In the backcountry of Montana, things often don’t go as planned. But you can count on the Lewis and Clark County Search and Rescue unit to be there.
Every year, the unit responds to about 20 calls for aid or rescue of distressed individuals. They operate within their own county and contribute statewide to search and rescue efforts. Helena Store Operations Assistant Manager Jayson Snarr is a proud member of this elite unit.
Jayson is a two-time certified man tracker, ropes technician, hovercraft pilot and boat captain. He is always requested for missions that involve missing persons or rappelling and climbing because of his skills.
“We had a couple of gentlemen trapped in a cave. We were called out specifically with the [rope] tech team to go in and extract them,” Jayson recalls. “It may not have been the first time I saved a life, but it was the first time I remember realizing I’m going into a situation with a special skill set that not everyone has [in order] to bring a family member home.”
Even though search and rescue work can be very demanding, Jayson always feels supported by his store team. “I’m very fortunate to work for a company and leaders who feel that their role is to support me in doing this type of work for our community,” Jayson states. He explains that community involvement has always been a huge focus for his store and The Home Depot.
When he or other team members receive calls for assistance, their fellow associates rally to help any way they can. “My store managers believe that their role in supporting me is as important as me going out into the field, which it is,” he states. “Our motto at search and rescue is ‘So others may live,’ and if that’s what my store manager has to do to be a part of that, that’s really an awesome feeling.”
Jayson’s store takes care of their community by supporting him and other volunteers working the aisles. They’ve also helped by supporting disaster relief in the county. For a long time, Jayson’s role at his store was community outreach. He would attend disaster relief meetings alongside members of the Red Cross, search and rescue and fire departments.
“We’ve had community awareness events where we’ve brought in volunteer firefighters and search and rescue members,” Jayson says. “... And we’ve had Fire Awareness month, where we sit out in the parking lot and share that stuff. Home Depot has been an incredible partner for the community.”
Jayson wants everyone to be brave in taking their next step in life, lessons he teaches his daughter. He encourages his fellow associates to make decisions and own them. Even if it ends up being the wrong one, Jayson feels that you can look at that as a learning opportunity. “Be brave. Do something even if it’s wrong. Learn from it.”
