WALLACE – The Shoshone County Sheriff's Office is making good on one of Sheriff Shawn Wehr's longstanding promises, announcing the restart of the department's search and rescue team. 

Earlier this year, Wehr said he wanted to make the SCSO one of Idaho's premier rural law enforcement agencies while operating within the department's budget. Part of that effort included re-establishing a search and rescue team and various task forces focused on different types of crimes. 

"SAR is a priority for us and we want this group to be both capable and efficient," Wehr said. 

Recent history shows the SCSO has not maintained its own search and rescue team for more than a decade, instead relying on the local nonprofit Silver Valley Search and Rescue group, which at times found itself at odds with the department. 

To accomplish that goal, Wehr tasked Undersheriff Travis Skinner with rebuilding the program. 

Skinner, whom Wehr described as doing a terrific job with the project, appears well-suited for the assignment. 

"Before coming here, I spent about seven years supervising Canyon Patrol and SAR operations in Salt Lake County," Skinner said. "My own background includes high-angle and swift water rescue, outdoor emergency care, professional ski patrol, advanced avalanche training, and incident command." 

Skinner said the need for a county-operated SAR program is rooted in Idaho law, which states the sheriff is responsible for commanding search and rescue operations within the county and maintaining a current plan for personnel, equipment and other available resources. 

Wehr said that while he appreciates the efforts of the nonprofit group, he wants to ensure all SAR operations have the full protection and authority of the county. Skinner echoed that sentiment. 

"We want to make sure the program reflects that responsibility and has a clear chain of command, consistent training, and basic standards that apply to everyone," he said. "Going forward, the county’s operational SAR response will be coordinated directly through the Sheriff’s Office rather than relying on Silver Valley Search and Rescue. That is not meant as criticism of the individual volunteers who have served with Silver Valley SAR. We appreciate what they have done, and current and former members are encouraged to continue with the Sheriff’s Office program if they are willing to meet the same requirements as everyone else." 

While Skinner is overseeing the program's reorganization, he will not command the team. Those responsibilities will fall to Mark Stambaugh and Erica Aamodt, whom Wehr recently appointed commander and assistant commander, respectively. 

According to Skinner, both bring extensive experience to their new roles. 

Stambaugh has been involved in search and rescue since 2009 and Ski Patrol since 2013. He has worked with SAR and mountain rescue organizations in Spokane, Kootenai, Bonner and Shoshone counties. He has also held leadership positions and served as an instructor in outdoor emergency care, avalanche response and mountain rescue. 

Aamodt has been involved in SAR since 2015 and has worked with teams in Walla Walla, Kootenai County, Spokane and the Silver Valley. She has served as an avalanche dog handler since 2018, an avalanche route leader since 2021 and an avalanche instructor since 2023. Her background also includes ski patrol, patient care, rope rescue, swift water rescue, incident command and backcountry communications. 

"From my experience, willing volunteers are only part of what makes a SAR team successful," Skinner said. "They also need good leadership, regular training, reliable communications, accurate maps, maintained equipment, and a clear understanding of what is expected. Our job is to make sure they have those basic tools and the support needed to do the work safely." 

Both Wehr and Skinner said adding SAR to the department's responsibilities will not increase the agency's budget. Instead, the program will rely on volunteers and the use of existing department equipment. 

The sheriff, undersheriff and new SAR command team plan to pursue grants and training reimbursements for additional equipment and training opportunities. 

Any SCSO staff involvement needed for the team will primarily consist of oversight, background checks, recordkeeping, training coordination and equipment accountability. 

The department also plans to hold field training exercises for prospective recruits. 

On Tuesday, Skinner announced the first academy will be held Nov. 7-8, 2026, followed by a field evaluation Dec. 6. After that, members generally will participate in one weekend training day and one remote evening meeting each month. 

"For me, this is about looking honestly at the program and identifying where we can improve it," Skinner said. "I do not believe in changing things just to change them, but I also do not think we should continue doing something the same way simply because that is how it has always been done. If we can make the team safer, better trained, and more prepared, we should." 

For more information or to learn about joining the search and rescue Team, contact the Shoshone County Sheriff's Office at (208) 556-1114.