WEBVTT 1 00:00:07.273 --> 00:00:09.209 Man: This is a young kid who's been sitting in pain 2 00:00:09.242 --> 00:00:10.377 for a couple of hours. 3 00:00:10.410 --> 00:00:12.979 So we want to get there as fast as we can. 4 00:00:13.013 --> 00:00:15.015 Man #2: We're pushing the envelope 5 00:00:15.048 --> 00:00:18.118 because we were very concerned with him being hypothermic. 6 00:00:26.593 --> 00:00:28.461 Man #1: We have limited information. 7 00:00:28.495 --> 00:00:31.431 There's a possibility of an open or closed fracture. 8 00:00:31.464 --> 00:00:34.200 Stevens: We're just gonna roll him over on his back. Okay? 9 00:00:34.234 --> 00:00:35.535 And this is gonna hurt. -Trevor: Oh, God! 10 00:00:35.568 --> 00:00:39.105 -Stevens: You got it, buddy! -Trevor: Oh, God! Ah! 11 00:00:41.074 --> 00:00:47.814 ♪ Amazing grace 12 00:00:47.847 --> 00:00:54.821 ♪ How sweet the sound 13 00:00:54.854 --> 00:01:08.334 ♪ That saved a wretch like me ♪ 14 00:01:08.368 --> 00:01:15.308 ♪ I once was lost 15 00:01:15.341 --> 00:01:23.183 ♪ But now I'm found 16 00:01:23.216 --> 00:01:25.652 Trevor: Ah, God! 17 00:01:30.123 --> 00:01:32.425 ♪ Was blind 18 00:01:32.459 --> 00:01:36.563 ♪ But now I see 19 00:01:42.535 --> 00:01:44.471 Narrator: There's no doubting the allure 20 00:01:44.504 --> 00:01:47.006 of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. 21 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:49.109 It's drawn the most daring among us 22 00:01:49.142 --> 00:01:51.978 since the days of the mountain men. 23 00:01:52.011 --> 00:01:56.416 These high peaks, rushing rivers 24 00:01:56.449 --> 00:01:59.986 and rare wildlife inspire adventures 25 00:02:00.019 --> 00:02:01.654 that can continue to push 26 00:02:01.688 --> 00:02:04.858 even the hardiest souls to the brink. 27 00:02:04.891 --> 00:02:08.795 In America's ongoing showdown between people and mountains, 28 00:02:08.828 --> 00:02:11.231 this is center stage. 29 00:02:11.264 --> 00:02:13.566 This is Jackson Hole backcountry, 30 00:02:13.600 --> 00:02:16.302 a vast wilderness that spreads across Yellowstone 31 00:02:16.336 --> 00:02:19.038 and Grand Teton National Parks. 32 00:02:19.072 --> 00:02:21.841 This is where locals and the hordes of visitors 33 00:02:21.875 --> 00:02:24.377 come to test themselves. 34 00:02:29.916 --> 00:02:32.218 Out here, there's little room for error. 35 00:02:32.252 --> 00:02:34.821 In fact, it takes a local's knowledge to survive 36 00:02:34.854 --> 00:02:37.023 the worst the Tetons can throw at you. 37 00:02:37.056 --> 00:02:38.725 There are no shortcuts, 38 00:02:38.758 --> 00:02:41.261 just lifelong experience bottled up 39 00:02:41.294 --> 00:02:44.230 inside veteran Teton County Search and Rescue volunteers 40 00:02:44.264 --> 00:02:46.199 like Phil Tucker, 41 00:02:46.232 --> 00:02:49.202 who goes by the nickname "Flip." 42 00:02:49.235 --> 00:02:50.803 Tucker: Come on, big guy. 43 00:02:50.837 --> 00:02:52.272 As far as my team goes, 44 00:02:52.305 --> 00:02:54.274 I'm probably the biggest hillbilly on the team. 45 00:02:54.307 --> 00:02:57.577 And I'm sure a lot of the guys and gals would agree to that. 46 00:02:57.610 --> 00:02:59.179 People look at me and the trucks I drive. 47 00:02:59.212 --> 00:03:02.815 I don't have a, uh, a Prius. I don't have one of those. 48 00:03:02.849 --> 00:03:04.617 So you can see my sweatshirt. 49 00:03:04.651 --> 00:03:06.052 I'm all about Wyoming. 50 00:03:06.085 --> 00:03:08.821 From the time I was 9 years old, 51 00:03:08.855 --> 00:03:11.624 my folks took me in the mountains on horseback. 52 00:03:11.658 --> 00:03:14.627 This is what we did for fun. 53 00:03:14.661 --> 00:03:17.063 By doing that, you know a lot of territory. 54 00:03:17.096 --> 00:03:18.498 You've seen a lot of things. 55 00:03:18.531 --> 00:03:20.967 And that's, I guess, what I mean by being a hillbilly. 56 00:03:25.238 --> 00:03:26.673 Narrator: With his bow and his horse, 57 00:03:26.706 --> 00:03:29.108 Flip prowls the backcountry looking for new spots 58 00:03:29.142 --> 00:03:32.745 to set up his annual elk camp. 59 00:03:32.779 --> 00:03:35.415 All that time in the saddle gradually turned Flip 60 00:03:35.448 --> 00:03:37.383 into a human GPS beacon. 