Gretchen Emrich, RN, Emergency Department and Magnet Program Coordinator, Rapid City Hospital, doesn’t just save lives at work, she does it in her free time, too.
As the Training Officer for the Pennington County Search and Rescue Team, not only does Gretchen teach other members lifesaving techniques, she also goes out along with the team to find exhausted hikers or lost hunters. The 100% volunteer organization, which operates under the Sheriff’s office, has around 30 active members.
A hiker and backpacker for about 12 years and a rock climber for seven years, Gretchen started with Search and Rescue in 2023. The team usually performs around 70-100 operations a year across the whole of Pennington County.
“You go out in the afternoon and you expect, ‘Oh, I’ll be back by dark.’ Next thing you know, you get a little turned around, or it took longer than you anticipated. Now the temperature has dropped 30 degrees. You didn’t bring a layer of clothing. It’s dark out and you don’t know how to get out of there,” she says. “We are those people that, one day, it could potentially be us that needs to be rescued. So why not go out and rescue those that are in my same hobby or are the same type of person that I am? I mean, essentially you’re just helping your buddies out.”
Gretchen’s duties onsite are to lead climbing rescues or assist in general extraction operations. Surprisingly, she is not usually expected to use her health care training. For the most part, local EMTs will also be on the spot for that. However, sometimes even the EMTs can’t go where the Search and Rescue Team goes, so all of the volunteers are trained in basic life-saving and first-aid techniques.
For those who would like to avoid ever needing to call upon Gretchen or her teammates, she has this advice: “Always carry a form of communication, whether it’s your cell phone or satellite phone. Know how to use it and keep it charged. Also, make sure you’re wearing layers that are appropriate for the weather right now and what could be changing throughout the day or the night.”
Monument Health encourage Physicians and Caregivers to be involved in their communities
by lending their support to programs that improve the quality of life and opportunities for all community members. Physicians and Caregivers who volunteer are asked to submit their hours in Workday.
For more about Pennington County Search and Rescue: pennco.org/pcsar
Story by Kory Lanphear
Photo courtesy of Gretchen Emrich