're Hiring! TCSAR Foundation Seeks Operations Coordinator

Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation is seeking to hire an Operations Coordinator to join our dynamic, hard-working team. The ideal candidate will have a passion for TCSAR Foundation’s mission of supporting TCSAR volunteers and backcountry safety, and be able to successfully manage office records and financials for our busy 501(c)(3) nonprofit. 

The Operations Coordinator works in collaboration with the entire staff at TCSAR Foundation to develop plans and implement policies in the financial and general operations realms. Qualified applicants should be able to maintain efficient and effective systems to increase productivity of the TCSAR Foundation.

This is a full-time position based at the TCSAR hangar in Jackson, Wyo. The job comes with a competitive salary and a generous benefits package that includes a health care stipend, PTO, ski pass benefits, and retirement. The office is friendly and fun and staffers work hard to support each other and the TCSAR volunteers.

Interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter by April 30, 2023. 

Full office job description is below. To apply, please click the following link.

The Operations Coordinator for TCSAR Foundation will oversee the smooth operation of office administration, including:

Office Management 

• Manage office records and paperwork directly in line with requirements for state and federal policies for 501c3 management. 

• Manage the info@ email and office phone number, responding on behalf of TCSARF.

• Handle all QuickBooks & banking reconciling. Oversee staff credit cards, assure bookkeeping is accurate and expenses are correctly categorized.

• Banking oversight including transferring appropriate amounts into various accounts, managing account balances as needed.

• Manage all on site administrative financial duties including invoicing, reconciliation, and check requests. This requires close coordination with TCSAR Foundation external finance services.

• Work closely with the ED to coordinate HR-related activities, including benefits. 

• Assist in preparing for committee and board meetings, board retreats, and onboarding of new board members.  

• Manage Basecamp Board Documents folder. 

• Assist with communications with board and various committee members. (Take notes at meetings, manage subscriptions, etc) 

Fundraising and Communications  

• Assist with prospect research, donor cultivation, and grant preparation. 

• Aid in event planning, set up, and managing required services as necessary.

• Manage donor packet information in coordination with the Donor Relations Coordinator and Communications Director. 

• Work with the Communications Director to maintain the BC Zero and TCSAR website and email platforms.  

• Document all grant requests, applications, timelines and grant reports. 

What we are looking for:

Passion for TCSAR’s vision. 

Familiar with Teton County backcountry recreational opportunities.

Willingness to work hard, learn as you go and be part of a small nonprofit team.

Organized, detail oriented, strong communication and collaboration skills. 

Experience with Quickbooks, Google Drive and other online software programs.

About TCSAR Foundation: TCSAR Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports Teton County Search & Rescue volunteers through direct support, community education and advocacy. The Foundation works with various community groups on education and outreach opportunities and works with local and state agencies on issues that affect SAR funding, opportunities and advancement.

TCSAR Volunteers Stay Busy with Two Rescues in Two Days

Jackson, Wyo. — Teton County Search & Rescue volunteers were called out for rescues on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 28 and 29, with both incidents utilizing the team’s leased helicopter to help bring patients out of the backcountry.

Hwy 22 was briefly closed on the afternoon of March 29 so that TCSAR volunteers could create a landing zone for a rescue mission in Mail Cabin. The short-haul line is visible below the ship. Photo: TCSAR

On Tuesday, the call came in at 1:30 p.m. regarding an injured snowmobiler on Togwotee Pass. A man in his mid 50’s had sustained injuries when he rolled his sled during a guided snowmobile trip. The initial page also concerned a missing person from the same party who had become lost after trying to sled out of the backcountry to get help. That person was eventually located while TCSAR mobilized a ground team on snowmobiles and a team of volunteers in the helicopter.

The heli team flew to the accident site and the team was able to load the patient internally for a short flight to a landing zone (LZ) and waiting ambulance with Jackson Hole Fire/EMS at the Blackrock Ranger Station on Hwy 287.

On Wednesday, TCSAR was called at 11:47 a.m. by a skier who reported his partner was having a medical issue in Mail Cabin, to the west of Teton Pass. The skier had to leave his partner behind on the trail in order to ski out to find cell phone service. TCSAR initiated a helicopter response, with ground teams as backup in case the helicopter could not fly, and to secure an LZ at a parking lot or traffic pullout on Hwy 22. The team also put in a request for Air Idaho, a private air ambulance based in Driggs, in case the patient needed a flight to a regional hospital.

Initially, the TCSAR heli team could not pinpoint the exact location of the patient due to thick timber and steep ravine features of Mail Cabin. After circling the area numerous times, the team spotted the patient near a meadow about one mile from the Coal Creek parking lot. 

Teton County Sheriff Deputies were instrumental to help briefly close the highway as TCSAR volunteers rigged the ship for short-haul. Meanwhile, volunteers packaged the patient for flight and short-hauled him to an LZ on the highway, where he was transferred to an ambulance with Jackson Hole Fire/EMS. Further air resources were not needed, and all team members exited the field.