61 00:03:37.417 --> 00:03:38.985 Tucker: They have a GPS location. 62 00:03:39.018 --> 00:03:40.086 And I said, "Well, I've been there. 63 00:03:40.119 --> 00:03:41.554 I can get you in," that kind of thing. 64 00:03:41.588 --> 00:03:43.656 And that's why they always ask me, "How do we do this? 65 00:03:43.690 --> 00:03:45.725 How do we get into this particular spot?" 66 00:03:45.758 --> 00:03:47.393 Narrator: He's one of fastest first responders 67 00:03:47.427 --> 00:03:51.598 because he's raced to rescues since he was a teenager. 68 00:03:51.631 --> 00:03:53.700 Tucker: I was 13, 14 years old, I guess. 69 00:03:53.733 --> 00:03:55.902 That was my first taste of Search and Rescue, 70 00:03:55.935 --> 00:03:58.104 which I dug, of course. 71 00:03:58.137 --> 00:04:00.640 I felt good because they asked us to help them. 72 00:04:00.673 --> 00:04:02.442 And we knew that we could. 73 00:04:10.483 --> 00:04:12.452 Narrator: Teton County Search and Rescue volunteers, 74 00:04:12.485 --> 00:04:17.690 like Flip, are on-call 24/7, 365. 75 00:04:17.724 --> 00:04:19.692 So when emergency calls come in, 76 00:04:19.726 --> 00:04:22.061 they push the pause button on their lives 77 00:04:22.095 --> 00:04:24.063 and head to the hangar, 78 00:04:24.097 --> 00:04:25.798 the team's home base, 79 00:04:25.832 --> 00:04:27.200 where Search and Rescue coordinator 80 00:04:27.233 --> 00:04:29.736 Jess King keeps the 40 members busy 81 00:04:29.769 --> 00:04:32.105 with training year-round. 82 00:04:32.138 --> 00:04:33.306 King: I'm at the hangar. 83 00:04:33.339 --> 00:04:36.743 We've got a full crew here we can send in. 84 00:04:36.776 --> 00:04:38.645 I'm the only paid person on Search and Rescue. 85 00:04:38.678 --> 00:04:41.281 And I work for the Teton County Sheriff's Office. 86 00:04:41.314 --> 00:04:43.783 I'm here every day, 40 hours a week. 87 00:04:43.816 --> 00:04:45.752 Jackson's pretty unique in the sense 88 00:04:45.785 --> 00:04:48.554 that people move here to re-create. 89 00:04:48.588 --> 00:04:50.423 They visit here to re-create. 90 00:04:50.456 --> 00:04:52.959 I think we draw a unique crowd 91 00:04:52.992 --> 00:04:55.028 that likes to push the envelope. 92 00:04:55.061 --> 00:04:58.164 So Search and Rescue has to be very highly skilled 93 00:04:58.197 --> 00:04:59.699 and highly trained. 94 00:05:01.801 --> 00:05:03.236 Can you run through a safety check 95 00:05:03.269 --> 00:05:04.637 with everyone who's going? -Tucker: Yes. 96 00:05:04.671 --> 00:05:05.905 King: I will send you coordinates. 97 00:05:05.938 --> 00:05:08.174 You are the team leader for that group. 98 00:05:08.207 --> 00:05:09.876 Tucker: Perfect. 99 00:05:09.909 --> 00:05:11.811 Narrator: Under Flip's wing today 100 00:05:11.844 --> 00:05:13.212 is rookie Anthony Stevens, 101 00:05:13.246 --> 00:05:15.515 who must ace a year-long training program 102 00:05:15.548 --> 00:05:18.685 to earn a permanent spot on the team. 103 00:05:18.718 --> 00:05:20.320 Tucker: Anthony is a great guy. 104 00:05:20.353 --> 00:05:21.988 He was born and raised in Jackson. 105 00:05:22.021 --> 00:05:23.556 He went to the same high school I did. 106 00:05:23.589 --> 00:05:25.325 He wants to be the best. 107 00:05:25.358 --> 00:05:27.627 He wants to be a guy that can go in there and do it all, 108 00:05:27.660 --> 00:05:29.062 which is great for Search and Rescue. 109 00:05:29.095 --> 00:05:30.530 Stevens: This is what you got for folks 110 00:05:30.563 --> 00:05:31.664 that are here right now. 111 00:05:31.698 --> 00:05:33.666 And then these are people that can... 112 00:05:33.700 --> 00:05:34.967 Tucker: 'Kay. 113 00:05:35.001 --> 00:05:37.837 Stevens: ...can ride sleds. 114 00:05:37.870 --> 00:05:42.208 Tucker: Today, we are going out on the snowmobile to practice. 115 00:05:42.241 --> 00:05:44.544 Stevens: We're gonna go out. And we're gonna ride the trails, 116 00:05:44.577 --> 00:05:45.578 practice these skills, 117 00:05:45.611 --> 00:05:48.815 practice getting to know the machines. 