We live in some incredible Wyoming high county and with it comes the need for well trained first responders as exemplified this week when a two-vehicle accident resulted in one vehicle and it’s occupant in the Snake River above Alpine.

“When we received the call we were told a vehicle was in the water and over the edge,” replied Star Valley Search & Rescue  Commander Matt McMurdo in an interview with SVI. “Today we used a lot of our rope gear and equipment to repel over the retaining wall by Lunch Counter (Snake River Canyon) and our jet boat was sitting downstream of the vehicle in case something happened and they were washed out.”

RELATED: TRUCK CAREENS THROUGH GUARD RAIL AND ROLLS INTO SNAKE RIVER – 

The driver was secured and transported for minior injuries but the work continued for Search & Rescue.

McMurdo continued, “We then attached a cable from the tow truck with a chain that was wrapped around the pillars of the truck cab and we were able to tow the vehicle out in a much safer way.”

This is just one example of the work of Search & Rescue and often times their work involves rescuing an individual, not just recovering the vehicle..

We have noted several of the SVS&R rescues over the years with our SVI coverage.

I can recall responding to one accident where a single engine aircraft went down in the Snake River. Again, it was SVS&R that responded.

To our Search and Rescue teams here in Star Valley, and our Kemmerer, Lincoln County Search and Rescue neighbors,   — Thank You for coming to cases like this in the Snake River Canyon, countless others cases in the Greys River country and throughout western Wyoming.

As SVI’s Dahl Erickson pointed out in his story coverage this week — “Coincidentally, the primary fundraiser for SVSAR is the Ranch Rodeo which is scheduled for this Saturday in Afton.”

It’s a good time to say, Thank You.

Star Valley, with our Search and Rescue operations, make this incredible Wyoming high country we live in, a great place to call home!