10/2/2009 3:29:59 PMTeton County Search and Rescue is in the middle of attempting to build a much-needed emergency services building and heliport. As residents, we wanted to let you know that we have submitted documents to Teton County and the Town of Jackson to build on Hwy 22, ¼ mile south east of Spring Gulch Road. This facility will be built on land the county specifically leased for this intent. Funding for this project has been secured through grants, private contributions and from the State of Wyoming. Once the paperwork is approved, citizens will have a chance to voice their opinions about the proposed building before it is voted on by Teton County Commissioners.

Why a New Facility? Why Now?
Teton County Search and Rescue has been operating out of a garage unit south of the Town of Jackson. The space has proven to be lacking for the growing needs of our community. Because of the current situation, volunteer members spend valuable days each year moving equipment in and out of storage and "hoping" that when a call comes in the equipment most readily available is actually what they need. Our volunteers and our local citizens, you included, need a better system. The state land was selected because of accessibility, ease of radio communication and the ability to secure the site against unauthorized use. Also this site enables the best response to all areas of the county. The fact that the property is just outside of the city limits mitigates traffic congestion when responding to incidents. Plus, its central location improves response time to all parts of Teton County. With this new facility, all TCSAR gear will be stored in a single location, which allows for access to all of the equipment, all the time. This means shorter response times, better-equipped volunteers, and more hours during the year spent on training. All in all, better service for everyone who enjoys spending time outdoors in our valley.
Why a Heliport?
Currently, Search and Rescue uses space at Jackson Hole Aviation to store the helicopter we lease during the winter months. Current problems exist with this situation. Helicopters and airplanes do not coexist well. Helicopters need to land in close proximity to the hanger. Since the helicopter has to fly near multi-million dollar private jets the down draft of the blades pick up ice and gravel and spray this material into the other aircraft resulting in damage to these aircraft.
Fueling has also been a very big concern. The TCSAR helicopter needs to be stored with minimum fuel to be mission-ready for high altitude/close proximity rescues. When a rescue mission exceeds that parameter, the helicopter fuel level needs to be topped off to accommodate the further operating distance. The first priority for fueling at the Jackson airport is the commercial aircraft. Often TCSAR has to wait 45 minutes or longer to obtain fuel, greatly increasing our response time to an emergency where every minute matters. By adding a heliport to our new building, we will be able to lower response times.
More questions?
Please feel free to call Doug, Teton County SAR Coordinator at (307) 733-4052 with any questions or concerns.
Comments?
Comments can be submitted to the following:
Teton County Commissioners: commissioners@tetonwyo.org
Town of Jackson Council Members: (307) 733-3932
Jackson Hole News and Guide: editor@jhnewsandguide.com
What is TCSAR?
Teton County Search and Rescue is a non-profit organization (501c3) created in 1993 to provide vital Search & Rescue services to Teton County and surrounding areas. Comprehensive rescue services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in order to respond to the needs of a wide range of backcountry users. Volunteer members train in swift water rescue, high angle rescue, avalanche safety, caving, location of downed aircraft using ELT's, helicopter safety and rescue maneuvers, tracking, navigation, snowmobiling, skiing, emergency medicine, personal safety, and backcountry survival. TCSAR responded to 71 rescues in 2008 with the average mission lasting 5.5 hours.
TCSAR Facility Application part 1 (3.8 MB pdf)
TCSAR Facility Application part 2 (7.9 MB pdf)
TCSAR Facility Application EA Report (13.7 MB pdf)