118 00:05:48.848 --> 00:05:50.283 Narrator: If Anthony wants 119 00:05:50.316 --> 00:05:53.286 to succeed on Flip's Search and Rescue snowmobile team, 120 00:05:53.319 --> 00:05:57.223 he needs to learn how to ride around Togwotee Pass, 121 00:05:57.256 --> 00:06:00.426 Wyoming's most demanding sled-proving grounds. 122 00:06:03.329 --> 00:06:04.564 Tucker: Oh. I mean... 123 00:06:04.597 --> 00:06:06.733 Stevens: Aw, dude. Seriously. 124 00:06:09.702 --> 00:06:11.971 Togwotee's this amazing area in -- 125 00:06:12.004 --> 00:06:15.541 in Wyoming that you have so many different types of terrain. 126 00:06:16.876 --> 00:06:18.678 You can go for hundreds of miles 127 00:06:18.711 --> 00:06:22.515 just looping these trails together. 128 00:06:22.548 --> 00:06:25.385 Narrator: Togwotee Pass remains Flip's home turf, 129 00:06:25.418 --> 00:06:28.888 where he comes to be challenged in the deep snow. 130 00:06:28.921 --> 00:06:30.223 Stevens: Flip's an excellent rider. 131 00:06:30.256 --> 00:06:32.492 He has intimate knowledge of the area. 132 00:06:32.525 --> 00:06:33.693 It doesn't seem like there's anybody out there 133 00:06:33.726 --> 00:06:35.895 that knows Togwotee as well as he does. 134 00:06:39.499 --> 00:06:42.135 Tucker: On a good powder day, it's like riding the clouds. 135 00:06:46.572 --> 00:06:48.241 Stevens: He's also super patient 136 00:06:48.274 --> 00:06:51.244 with teaching us new folks snowmobiling skills. 137 00:06:51.277 --> 00:06:52.445 Tucker: We're going in right there. 138 00:06:52.478 --> 00:06:54.280 And then we're gonna hit this area right in here, 139 00:06:54.313 --> 00:06:57.717 which I feel is one of the best places to ride. 140 00:06:59.986 --> 00:07:02.488 Narrator: Flip's speed and agility on a snowmobile 141 00:07:02.522 --> 00:07:05.958 pays off when he rushes to the scene of accidents. 142 00:07:05.992 --> 00:07:08.528 Then when it's time to haul patients to safety, 143 00:07:08.561 --> 00:07:11.063 he knows how to ride smoothly through the backcountry. 144 00:07:11.097 --> 00:07:14.867 So bad injuries aren't made worse by a bumpy ride. 145 00:07:27.280 --> 00:07:28.848 Stevens: Goal for today was to get out 146 00:07:28.881 --> 00:07:30.583 and see what the trail was like 147 00:07:30.616 --> 00:07:33.753 and to see how all the sleds performed. 148 00:07:33.786 --> 00:07:35.721 Narrator: Anthony appreciates the one-on-one time 149 00:07:35.755 --> 00:07:38.157 with Flip because he's fighting to control more 150 00:07:38.191 --> 00:07:40.726 than just this powerful machine. 151 00:07:40.760 --> 00:07:42.261 He might be part of one of the most elite 152 00:07:42.295 --> 00:07:44.630 search-and-rescue teams on the planet. 153 00:07:44.664 --> 00:07:45.998 But there was a time 154 00:07:46.032 --> 00:07:48.534 when Flip would've left Anthony in the dust. 155 00:07:48.568 --> 00:07:50.069 Stevens: 10 years ago, 156 00:07:50.102 --> 00:07:51.471 there's no way I could've physically been on this team. 157 00:07:51.504 --> 00:07:53.372 I was close to 300 pounds. 158 00:07:53.406 --> 00:07:56.542 I had forced myself into type 2 diabetes. 159 00:07:56.576 --> 00:07:57.677 And that was a light switch for me. 160 00:07:57.710 --> 00:07:59.745 And I completely switched myself around. 161 00:07:59.779 --> 00:08:02.515 I started eating better, more exercise. 162 00:08:02.548 --> 00:08:05.318 I dropped 100 and some odd pounds. 163 00:08:05.351 --> 00:08:06.486 Wrong trail, bud. Yeah. 164 00:08:06.519 --> 00:08:09.288 We're going down. I've got a kid. 165 00:08:09.322 --> 00:08:11.557 And I want to stay physically active. 166 00:08:11.591 --> 00:08:14.060 I want him to have a love for the outdoors. 167 00:08:14.093 --> 00:08:17.663 And I want to spend time getting him to know this valley 168 00:08:17.697 --> 00:08:19.198 as I did as a kid. 169 00:08:19.232 --> 00:08:21.200 Oh, yeah! There you are. 170 00:08:21.234 --> 00:08:23.202 I have a lot of pride being on this team 171 00:08:23.236 --> 00:08:24.437 because it's sort of a culmination 172 00:08:24.470 --> 00:08:25.638 of what you work for 173 00:08:25.671 --> 00:08:27.840 when you put your mind to something. 