Teton County Idaho Search & Rescue: $2,000
The Community Foundation of Teton Valley is honored to award a $2,000 grant to Teton County Idaho Search and Rescue (TCISAR) to purchase five full-face helmets to provide more of its responders with the required level of personal protection to safely and effectively respond to emergencies that require motorized equipment such as motorcycles, ATV’s or snowmobiles. The Community Foundation supports ensuring that our first responders have the necessary equipment to execute safe and efficient rescues in the field.
TCISAR has seen a rise in the demand for professional rescue services in the outdoors. While calls for emergency assistance experienced by TCISAR during 2022 have dropped slightly, a statistic that reflects the reduction in tourism to the area. The number of calls for aid remains significantly above levels the organization experienced in pre-covid years. In 2021 it was recorded that callouts were 173% of the past 4-year average. By purchasing new helmets, TCISAR seeks to ensure that it can continue to meet the community’s needs by training more team members in moto-specific rescue (any rescue involving motorized equipment: ATVs, trail motorcycles/dirtbikes, and snowmobiles). Since TCISAR is made up of volunteers, participation on callouts is variable. It cannot predict which team members will be available when emergency assistance is needed. As such, TCISAR recognizes the advantage of training multiple volunteers in various rescue-related skills. The purchase of new helmets would help to accommodate more of its team members by providing additional sizes and allowing more members to participate, subsequently reducing variability during urgent rescue missions.
Having functioning, safe helmets that TCISAR can rely on is essential for its work as an organization. This equipment supports TCISAR’s mission to promote a message of responsibility in the outdoors while ensuring the safety of its members so they can continue to serve the Teton Valley community.
With the increase in outdoor recreational activity in Teton Valley, the Community Foundation commends the vital work of TCISAR and its efforts to secure the appropriate equipment to provide its essential public service to the community safely.
