SARA Happenings, August 26, 1999
Table of Contents
Hi, This is a regular mailing intended to improve communication within the Search and Rescue community in Alberta. It's going out to over 100 e-mail addresses that are listed as the primary contact of SAR Alberta member groups or which were requested to be added to the mailing list. If you want to be added or removed from the list, please contact Brett Wuth wuth@acm.org. Here are some of the happenings in SAR in Alberta: GPS Roll-OverThis last week-end, August 21, the Global Position System reached it's maximum time count (1024 weeks) and started over from zero again. It is expected that some older GPS's will give wrong readings. Please check your equipment before you trust it. See http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/19990812/tc/tech_navigation_1.html for details. If anyone has a more technical reference, please let me know. Telecommunications WorkshopThe Telecommunications Workshop is planned for Saturday September 25, 1999 in Red Deer (exact location to be determined). The meeting time will be from 12:00 -- 16:00. The purpose of the workshop is to develop a radio telecommunications plan for SAR in Alberta. At the workshop, attendees meet with experts, share information, consider alternatives, generate new ideas, and adopt a near term plan and the general direction of a long term plan. We are asking that each member group identify someone in their membership who understands their local telecommunications needs and can attend. Please send the name and contact information for a person in your group to Brett Wuth wuth@acm.org 403-627-2460. SAR Alberta MerchandiseSAR Alberta is selling various items with the the SAR Alberta logo or name. License plates are $10. Travel mugs are $6. And ceramic coffee mugs are $5. The society makes a slight profit on these items, but just as importantly it provides a way of increasing awareness of SAR among the public. If you would like to see or order these items you can do so through your Regional Representative or contact Monty Lynes lynesm@lab.gov.ab.ca 780 422-5953. SAR Alberta T-ShirtsThe fund-raising committee is planning to create T-shirts with the SAR Alberta name. If you have an idea for an interesting design, please contact Mary-Ann Warren Oopstikm@netcom.ca 780 939-2675. Testing after Courses (Correction)Last issue described Edmonton Regional SAR's interesting approach for testing its members. "Whenever they put on a course, they ask the instructor to prepare a test (both written and practical) which is given several months later. They find that the debriefing after the test generates lots of useful ideas and lessons learned." The preferred (corrected) contact for details in Daryl Black ddblack@connect.ab.ca 780 457-4314. CARES Available for Lost Persons (Correction)Last issue described how the Civil Air Rescue Emergency Service (CARES) is available to assist in searches for missing/lost persons. The item incorrectly suggested that the RCMP Incident Commander make the request by calling the Rescue Coordination Center in Trenton. Jim Thoreson gives us corrected information: If any police agency, or tasking agency requires the use of CARES, or needs to contact any of our zones, the following directions will apply: Each CARES zone in the province have duty officers who carry pagers 24 hrs/day, 7 days per week. Each RCMP communications center is supposed to have our 24 hour, on call duty officer pager numbers, in their computers, under, "Search and Rescue". All the incident commander, or search manager has to do is contact the comcen, and they will provide the number, or call us for them. But please remember that only a designated tasking agency (i.e. police agency, or provincial government department) has the authority to task us. In any event, I will also supply you the "on call" numbers here:
Please, DO NOT CALL RCC TRENTON to task us on an assistance file to the province, or police tasking. They do not have any authority over missing persons or provincial taskings and will not handle it. For further details or if you have problems accessing any zone contact Jim Thoreson, jimthoreson@home.com 403 309-8307. New acting Vice-PresidentWith the resignation of the elected Vice-President, the board has gone through a process to find an acting Vice-President until the next general meeting in April 2000. Respecting the desire of the membership to have a direct say in the selection of officers, a call went out for nominations for the roll. If there had been more than one nominee a mail-in vote would have been sent to all regular (voting) member groups and the person selected by vote would have been appointed acting Vice-President. Only one nomination was received. At the board meeting on August 14, the board appointed Brad Marshall acting Vice-President. Brad has been long-time member of the board, representing the Red Deer region. Prior to the board meeting he resigned as Regional Representative to be replaced by Rodney Dietrich. Contacting Your ExecutiveYour executive of SAR Alberta currently consists of:
Current contact information is always available on the web site http://www.saralberta.org. Please give us a call if you have any concerns or interests you would like to discuss. 2000 ConferenceThe provincial SAR conference will be April 7 -- 9, 2000 at the Harvard Park Business Center in Penhold (same place as the last one). This conference is hosted by SAR Alberta as a whole. We will be drawing upon volunteers from across the province to run the conference. Contact Rod Dietrich accountinggod@home.com 403 343-6219. Let's Hear from You!What's happening in your group? What training exercises do you have coming up? What would you like help with? Send me a note and I'll pass the word along. Contact Brett Wuth wuth@acm.org, 403-627-2460.
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