174 00:08:30.676 --> 00:08:32.044 Narrator: Over the last several months, 175 00:08:32.078 --> 00:08:35.147 Anthony has felt overwhelmed by rookie training, 176 00:08:35.181 --> 00:08:39.118 including tough classes in first responder emergency medicine. 177 00:08:43.823 --> 00:08:45.658 Stevens: I do get anxious about the things 178 00:08:45.691 --> 00:08:46.792 that I might fall short on. 179 00:08:46.826 --> 00:08:48.227 I want to focus on the skills 180 00:08:48.261 --> 00:08:50.930 that are needed to get this person out. 181 00:08:50.963 --> 00:08:52.665 You want to make sure that you're prepared 182 00:08:52.698 --> 00:08:54.367 when the pager goes off. 183 00:08:54.400 --> 00:08:56.435 Uh, sometimes, I -- I still feel like an imposter 184 00:08:56.469 --> 00:08:58.204 when I pull up, like, "Wow. Should I be here? 185 00:08:58.237 --> 00:08:59.772 Do I actually belong in here?" 186 00:08:59.805 --> 00:09:01.641 It's still sort of a pinch-yourself, 187 00:09:01.674 --> 00:09:02.842 where you're like, "Yeah. 188 00:09:02.875 --> 00:09:04.744 We've worked hard to get to this point." 189 00:09:15.555 --> 00:09:16.722 Narrator: Just as Anthony and Flip 190 00:09:16.756 --> 00:09:18.457 are parking the snowmobiles, 191 00:09:18.491 --> 00:09:21.661 a call comes in from back at Togwotee Pass. 192 00:09:23.829 --> 00:09:25.164 There's a 14-year-old boy 193 00:09:25.197 --> 00:09:27.967 in need of immediate medical care in the backcountry. 194 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:30.770 Anthony is at the hangar and ready to go. 195 00:09:30.803 --> 00:09:32.271 Tucker: Put your teams together. 196 00:09:32.305 --> 00:09:33.773 Get it organized. 197 00:09:33.806 --> 00:09:36.776 Narrator: Jess takes over as Incident Commander at the hangar 198 00:09:36.809 --> 00:09:38.110 while Anthony joins Flip's 199 00:09:38.144 --> 00:09:40.546 first-responding snowmobile team. 200 00:09:40.580 --> 00:09:42.148 He might be a rookie, 201 00:09:42.181 --> 00:09:43.583 but today, because Anthony has 202 00:09:43.616 --> 00:09:45.918 the most backcountry first aid training, 203 00:09:45.952 --> 00:09:48.654 he's suddenly thrust into the role of Medical Lead. 204 00:09:48.688 --> 00:09:50.590 So it's a race to get to the scene 205 00:09:50.623 --> 00:09:52.558 before darkness descends. 206 00:09:52.592 --> 00:09:54.627 And temperatures drop into the single digits, 207 00:09:54.660 --> 00:09:57.229 bringing on the threat of hypothermia. 208 00:09:57.263 --> 00:09:59.265 Tucker: 'Kay. Let's go. 209 00:10:12.712 --> 00:10:14.780 Narrator: Teton County Search and Rescuers Flip Tucker 210 00:10:14.814 --> 00:10:16.115 and Anthony Stevens 211 00:10:16.148 --> 00:10:18.718 are called out to care for a 14-year-old snowmobiler 212 00:10:18.751 --> 00:10:21.354 with an undisclosed leg injury. 213 00:10:21.387 --> 00:10:23.089 Anthony works as a wilderness educator 214 00:10:23.122 --> 00:10:25.091 for the National Outdoor Leadership School. 215 00:10:25.124 --> 00:10:27.426 So he's dealt with injuries in the backcountry. 216 00:10:27.460 --> 00:10:30.663 But he's never overseen a rescue for this team. 217 00:10:37.336 --> 00:10:39.338 The exact location of the snowmobiler crash 218 00:10:39.372 --> 00:10:40.539 remains unknown. 219 00:10:40.573 --> 00:10:42.375 All the team knows is the boy's hurt 220 00:10:42.408 --> 00:10:44.343 and in danger of becoming hypothermic 221 00:10:44.377 --> 00:10:46.512 somewhere around Togwotee Pass, 222 00:10:46.545 --> 00:10:47.880 where the winter temperatures can swing 223 00:10:47.913 --> 00:10:49.448 from just above freezing 224 00:10:49.482 --> 00:10:51.784 to 20-below-zero in a single day. 225 00:10:51.817 --> 00:10:53.519 Stevens: My understanding is the patient has been out 226 00:10:53.552 --> 00:10:56.322 for, uh, a couple of hours now in the snow. 227 00:10:56.355 --> 00:10:58.324 Hypothermia is a real concern. 