Search and rescue to benefit from Festival of Trees

Alexis Barker
NLJ Reporter
 
The Weston County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue organization was recently selected as one of the beneficiaries of funds donated through the Pinnacle Bank Festival of Trees on Friday. The nonprofit organization hopes to use the funds received from the fundraiser to help purchase necessary gear. 
The search and rescue team in Weston County has more than 30 volunteers who are dedicated to locating and rescuing lost and/or injured people and supporting other emergency response professionals in the county and surrounding areas. 
“We are not looking for money as much as we are looking for capabilities,” said Michael Tooman, the group’s sergeant-at-arms. 
Tooman elaborated, saying that any monies received beyond the minimal operational costs will go toward the purchase of items that will give the organization the ability to do more. 
“We have a lot of capabilities, but we always need more,” said Connie Tooman, wife of Michael and a spokesperson for the organization. 
Items or capabilities on their highest-priority list, according to the Toomans, are communication equipment, drones with thermal capability, computer hardware and software, and first aid kits. 
According to Michael, basic operational costs for the group run about $10,000 a year. The county contributes $4,000 from 1 percent funds, an amount that Tooman says barely pays the annual fuel costs. 
The basic operation budget of $6,000 goes toward maintaining equipment. This money does not purchase additional needed capabilities, Michael said. 
“WCSSR funding comes from private businesses and individual citizens,” Connie said. “It receives no state or federal funding.” 
Connie Tooman noted that donations are not always money. She said that companies often elect to purchase a specific item for team. Some entities will earmark the money for specific items, she said. This money is known as “colored” money to the group because it is committed to a certain project, according to Connie. 
The group also holds a fundraiser to augment the funds for operations. The search and rescue team held a dinner and silent auction in the spring. 
“We worked really hard this year to get ourselves out there and let the people know what we are doing,” Tooman said. “We made the effort to get out and talk to people.” 
She noted that the effort to let people know what search and rescue does has been important and essential to the continuation of the volunteer program. 
“We have become a more community-oriented organization at the direction of Bryan (Sheriff Bryan Colvard),” Michael said. “We have taken that challenge up.” 
According to information provided by the Toomans, key vision elements of the organization include enhanced collaboration between search and rescue and the county, a focus on continual training to promote safety and having trusted agents to rescue lost, missing and/or injured persons. 
The Toomans said that a major aspect of the organization is continued training for its members and other first responders and emergency personnel in the area.  
On Nov. 27, search and rescue hosted an electrical safety training at the Newcastle Fire Hall for local emergency personnel. Powder River Energy Corp. led the training. 
“If there is electricity on the ground, you don’t have to touch the wires to have problems,” Michael said. “There are more casualties amongst first responders than anyone else.” 
A total of 35 first responders and emergency personnel attended the training and Tooman thinks this training is something everyone, even an everyday citizen, should receive. 
“It goes back to safety — first responders have to be responsible for themselves first, or they can’t take care of anyone,” Michael said. “It is important for them to understand electrical issues. They need to understand and be able to take care of the situation.” 
Weston County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue will hold another training on Dec. 12. This session will involve mass casualty training, specifically triage and gun safety. 
“There are two things that go on that you have to deal with in a mass casualty situation,” Michael said. 
The first of these is triage, or dealing with the most severe situations first before moving on to the less dire situations. The second aspect of the training involves dealing with guns and how to make them safe. 
“The other thing with mass casualty, in Wyoming or any gun-carrying state specifically, is you have to know how to make them safe,” Michael said. “There is going to be someone carrying them, and you have to know how to clear and make the gun safe.” 
The Toomans emphasized that ongoing training and continued funding from local, national and international business and corporations are crucial to the continuation of their program.