A Brief Line on the Short Haul: Get to Know TCSAR Volunteer Jon Wiedie

This week, as part of our “Heli-Yes!” campaign, we're profiling Jon Wiedie, a TCSAR volunteer since 2004. Originally from Bolton, Connecticut, Wiedie just finished his 26th year in Jackson. His intro to the area was as a summer employee at Yellowstone’s Roosevelt Lodge in 1991. The next summer, he volunteered for the Forest Service in Driggs, Idaho, and completed his schooling at the University of Montana in Missoula, in 1994. He then moved to Jackson and says “it all fell into place.” As a TCSAR volunteer, he has the unique perspective of being both rescuer and rescuee. In 2016, he joined the short-haul squad. 

Through the pandemic, Wiedie has been skiing, biking, and kayaking, and jokes that one of the highlights is that there haven’t been as many people around. “I’m generally crowd averse,” he says, “so this actually works great for me!” 

Why should people support Heli-Yes?

JW: The helicopter invariably increases our response time by 20 fold. You just can’t match the lives it saves, and the resources it saves by reducing the number of people in danger. It’s a really effective and efficient way to help people in need despite the risks, which is going to be involved in any rescue.

What motivated you to become a TCSAR volunteer? 

My mom was always encouraging me to give back to the community. That’s what she’s done. She just turned 78 and is still an avid volunteer. To a large degree she’s been prodding me that if you’re staying somewhere, you should give back your time.

 Why did you want to join the short-haul team?

In the spirit of being adventurous, as we all are on the team, it seemed like an exciting thing to do and be a part of, and help folks out of trouble in a more efficient manner.

 What are some of the important factors of being on the short-haul team?

We follow the mantra: Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. We use that in the swiftwater world, too. You have to see the big picture while also being able to focus on the little details. 

 What is the most challenging aspect of short haul?

For me, it was getting used to trusting the gear. When you’re taking a long flight and you’re way up there, it can be hard to relax. The more I’m around a helicopter, the more I’m aware of it. It’s a fragile means of rescue but also very effective. I just tune it out and stay focused on what’s right in front of me, and trust the pilot is going to be where they need to be. We have a symbiotic relationship of trusting each other and having a system down between the individual and the pilot, so you have to have a lot of trust. 

The relationship between pilot and short-haulers is built on trust and a lot of training. Photo: Jen Reddy/TCSAR

Has your time on TCSAR changed the way you approach the backcountry?

I think my approach has become more conservative just based on my own near misses. I’ve been buried in an avalanche, broken my neck, and had a couple of close calls, which for the most part happened before I was involved in SAR. But in 2010, I had to call the team with a broken neck. I was skiing in Rock Springs and hit a tree (outside the JHMR boundary). I had a highly unstable fracture and had to be flown out. Thankfully I had my phone where I needed it, and some good luck.

 In your time at TCSAR, what or who has been your biggest influence? 

The team. I don’t do the team sport thing, but if there’s one thing that I feel proud of and have an affinity for, it’s being a part of this great group of folks.

What has been the biggest reward of being a volunteer?

Being a part of the community I’ve chosen to make my life in, and being able to help out. Seeing people around who are like, ‘Hey man, thanks for what you did.’ The response we get from folks we have helped, whether local or visitor, it’s rewarding to see how appreciative people are. 

What music are you currently listening to?

John Prine, Brandi Carlile, Folky Americana.

 If you could have one meal the rest of your life, what would it be?

My mother's spaghetti and meat sauce. 

What do you do when you are not Search and Rescuing?

Trying not to get search and rescued again. I’m one of many here, biking and kayaking and skiing, and trying to make a living and keep it going.

Jackson Hole News & Guide Guest Shot Explains the Need for Expanded Heli Program

The following essay was written by TCSAR Foundation Communications Director Matt Hansen, and published in the Jackson Hole News & Guide on May 6, 2020.

If there’s one thing these weeks of isolation have taught us, it’s that we shouldn’t take for granted the things we hold most dear. Though it shouldn’t take a global pandemic to make us appreciate family, friends and a healthy supply of toilet paper, it’s easy to get caught up in the daily stresses of paying bills, getting to work on time, making sure the kids are doing well at school and having enough energy to get up and go on the next powder day.

The pandemic has also shown us how important it is for our community to have accessible backcountry. With the ski areas and Grand Teton National Park closed, U.S. Forest Service trailheads are setting records for user days. Recreating on public lands has always been integral to the culture and economy of Jackson, and it will continue to be when this pandemic finally fades.

Throughout the health crisis Teton County Search and Rescue has been in a unique position to assess those values. As first responders the team of 36 volunteers is acutely aware of the risks of being exposed to the virus. But they also recognize how important backcountry use is to everyone’s mental and physical health during difficult times. Throughout the past few weeks I’ve often run into Search and Rescue team members up on Snow King, Teton Pass or Cache Creek, each sporting hearty smiles. For them, accessing the backcountry is a way to help balance work, family and life while staying ready to respond to emergencies.

“By far the best tool is a team working together toward a common goal. A close second is a rescue-ready helicopter. The speed of a helicopter allows the team members to be quick and concise, access rugged terrain and reduce their own risk in the field.”

Search and Rescue volunteers are also extremely cognizant of how important family is, as they have seen the raw, life-altering grief that occurs when a loved one doesn’t come home from the mountains. They’ve also experienced the outpouring of love when they are able to reunite people with their family.