228 00:10:58.357 --> 00:10:59.992 Narrator: Hypothermia sets in 229 00:11:00.026 --> 00:11:01.961 when a person's body temperature 230 00:11:01.994 --> 00:11:04.063 drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit. 231 00:11:04.096 --> 00:11:05.698 Young victims, like the injured boy, 232 00:11:05.731 --> 00:11:07.867 don't have a lot of insulating body fat. 233 00:11:07.900 --> 00:11:09.602 So they're at greater risk, 234 00:11:09.635 --> 00:11:12.571 especially if they're hurt and lying in the snow. 235 00:11:16.442 --> 00:11:18.077 This is Incident Command, 236 00:11:18.110 --> 00:11:21.147 where Jess listens in and coaches over the radio. 237 00:11:25.918 --> 00:11:27.787 King: Anthony, he loves to learn. 238 00:11:27.820 --> 00:11:30.022 He always wants to learn more and do better. 239 00:11:30.056 --> 00:11:33.659 He puts an enormous amount of energy into his training. 240 00:11:33.693 --> 00:11:37.730 He wants to be able to do whatever we throw at him. 241 00:11:37.763 --> 00:11:40.099 Narrator: Anthony is the on-scene EMT. 242 00:11:40.132 --> 00:11:42.268 He must stabilize the boy's leg 243 00:11:42.301 --> 00:11:44.103 and get him out of the backcountry. 244 00:11:45.738 --> 00:11:46.872 Man: Just package and bring him out. 245 00:11:46.906 --> 00:11:48.307 Narrator: The local rangers point the team 246 00:11:48.340 --> 00:11:49.809 in the direction of the crash site. 247 00:11:49.842 --> 00:11:50.976 -Man: Yup. -Stevens: Awesome. 248 00:11:51.010 --> 00:11:52.344 Narrator: It's a lucky break. 249 00:11:52.378 --> 00:11:54.580 Anthony and Flip won't have to spend precious time 250 00:11:54.613 --> 00:11:57.483 trying to locate the boy who's suffering out in the cold. 251 00:11:57.516 --> 00:11:58.918 With the moon rising, 252 00:11:58.951 --> 00:12:01.087 it's time for Anthony to prove himself. 253 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:03.456 Tucker: You're gonna have to hit it kind of hard. 254 00:12:03.489 --> 00:12:07.059 Ready? 255 00:12:07.093 --> 00:12:09.829 Narrator: Here's where Flip's sled skills really pay off. 256 00:12:09.862 --> 00:12:13.132 As he rides in, he scouts for a safe, smooth exit 257 00:12:13.165 --> 00:12:16.702 because a rough trip could have life-or-death consequences 258 00:12:16.736 --> 00:12:19.472 if the patient has any undetected internal bleeding 259 00:12:19.505 --> 00:12:22.174 or a spinal injury. 260 00:12:22.208 --> 00:12:23.442 Stevens: I'm Medical Lead on this. 261 00:12:23.476 --> 00:12:26.579 And we put together a small team of four folks. 262 00:12:26.612 --> 00:12:28.247 We have limited information. 263 00:12:28.280 --> 00:12:31.851 There's, uh, a possibility of an open or closed fracture. 264 00:12:31.884 --> 00:12:34.286 We won't know till we get on-scene and assess that. 265 00:12:41.494 --> 00:12:43.129 They had cut open his pants. 266 00:12:43.162 --> 00:12:45.197 I don't see any pooling blood. 267 00:12:45.231 --> 00:12:47.666 But I also don't know what else is wrong with him. 268 00:12:58.477 --> 00:13:00.646 Narrator: It's time to deploy the suck bag, 269 00:13:00.679 --> 00:13:04.016 which works like a beanbag in reverse. 270 00:13:04.049 --> 00:13:06.252 With the pump sucking the air out of the bag, 271 00:13:06.285 --> 00:13:09.388 this creates a rigid, stabilizing cast. 272 00:13:31.610 --> 00:13:32.611 Narrator: Anthony has more 273 00:13:32.645 --> 00:13:34.580 than just an injured boy on his hands. 274 00:13:34.613 --> 00:13:36.816 He's also there to reassure the boy's father, 275 00:13:36.849 --> 00:13:39.485 who kneels in the snow to help move his son 276 00:13:39.518 --> 00:13:42.154 into Flip's transport toboggan. 277 00:13:47.059 --> 00:13:47.960 Trevor: Oh, God, awful. 