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Air St. Luke's partners with colorado team for avalanche rescue training in Wood River Valley. By Joy PrudekLast Updated March 23, 2026 Few professional development days are like ones recently held in the Wood River Valley. Helicopters, dogs and some out-of-state compatriots were on hand for a multi-day specialized avalanche search and rescue training school. The training brought together 24 avalanche dog teams from across the western United States, including all four Sun Valley teams, focused on locating people buried under snow. Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment partnered with Air St. Luke's crews that provided helicopter support, giving teams the opportunity to train in realistic scenarios that reflect how avalanche rescues often unfold in the real world. Preparing for complex rescue environments Avalanche search and rescue is an incredibly challenging emergency response environment, often involving steep terrain, remote locations and rapidly changing conditions. Helicopters are a commonly used resource in these rescues - but only when responders are trained to work safely and effectively around them. As part of the event, Air St. Luke's supported training that allowed dog teams and handlers to practice helicopter transport, including the added complexity of moving working K9s. This type of experience is not always available during routine training but is critical for real-world readiness. "Helicopters are a commonly used asset in many rescue situations and it's important to have that experience and training before the actual emergency event," said Blaine Patterson, EMS director for Air St. Luke's. "This training gives teams exposure to something they may rely on when the stakes are very high." Avalanche dogs are trained to locate human scent beneath snow, alerting handlers when they detect a buried person. Training during the C-RAD school focused on reinforcing these skills through repeated searches, including burying "quarries," or human scent sources, and introducing variables commonly seen in real avalanche scenes. "The public often sees the helicopter and the dogs and thinks about the excitement, but what they don't see are the countless hours of training that go into this work," said Ryan Parnes, an Air St. Luke's flight nurse. "There's a lot of planning, a lot of people involved and a tremendous amount of trust between a dog and handler. It really takes a village." A local advantage at St. Luke's Wood River This collaboration also highlights the value of having a dedicated Air St. Luke's base at St. Luke's Wood River. Because Air St. Luke's crews are based locally, they can participate in unique training opportunities like this - not just respond during emergencies. That local presence allows crews to build relationships with regional partners, gain familiarity with local terrain and support preparedness efforts that benefit both residents and visitors who recreate in Idaho's backcountry. Training alongside specialized rescue teams strengthens coordination across agencies and reinforces a shared understanding of roles and expectations before a real-world response is needed. "Working with avalanche dog teams during this training helps us understand each other's roles and builds confidence that when we're called into a real rescue, we're prepared to operate safely and effectively together," Parnes said. Commitment to readiness and collaboration In addition to current handlers, the training included local technicians and secondary handlers, some of whom may become future avalanche dog handlers. This approach helps build long-term local capacity for avalanche response and ensures specialized skills are shared and sustained. Avalanche callouts in Idaho occur less frequently than in higher-density recreation areas, but when they do happen, preparation is essential. Training like this ensures responders are not learning critical skills during an emergency - they are applying experience gained through deliberate practice. For Air St. Luke's, supporting the C-RAD school reflects an ongoing commitment to readiness, collaboration, and community safety. Training alongside specialized partners helps ensure crews are prepared for the most complex rescue environments and reinforces the importance of proactive preparation. Having a local Air St. Luke's base at St. Luke's Wood River strengthens emergency response - not just in moments of crisis, but long before a call ever comes in. Related Tags

Nurse Practitioner PTO (exempt). St. Luke's Health system is looking for a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant to develop our Hospital at Home program. By extending acute-level care to patients in their homes, Hospital-at-Home programs have demonstrated significant cost savings, improved patient outcomes, and elevated patient satisfaction. This is a groundbreaking program where medical-surgical care is provided in the home. This is the first of its kind in Idaho. Being inspired to help build this program and adapt as it changes is critical. * Be part of Idaho's first program delivering inpatient acute care at home. Transform healthcare delivery with us! * Deliver hospital-level services directly to patients' homes * Work closely with operational partners and physicians * Source potential admissions from the emergency department or inpatient units * Complete admissions with a virtual attending physician * Support inpatient care through onsite, virtual, and in-person visits * Developing Role: source and admit patients for a home-based inpatient care * Evolving Role: opportunities for daily rounding and in-person home visits as the program grows * Growth Mindset: Participate in a developing the program. * Flexible Hours: 7am-7pm with some swing shifts up to 10pm, no night call currently, possible in the future. Some weekends, evenings, and holidays required. APPs participate in a self-scheduling process that allows for flexibility. * Locations: Team members are expected to rotate through our three Treasure Valley hospital sites (Boise, Meridian, Nampa) and are typically assigned one site during their shift with potential to cover more than one site as needed. * Competitive Compensation: Base salary with production and quality incentives, plus extra pay for weekends, holidays, and nights. * Comprehensive Benefits: Includes retirement, malpractice coverage, vacation, and CME allowance. * Patient evaluation, acute care assessment, defining an assessment and plan, and completing documentation in electronic medical record * Prefer experience with caring for acutely ill patients and admitting them to hospitals * Effective communication with patients and families * Collaboration with interdisciplinary teams * Adaptability: This is a groundbreaking program where medical-surgical care is provided in the home. This is the first of its kind in Idaho. Being inspired to help build this program and adapt as it changes is critical * Comfort with technology and willingness to learn/use multiple modalities to deliver care. This includes the use of Microsoft Teams, telehealth patient visits, and significant communication done through clinical messaging applications At St. Luke's, caring for people in the communities we serve is our mission - and this includes our own SLHS team. We offer a robust benefits package to support our teams both professionally and personally. In addition to a competitive salary and retirement plans, we ensure our team feels supported in their benefits beyond the typical medical, dental, and vision offerings. We care about you and have fantastic financial and physical wellness options, such as: on-site massages, on-site counseling via our Employee Assistance Program, access to the Personify Health Wellness tool, as well as other formal training and career development offerings to ensure you are meeting your career goals. St. Luke's is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, religion, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other status or condition protected by law. *Please note: this posting is not reflective of all job duties and responsibilities and is intended to provide an overview to job seekers.