It is through this lens that the team tries to find the best tools for saving lives. By far the best tool is a team working together toward a common goal. A close second is a rescue-ready helicopter. The speed of a helicopter allows the team members to be quick and concise, access rugged terrain and reduce their own risk in the field.

To meet the needs of our community, Teton County Search and Rescue has long sought year-round emergency helicopter service. This past fall Search and Rescue, through the Sheriff’s Office, brought in a new heli program with that direction in mind. The improved program means the county uses the same helicopter and pilot as the National Park Service and Bridger-Teton National Forest during the summer months, which enables a seamless transition between the seasons. Other benefits include enabling volunteers to train with local ski patrols in the fall so the teams are ready to work together before ski season begins.

But helicopters are expensive, and the TCSAR Foundation, which supports the volunteers, needs to raise private donations in order to maintain this life-saving service in the months of April/May and October/November. The foundation has already received $80,000 from generous donors that will now be used to match all donations until the end of May. To meet our goal we are relying on the community to help us raise another $80,000 during our annual “Heli-Yes!” campaign. Every donation helps, no matter how small, and it all goes toward saving lives.

So why do we need an offseason rescue helicopter, and why is it worth supporting?

“In 2019, community support of Heli-Yes ensured the helicopter’s readiness during that critical period and helped save the lives of four people. They were skiers, hikers, and hunters — people with families.”

Teton County Search and Rescue averages 80 to 100 callouts a year, with approximately 20 to 25 helicopter missions. Spring and fall account for about one-fifth of all helicopter operations, but you don’t have to be an old-timer to recognize how much busier our offseasons have become. Spring ski mountaineering in the Tetons has grown so popular that one of the many hazards skiers now face is other skiers. In 2019, community support of Heli-Yes ensured the helicopter’s readiness during that critical period and helped save the lives of four people. They were skiers, hikers, and hunters — people with families.

One of them was Preston Reidy, a 24-year-old who lives in Telluride, Colorado. On Oct. 16 he and his girlfriend, enjoying a road trip before the start of winter, had set up a hammock on a couple of trees near Amphitheater Lake in Grand Teton National Park. They were relaxing among the grandeur when one of the trees broke, hit Reidy in the head and sent him into a seizure. The TCSAR helicopter was able to extract him via short-haul right before nightfall, quickly concluding a rescue that would have taken a ground team several hours. Reidy knows things could have turned out differently.

“Without having a helicopter in the offseason,” he said, “I could’ve died or been permanently disabled.”

During these uncertain times we are aware of the difficulties of asking people to support a rescue helicopter when they are also trying to pay rent and put food on the table. But as we all know, the Jackson Hole backcountry is going to continue to be a huge part of our culture and economy, and we need to be prepared as a community to respond to accidents. By having a rescue-ready helicopter throughout the year, Teton County Search and Rescue will be able to save more lives. When it comes to the Jackson Hole backcountry, there is no offseason.

A Brief Line on the Short-Haul: Meet the Volunteers who make our Heli Go Round

Key to our helicopter program are the people who make it work. Over the next few weeks during our Heli-Yes! campaign, we'll highlight some of the men and women who volunteer on the short-haul team. First up is Will Smith, a native of Wheatland, Wyoming, and TCSAR volunteer since 2004. Smith has been on the frontline of the pandemic as an ER doctor at St. John's Health. He is also a father, a UAV-drone pilot (a skill he learned from his 14-year-old son), and a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves who served multiple deployments, including at the Al Asad, Ibn Sina/Baghdad ER in 2009, and Abu Ghraib in 2005-06. We are tremendously fortunate to have Dr. Smith among our ranks, both on the team in the community.

One of the best ways to support our volunteers like Dr. Smith is to make a donation to Heli-Yes! The program ensures expanded helicopter rescue service, and supplies the team with adequate professional training.

Photo: David Bowers

How has the pandemic affected you?
I've had to be careful and more aware of exposure from potential patients. I've also been activated with my Army Reserve hat to help support the federal and military response here in Jackson. I'm serving as the Branch Chief/Medical Director of EMS and Disaster Medicine for the U.S. Army Office of the Surgeon General - G34 Mission Assurance Office. Overall we have not seen the case load and severity as other areas of the country and world.

What motivated you to become a TCSAR volunteer? 

I love being able to take my medical skills to patients in challenging environments.  As well as when we are doing training and callouts, I get to hang out with all my SAR family!

Why did you want to join the short-haul team?
Short-haul was the natural extension to reach patients in even more remote/technical terrain and provide medical care. Being able to short-haul into the cardiac arrest rescue on Maverick up in Grand Teton National Park a few years ago was a career all-time life saved. Without all the links of the 'chain of survival' and our interagency SAR team skills with short-haul, early AED deployment, well trained personal, etc., the patient would not have lived. It is a pinnacle case of what short-haul allows us to do to save people in remote/technical environments. (Note: You can hear how this dramatic story unfolds in Episode 8—"A Maverick Rescue"—of The Fine Line podcast.)

How does someone become a short-haul team member?

There are several factors that the SAR board evaluates for short-haul team members. Some of the factors are availability, speciality skills (medical, technical skills, etc.), and experience. 

What is the most challenging aspect of short-haul?

Managing all the technical components to the short-haul, ensuring 100% safety, while taking care of a patient. 

Why do you think the community should support Heli-Yes?
It is able to save a life, as described above with the Maverick incident. Without short-haul, we would not have been able to access the patient so quickly, and with cardiac arrests, seconds count.

What music are you currently listening to?
My son has been on a reggae kick, so lots of that recently.

If you had to have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Chicken and Tofu Pad Thai, with 2 stars!