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SARA Happenings November 2001


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Hi,

This is a regular mailing intended to improve communication within the Search and Rescue community in Alberta. It's going out to over 160 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 send mail to sara-happenings-ctl@castrov.cuug.ab.ca.

Here are some of the happenings in SAR in Alberta and around the country: Call for Presentations

The organizers of the 12th World Conference on Disaster Management (WCDM) are calling for presentations for next year's conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada from July 7-10, 2002. The Conference theme will be "The Changing Face of Disaster Management". Presentations should fall into one or more of the following categories:

- Real Events/Real Lessons Learned
- Technical Risks/Emergencies
- The Human Element in Disaster Management
- Future Trends in Disaster Management
- Disaster Management Principles & Practices

For more information, visit the WCDM web site at: http://www.wcdm.org/

Update on GPS Accuracy

This item was forwarded by CSAR

PRESS ADVISORY from the United States Department of Defense No. 233-P October 18, 2001

The Department of Defense today released a new Global Positioning System (GPS) performance standard. The new standard is on the Web at http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/gps/geninfo/2001SPSPerformanceStandardFINAL.pdf The new performance standard codifies a change announced last year to discontinue DoD's ability to decrease GPS accuracy. See http://www.ostp.gov/html/0053_2.html The standard also moves some technical specifications to a supporting document, ICD-GPS-200, on the Web at http://npoesslib.ipo.noaa.gov/techlib/doc165/doc165.pdf

DoD, as operator of the GPS, now provides civil users a horizontal positioning accuracy of 36 meters, compared to 100-meter accuracy in the previous edition of the standard, which was published in 1995. DoD also promises to notify the civil user community whenever serious or unforeseen problems could affect the new performance level.

Future improvements to the system are projected to include new civil codes to correct for ionospheric distortion and to assure continuity of service. The new services will be deployed with satellite launches scheduled between 2003 and 2012, with full operational capability expected in 2014

From the regions Fort McMurray

Fort McMurray Search & Rescue Ground Crew

Search Callouts and Results

We have had two call outs where the missing subject showed up before searchers got out.

Two 'full' searches included a successful foot search for a missing man, who went bird hunting out behind Abasand and got turned around in the bush. Wearing runners, jeans, t-shirt w/light jacket etc. it was one 'happy hunter' who got "found" by our team late the next morning. We also had a callout to Gregoire lake for overdue boaters their boat had swamped in high waves and although they did make it to shore (saved from hypothermia both in and out of the water, mostly due to wearing Mustang life suits) after a cold night out in wet gear they were very glad to see team members in the morning who pulled them out to safety.

Future Plans We are offering a Search And Rescue Fundamentals Course over the dates of Nov. 17/18 and 24/25. Also we will be offering Basic First Aid/CPR in January of 2002.

From the Regions Fort McMurray

Fort McMurray Search & Rescue Air Crew (CARES/CASARA)

Meetings and Training We have been running our general meetings the third Thursday of each month year round.

Spotter Training took place in October with 11 new spotters being qualified with the Military/Herc. Aircraft.

Three members participated in the Provincial SAREX at Red Deer this fall. We will be having a zone SAREX here on Nov. 3/01.

Search Callouts and Results

Had an 'overdue check' on Childers case on June 29th, aircraft turned up next day.

Future Plans

Future Plans include Winter Survival Training joint exercise with ground crew (probably February) and all winter we do pilot& nav. training weekly.

SARA Happenings Submissions

Does your group have an event posting for the SARA Happenings mailing? If so, to see that it is sent out on time send information 1-1/2 months prior to the dates wished advertised. It will then give ample notice to those reading it to respond. Contact: Chris Hoare Ph. 403-628-3802 gpsurvey@telusplanet.net


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