February 03, 2010
Idaho and Wyoming work for better search and rescue coordination.
A change in policy is in the works that will put Teton County, Idaho, Search and Rescue in command of operations in Wyoming onf the far west side of the Teton Range until Wyoming Search and Rescue in on scene. This area includes Grand Targhee Resort.The death of a New York man in January prompted a debriefing between Idaho and Wyoming Search and Rescue and Grand Targhee Ski Patrol where issues of communication, command and control were reviewed.
Following the debriefing, Teton County, Idaho, Sheriff Tony Liford and Teton County, Wyo., Sheriff Jim Whalen concluded that policy needed to be elaborated upon with regard to the mutual aid agreement that already exists between the two states. While a policy of reciprocity was signed into effect for law enforcement between the two states’ agencies, Whalen said the language with regard to search and rescue operations was vague, placing Idaho in a role of assistance rather than command. Ambulance service in the Wyoming section of Teton Valley is contracted through Teton County, Idaho.
“I am in the throes of writing a policy that will specifically state that Idaho Search and Rescue has command and control until Wyoming has boots on the ground,” Whalen said of incidents that occur in the eastern part of Teton Valley that is in Wyoming.
With a mutual aid agreement that was recently codified by politicians in Wyoming, Whalen did not want to put a new agreement through that same process. Instead, Whalen will not recommend an addendum to the policy; rather, he will propose a supplement to the existing mutual aid agreement.
While Whalen is working on the language to supplement the agreement between Idaho and Wyoming, it was agreed between both sheriffs’ departments that Idaho will assume command and control in Teton Valley until Wyoming in on scene.
“I think we’ve got a system in the interim that can limit any issues,” Whalen said.
The incident that occurred last month prompting this new system sent Idaho Search and Rescue crews to Grand Targhee Resort, located in Wyoming, the evening of Jan. 19. The Teton County Idaho Sheriff’s dispatch received a 911 call from Eddie Fitzgerald, 49, of New York, who said he had skied outside the northern boundary of the resort and into South Leigh Canyon. Idaho Search and Rescue was called to assist its Wyoming counterpart, but problems with communication resulted in the suspension of the search for the man until the following morning.
Fitzgerald was spotted by a Wyoming Search and Rescue helicopter the following morning, but when reached by rescuers was found unresponsive and severly hypothermic. He was flown to St. John's Medical Center in Jackson, where he was pronounced dead later that day.
Despite the pending supplement to Idaho and Wyoming’s mutual aid agreement, both states’ search and rescue units are nonprofit arms of their respective sheriff’s departments. With no financial support from the Fire District, Teton County, Idaho, Search and Rescue receives a line item from the sheriff’s department budget for equipment and training. This year, that amount was $2,000.
While Teton County, Idaho, Search and Rescue has responded to incidents over the past few weeks with several teams, it is important to understand that these teams consist of volunteers. No negotiations have been made to incorporate search and rescue into the taxing district that funds fire protection in Teton County, Idaho.
