The training helped qualify Boise Firefighters for conducting hoist operations in conjunction with Idaho Army National Guard aircrews when called upon by state or local agencies to assist with search and rescue efforts.
The two organizations work hand in hand frequently, combining skills and expertise to enhance the effectiveness of both organizations when responding to emergencies.
Idaho Army National Guard photo by Mike Freeman.
Story by Maj. Robert Taylor, Idaho Army National Guard
The Idaho Army National Guard State Aviation Group conducted a dozen successful search and rescue missions throughout 2025.
“Our Citizen-Soldiers stand ready to move out at moment’s notice when partner agencies request help, especially when our fellow Idahoans’ welfare hangs in the balance,” said Idaho Army National Guard commander Brig. Gen. Cole Packwood. “I’m very proud of all the Soldiers involved in both of these operations and am truly impressed by the exceptional skills and teamwork it takes to execute missions like these so flawlessly.”
As of October 3, Idaho’s citizen-Soldiers assisted civilian authorities with 12 search and rescue (SAR) missions.
In February, an HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter aircrew worked with the Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue Unit and the Owyhee County Sheriff’s Office to locate four family members who became stuck in the snow on a hunting trip.
In May, an Idaho Army National Guard HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter aircrew and the Boise Fire Department teamed up to rescue two rafters on the Owyhee River in Malheur County, Oregon. One rafter was trapped overnight on a boulder after the raft capsized. The Idaho Army National Guard and Boise Fire Department conduct swift water rescue training together twice a year.
Later in May, an Idaho Army National Guard HH-60M Black Hawk aircrew assisted with the rescue of two stranded hikers near Lowman in Boise County.
Idaho Army Guard Black Hawk helicopter aircrews assisted the Custer County Sheriff’s Office with three search and rescue missions in just 11 days in June and July in remote mountainous locations. On July 7, a HH-60M Black Hawk aircrew used a hoist to rescue an injured hiker at 10,100 feet, one of the state’s highest recorded rescues. The Idaho Army National Guard’s helicopters’ large engines and hoist capabilities offer local search and rescue agencies assets not otherwise available in southern Idaho.
Soldiers assisted with three search and rescue missions in August. On one mission, an Idaho National Guard HH-60M Black Hawk aircrew worked with Air St. Luke’s aircrew to rescue an injured hiker and his dog on Trinity Mountain.
The Idaho Army National Guard also conducted a pair of rescues in September in Boise and Custer counties. In October, a HH-60M Black Hawk aircrew assisted with the rescue of an injured 55-year-old hunter in a remote location in Idaho County.
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