278 00:13:47.993 --> 00:13:50.062 Narrator: Anthony and his team 279 00:13:50.095 --> 00:13:51.463 are unsure if the boy's suffering 280 00:13:51.497 --> 00:13:54.934 from a broken femur or possibly a dislocated hip. 281 00:13:54.967 --> 00:13:57.403 And this puts the group on edge. 282 00:13:57.436 --> 00:13:58.571 Man: See, his other leg's in the way 283 00:13:58.604 --> 00:13:59.872 is what I'm telling ya. -Trevor: Oh, God. 284 00:13:59.905 --> 00:14:01.574 Man: I got to bring the other leg up to match his leg. 285 00:14:01.607 --> 00:14:02.908 So I can bring the suck bag out. 286 00:14:02.942 --> 00:14:04.109 Stevens: So all we're doing is -- 287 00:14:04.143 --> 00:14:05.377 We're not actually gonna pick him. 288 00:14:05.411 --> 00:14:06.846 We're just gonna roll him over on his back. 289 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:08.280 Okay? And this gonna hurt. 290 00:14:08.314 --> 00:14:09.782 You definitely feel the pressure. 291 00:14:09.815 --> 00:14:11.851 And I'm still new to the team. It's getting dark. 292 00:14:11.884 --> 00:14:13.886 And that's just an added challenge. 293 00:14:13.919 --> 00:14:16.522 Anybody not ready? Okay. 294 00:14:16.555 --> 00:14:18.824 On three, two, one... 295 00:14:18.858 --> 00:14:20.059 Trevor: Oh, God! 296 00:14:20.092 --> 00:14:21.627 -Stevens: You got it, buddy! -Trevor: Oh, God! 297 00:14:21.660 --> 00:14:23.162 -Stevens: Ready? -Trevor: Ah! 298 00:14:25.097 --> 00:14:26.632 Narrator: The Teton County Search and Rescue 299 00:14:26.665 --> 00:14:29.068 snowmobile team is the closest thing 300 00:14:29.101 --> 00:14:31.904 you're going to get to an ambulance on snow. 301 00:14:31.937 --> 00:14:34.173 Rookie Anthony Stevens is Medical Lead. 302 00:14:34.206 --> 00:14:37.142 So it's on him to stabilize a 14-year-old boy 303 00:14:37.176 --> 00:14:39.144 with a serious leg injury. 304 00:14:39.178 --> 00:14:41.213 That means he's got to roll the patient over. 305 00:14:41.247 --> 00:14:43.649 Stevens: We're not actually gonna pick him up. 306 00:14:43.682 --> 00:14:44.650 We're just gonna roll him over on his back. 307 00:14:44.683 --> 00:14:46.652 Okay? And this is gonna hurt. 308 00:14:46.685 --> 00:14:49.355 Narrator: The whole team is relying on the suck bag 309 00:14:49.388 --> 00:14:52.424 to save the day by bracing the boy's legs in place. 310 00:14:52.458 --> 00:14:54.827 Stevens: Anybody not ready? Okay. 311 00:14:54.860 --> 00:14:58.130 On three, two, one. -Trevor: Oh, God! 312 00:14:58.163 --> 00:14:59.298 -Stevens: You got it, buddy! -Trevor: Oh, God! 313 00:14:59.331 --> 00:15:00.532 -Stevens: You got it. -Trevor: Oh, God! 314 00:15:00.566 --> 00:15:02.101 -Man: He won't put it down. -Trevor: Oh, God! 315 00:15:02.134 --> 00:15:04.136 -Man: We don't put it down. -Stevens: Okay. Okay. 316 00:15:04.169 --> 00:15:06.138 Man: He's got to let go of it. 317 00:15:06.171 --> 00:15:08.207 Trevor: Oh, God! Oh, God. Oh, God. 318 00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:09.975 Man: You got it. You got it. 319 00:15:10.009 --> 00:15:12.278 Stevens: He did not want to put his leg down. 320 00:15:12.311 --> 00:15:14.113 Uh, even with a femur fracture, 321 00:15:14.146 --> 00:15:16.015 you can generally guide that leg down. 322 00:15:16.048 --> 00:15:17.549 But he absolutely was guarding it. 323 00:15:17.583 --> 00:15:18.851 He was holding it up as if it was 324 00:15:18.884 --> 00:15:20.085 a position of comfort for him. 325 00:15:20.119 --> 00:15:22.855 Trevor: Oh, God. 326 00:15:22.888 --> 00:15:24.089 Stevens: I think for me, as a parent, 327 00:15:24.123 --> 00:15:25.157 I don't want to hear a kid scream. 328 00:15:25.190 --> 00:15:26.191 I don't want to hear anybody scream. 329 00:15:26.225 --> 00:15:27.927 But I was taught a long time ago, 330 00:15:27.960 --> 00:15:29.662 the thing to remember is that it's not your pain. 331 00:15:29.695 --> 00:15:31.931 Your job is to stabilize, transport and treat. 332 00:15:31.964 --> 00:15:32.998 Man: It's in there. 333 00:15:33.032 --> 00:15:34.199 -Stevens: Yup. -Trevor: Oh, oh, God. 334 00:15:34.233 --> 00:15:36.135 Stevens: Trevor, you're doing a great job. 335 00:15:36.168 --> 00:15:37.102 Bring the sides up if you can. 336 00:15:37.136 --> 00:15:38.537 Trevor: Oh, God. Oh, God. 337 00:15:38.570 --> 00:15:40.773 Stevens: He felt more relief when both of his legs were up 338 00:15:40.806 --> 00:15:42.574 in that sort of chair position. 