Good Morning,

Oregon State states testing wave energy, City of Portland Employees may get free TriMet access, Bend’s CV International lands piece of $920M air force contract, King County opens $100M sustainable transfer station, stock market drops on Iran bombings.

— Was this forwarded to you? Subscribe here —

Let’s Rip

Trump announced a massive oil deal with Venezuela. Why it won’t lower gas prices anytime soon (CNBC)

Dow tumbles 370 points after U.S. strikes Iran, but index posts fifth straight winning month (CNBC)

PNW Rip partners with G.A. Rogers for professional and executive hiring in the Pacific Northwest. If you’re in the area (or moving here), check them out here.

Need a side hustle? G.A. Rogers pays for successful referrals - reach out to learn more.

What’s the real cost of backcountry rescue? (MTFP)

“Last month, a hiker on a high-alpine plateau just beneath the summit headwall of the highest peak in Montana made a painful calculation.

David Cifaldi had taken a fall on his way to Granite Peak in the Beartooth Mountains, near the Montana-Wyoming border, and ended up with the sharp end of a trekking pole driven through his torso. 

His dilemma was widely reported by news outlets and online commentators: He could sit tight for a helicopter to whisk him away, or he could hike 10 miles back to the trailhead with his gruesome injury. Cifaldi, a 32-year-old nurse from Billings, decided the physical puncture would be preferable over the pain in his pocketbook.

But how high would the cost of a wilderness helicopter rescue actually run — and based on what factors? 

The answer is complicated. Search and rescue in Montana is largely a public service, funded by taxpayers and carried out mostly by volunteers. But once a helicopter enters the airspace, the economics can change dramatically. Federal law has given people with health insurance more protection from surprise bills, but the particulars of backcountry rescue — and the particulars of different insurance plans — remain confusing. Even officials acknowledge there’s no simple answer to the question Cifaldi faced on Froze-to-Death Plateau.

In Montana and in most states across the country, search and rescue operations are a public good. In general they’re funded by taxpayer dollars, along with donations and grants in some cases. The people doing the work are overwhelmingly volunteers.

“When most people think about air rescue, they picture the helicopter,” Urbigkit said in an emailed statement. “What they don’t always see is that we’re really delivering a mobile intensive care unit to patients who may be hours away from definitive treatment. Our job is to bring advanced medical care directly to the patient and get them to the right hospital as quickly and safely as possible.”
A 2016-2017 analysis by the Brookings Institution found that air ambulance trips cost an average of about $32,000. Loren Adler, a health economist and the study’s author, said those costs have continued to rise in years since. He estimates the average air ambulance flight now comes closer to $50,000.

“There’s not really any sort of functioning market for air ambulances in the U.S. right now,” Adler said.

Injured in the backcountry, people in need of rescue don’t get to pick between companies. For years, that meant patients could be hit with enormous out-of-network bills after being transported by an air ambulance.

But federal law has changed that landscape.”

Final meeting on Bozeman's urban forest plan underway (NBCMT)

“Residents still have a chance to weigh in as the final meeting to discuss the city’s Urban Forest Management Plan is underway at the Public Safety Center.

Officials said the updated plan expands on the previous framework used to manage the city’s urban forest. The latest draft plan addresses community engagement, tree infrastructure, staffing and more.

Residents are encouraged to attend and share their thoughts on the UFMP update draft plan. The meeting runs through 6 p.m.

The following was sent out by the city of Bozeman:

The City of Bozeman is updating its Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) and continuing with public engagement for the project. All are invited to the in-person UFMP Public Engagement Meeting on Aug. 31 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Bozeman Public Safety Center, 901 N Rouse Avenue. This will be the final formally scheduled public engagement meeting for the UFMP update process.

The UFMP Update builds on the 2016 framework to ensure sustainable, holistic, and efficient management of the city’s urban forest. The updated plan will guide Forestry Division operations, planning, and public outreach, incorporating professional analysis and community input through meetings with staff, officials, and local stakeholders. Key components of the plan include community engagement; tree infrastructure; staffing and equipment; planning and development integration; and insect, disease, and disaster preparedness.”

Send us News

Work with us

Follow on X

Keep Rippin’