BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Two Boise Fire Department firefighters, Captain Christopher Hendershot and Senior Firefighter Peter Hammett, will be honored with the First Responder Award by SERVPRO at the 2025 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Dec. 22 at Boise State University.
The recognition comes after their pivotal role in a complex helicopter swiftwater rescue that saved two stranded rafters on the lower Owyhee River earlier this year.
On May 15, 2025, the Boise Fire’s Helicopter-Swiftwater Rescue Team (HELO-SRT) assisted the Idaho Army National Guard in a rescue near Jordan Valley, Oregon. The rafters were left stranded overnight in sub-40-degree temperatures after a rafting accident. One rafter was trapped on a rock in fast-moving water, while the other was stranded along the riverbank. Due to terrain challenges, a direct helicopter hoist was not feasible. Hendershot and Hammett devised a ground-based rescue plan, executing a high-risk vectored pendulum maneuver to bring the stranded rafter to safety before hoisting both individuals. The rafters were flown to Boise for medical evaluation…