339 00:15:42.608 --> 00:15:45.177 And the minute that we had him in that rigid position, 340 00:15:45.210 --> 00:15:46.545 and we let him go, he said, 341 00:15:46.578 --> 00:15:48.814 "This is the best I've felt since this happened." 342 00:15:48.847 --> 00:15:51.483 Three, two, one, up! 343 00:15:51.517 --> 00:15:52.718 Tucker: Might need to put him on the other side if it'll help. 344 00:15:52.751 --> 00:15:54.086 Narrator: With the boy's legs braced, 345 00:15:54.119 --> 00:15:56.855 the team gets one step closer to the hospital 346 00:15:56.889 --> 00:16:00.292 by lowering him into Flip's transport toboggan. 347 00:16:00.326 --> 00:16:02.594 Tucker: Get in nice and slow. 348 00:16:02.628 --> 00:16:04.596 Perfect. 349 00:16:04.630 --> 00:16:05.698 Stevens: You, Dad, should stay... 350 00:16:05.731 --> 00:16:06.865 Dad: I'll stay. 351 00:16:06.899 --> 00:16:08.567 Stevens: To have Dad sit in here with him. 352 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:11.704 I wanted to make sure that his father was with him 353 00:16:11.737 --> 00:16:13.238 just for that emotional support 354 00:16:13.272 --> 00:16:15.074 and knowing that he's been laying in the snow. 355 00:16:15.107 --> 00:16:17.276 He gets packaged up. And he gets put into a toboggan, 356 00:16:17.309 --> 00:16:18.544 that he's just not just surrounded by people 357 00:16:18.577 --> 00:16:19.912 that he doesn't know. 358 00:16:23.449 --> 00:16:26.118 Narrator: It's showtime for Flip and his toboggan, 359 00:16:26.151 --> 00:16:28.988 one specially designed for the backcountry. 360 00:16:29.021 --> 00:16:30.789 Its wide base prevents injuries 361 00:16:30.823 --> 00:16:32.491 by providing a smooth ride 362 00:16:32.524 --> 00:16:35.027 for a stretched-out patient. 363 00:16:35.060 --> 00:16:36.729 Tucker: My role as a snowmobile guy 364 00:16:36.762 --> 00:16:39.231 is to make sure that we get him off the snow 365 00:16:39.264 --> 00:16:42.434 and get him in the toboggan as quickly as possible. 366 00:16:42.468 --> 00:16:43.736 Narrator: Back at Incident Command, 367 00:16:43.769 --> 00:16:45.537 all Jess can do is keep her faith 368 00:16:45.571 --> 00:16:48.807 in the toboggan coming up big. 369 00:16:48.841 --> 00:16:51.510 King: Flip, IC. 370 00:16:51.543 --> 00:16:53.679 Flip, what's the status on the toboggan up there? 371 00:16:53.712 --> 00:16:56.715 In the backcountry, when you're carrying a person who's injured, 372 00:16:56.749 --> 00:16:58.884 it's convenient and easier to have this toboggan 373 00:16:58.917 --> 00:17:01.653 that allows us to drag them gently through the snow 374 00:17:01.687 --> 00:17:03.756 and also saves our energy. 375 00:17:03.789 --> 00:17:05.324 Tucker: Ready? 376 00:17:05.357 --> 00:17:07.459 You have to fight off the adrenaline. 377 00:17:07.493 --> 00:17:08.660 The adrenaline kicks in. 378 00:17:08.694 --> 00:17:10.195 And you're all amped up. 379 00:17:10.229 --> 00:17:12.431 And you have to stop, take a big, deep breath, 380 00:17:12.464 --> 00:17:16.135 relax and be smooth 'cause smooth is fast. 381 00:17:16.168 --> 00:17:19.872 Narrator: "Smooth Is Fast," that's the team motto. 382 00:17:19.905 --> 00:17:21.607 They're words Flip lives by. 383 00:17:21.640 --> 00:17:24.643 And now the team is counting on its most experienced rider 384 00:17:24.676 --> 00:17:27.079 to pull this patient to safety. 385 00:17:27.112 --> 00:17:29.214 Tucker: Going too fast, you start making mistakes. 386 00:17:29.248 --> 00:17:31.984 If you don't slow down and think about that kind of stuff, 387 00:17:32.017 --> 00:17:34.553 then there's a problem. 388 00:17:34.586 --> 00:17:36.655 Stevens: There's always concerns in moving a patient 389 00:17:36.688 --> 00:17:39.358 that has a high-speed accident. 390 00:17:39.391 --> 00:17:42.561 What other internal damage is going on that we can't see? 391 00:17:47.933 --> 00:17:50.936 Narrator: A 14-year-old boy is loaded and ready for transport, 392 00:17:50.969 --> 00:17:52.538 while back at Incident Command, 393 00:17:52.571 --> 00:17:55.074 Jess waits for news from the field. 