An Important Lesson I Learned on a High School Mountain Search and Rescue Team

 

By Jackson Mann, MTI Intern

In high school, I was part of a year-round mountain search and rescue team made up of local students and run by the fire department. Our coverage area included two counties near the Front Range of the Rockies and southern Denver. Since our area didn’t see many lost-person incidents, we mostly responded to cases like runaway children. Still, because we had more personnel than most other teams in the state, we were often called to help with larger missions elsewhere in Colorado.

Although we were students, our training and connection to a professional fire department meant we could operate independently. The most valuable lesson I took from the experience didn’t come from medical or survival training—it came from learning how to carry a litter. A litter is a metal stretcher used to transport people who can’t walk. With a patient on board, it could weigh 200 to 300 pounds and required four to six people to carry it. Doing it right took coordination and technique, not just strength. If one person lost focus or broke form, the weight shifted unevenly and made the job harder for everyone. Most carryouts took place on difficult terrain, and we had to stay coordinated while medics monitored the patient.

Training carries could last several hours. Even with rotating team members, it was physically demanding. At the start of a carry, the group usually moved in sync, but as people got tired, technique would slip, making it harder to keep pace and share the load. I had my own trouble staying focused during long carries, especially when I was tired or frustrated. But I eventually realized that staying dependable—especially when it was tough—helped everyone. That mindset made the work more manageable and improved outcomes for the whole team.

I still don’t always live up to that standard, but the experience stuck with me. One of the main places it shows up now is with everyday chores. Whether it’s doing the dishes at home after my mom’s shift or taking out the trash at school even when it’s not my turn, I try to carry the same mindset. It’s not about going the extra mile—just doing what needs to be done.

These aren’t big gestures, but they reflect the same idea: reliability matters. Even small efforts, especially when they aren’t expected, can make a difference for others.