394 00:17:55.107 --> 00:17:56.341 King: Hey, Anthony. How are you? 395 00:17:56.375 --> 00:17:58.077 Right now, I'm pretty anxious. 396 00:17:58.110 --> 00:18:00.112 They're at least on their way out of the backcountry. 397 00:18:00.145 --> 00:18:02.381 But I don't feel the job is done till the team 398 00:18:02.414 --> 00:18:03.715 is back here safely 399 00:18:03.749 --> 00:18:06.051 and get him to definitive care. 400 00:18:06.085 --> 00:18:07.886 Tucker: Ready? 401 00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:09.855 Narrator: This is a crux moment in the rescue. 402 00:18:09.888 --> 00:18:11.390 And it falls to Flip, 403 00:18:11.423 --> 00:18:12.791 who has spent his life 404 00:18:12.825 --> 00:18:16.261 riding this remote section of the Wyoming backcountry. 405 00:18:16.295 --> 00:18:18.063 Tucker: You have to fight off the adrenaline. 406 00:18:18.097 --> 00:18:19.264 You're all amped up. 407 00:18:19.298 --> 00:18:21.033 And you have to take a big, deep breath 408 00:18:21.066 --> 00:18:23.135 and relax and be smooth. 409 00:18:42.621 --> 00:18:44.690 Stevens: It was a new train for me, 410 00:18:44.723 --> 00:18:48.193 you know, the -- the first time I'm meeting my peers. 411 00:18:48.227 --> 00:18:50.095 I'd be lying if I didn't feel like there was 412 00:18:50.129 --> 00:18:53.132 a little bit of pressure. 413 00:18:53.165 --> 00:18:54.900 But I know that the next call, 414 00:18:54.933 --> 00:18:56.969 one of my other peers will be the leader. 415 00:18:57.002 --> 00:18:59.271 And they'll be feeling the same thing. So I'm excited. 416 00:18:59.304 --> 00:19:01.807 And I'm ready for the next one whenever it happens. 417 00:19:06.645 --> 00:19:08.147 Tucker: Yeah, great job. 418 00:19:10.482 --> 00:19:13.452 Anthony took a big, deep breath and relaxed. 419 00:19:13.485 --> 00:19:15.754 And I patted him on the back and said, "Nice job." 420 00:19:15.787 --> 00:19:17.055 That's all in a day's work 421 00:19:17.089 --> 00:19:19.057 as far as the Search and Rescue goes. 422 00:19:21.894 --> 00:19:23.162 Stevens: Teton County has done a great job 423 00:19:23.195 --> 00:19:25.931 at putting together this excellent first-response team, 424 00:19:25.964 --> 00:19:27.599 highly qualified individuals 425 00:19:27.633 --> 00:19:29.101 that care about the people 426 00:19:29.134 --> 00:19:30.969 that they're working for, essentially. 427 00:19:31.003 --> 00:19:32.404 We're out there training for the people. 428 00:19:32.437 --> 00:19:34.039 And we look after ourselves. 429 00:19:34.072 --> 00:19:35.841 And we look after our community. 430 00:19:38.744 --> 00:19:41.046 Tucker: Anthony did a great job. My team did a great job. 431 00:19:41.079 --> 00:19:42.814 And we back each other up. 432 00:19:48.453 --> 00:19:50.155 King: We can have all the fancy toys, 433 00:19:50.189 --> 00:19:52.024 like the helicopter and the snowmobiles. 434 00:19:52.057 --> 00:19:55.127 But without the team showing up to support each other 435 00:19:55.160 --> 00:19:57.596 and to trust each other and get the job done, 436 00:19:57.629 --> 00:19:59.598 none of these, um, tools matter. 437 00:19:59.631 --> 00:20:01.800 So it's all about the team. 438 00:20:01.833 --> 00:20:04.469 Narrator: And with this rescue, Anthony made big strides 439 00:20:04.503 --> 00:20:07.239 to becoming a full-blown member of this team. 440 00:20:12.778 --> 00:20:15.447 Stevens: I have always wanted to be on this team. 441 00:20:15.480 --> 00:20:17.316 We all live in this community. 442 00:20:17.349 --> 00:20:19.484 We choose to live here. It's a tough place to be. 443 00:20:19.518 --> 00:20:22.988 And we want to take care of the people that are here. 444 00:20:23.021 --> 00:20:26.391 And, you know, I -- I wanted to be a part of that. 445 00:20:26.425 --> 00:20:29.394 Jackson is the country's best playground. 446 00:20:29.428 --> 00:20:31.296 And you can't be everywhere all the time. 447 00:20:31.330 --> 00:20:33.498 But if you can be there sometimes to help out, 448 00:20:33.532 --> 00:20:35.567 that's a valuable resource.