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SARA Happenings - October 2001
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:
As you may expect, several submissions related to the
September tragedy were sent in, and I've excerpted them.
Free Items
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Red Deer Search And Rescue has the following surplus items to donate to
fellow teams:
School bus converted to command post c/w interior 120v electrical, map
table, various modifications 4 steel basket stretchers
15 hard hats 100 travel mugs with SAR imprinted (great giveaways)
Contact Karry Conway
Red Deer Search & Rescue
Info Line: 403-314-1269
New York Item from CSAR
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FAST-ACTING WORKERS SAVE BRAVE K9 By JULIA SZABO
September 14, 2001 - Many heroes have emerged from the effort to save
lives at the site of the World Trade Center disaster. Some have four legs
and a tail. Chris Christensen, a police officer from East Carondelet,
Mo., arrived yesterday morning to assist the search effort with his beloved
search pooch, Servus. Certified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency,
the 70-pound Belgian malinois is a search-and-rescue K9 with the unlikely
nickname "Wuss." Within 45 minutes of arriving, Servus did two searches
for victims. After that, attached to a 15-foot tether, the dog climbed
down a hole lined with shards of rebar. "The debris had formed so much
dust, it was at least 16 inches deep in some spots," Christensen explained.
What happened next was a nightmare. "He'd inhaled a lot
of dust," Christensen said. "And he tried to clear it by vomiting, but
he couldn't. His tongue was turning purple. He looked up at me, and I
thought, "My dog's in trouble - I need help." Christensen handed his dog's
limp body up to another rescue worker, then administered oxygen from a
nearby firetruck. "I put the mask over his nose," he explained. "Then
I put my fingers up his nostrils and started scooping out debris." The
oxygen kicked in, but Servus started shaking uncontrollably. He was in
shock.
"All of a sudden, two people grabbed a stretcher and helped
carry my dog down the street," Christensen said. "It was the most impressive
thing I've seen." One of them, Karimah Tarazi, a registered nurse who,
together with emergency medical technician Ramone Torres, helped Christensen
get Servus to the hospital. A squad car from the 13th Precinct picked
up the group and sped uptown. Tarazi and Torres rode with Christensen
and Servus.
Their destination was the Animal Medical Center on East
62nd Street where the dog was admitted to the intensive-care unit and
released about six hours later. "A true search-and-rescue dog is worth
his weight in gold," Christensen said, cradling his dog's head in his
lap in the ICU. "This dog saved my life twice."
Original submission - Beth Rood <malnsenji@aol.com>
Wufpack Basenjis and Belgian Malinois, Member BCOA, Member Columbia
Kennel Club
BRAT Screener/Coordinator, SCARE Saluda County Representative
From the NY Fire Dept. (FDNY) Website
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Our thoughts and prayers are with all of our members and their families,
the NYPD, Port Authority, the innocent victims, and everyone who has been
affected by this tragedy. The Fire Department is requesting that all monetary
donations to support the families of those lost in the recent tragedy
be made payable to either of these organizations:
UFA WIDOWS AND CHILDREN FUND
C/O UFA
204 E 23 STREET
NEW YORK, NY 10010
CERT #501C(3) CHARITY FUND - EIN 13-304-7544
NEW YORK FIREFIGHTERS 9-11 DISASTER RELIEF FUND
C/O IAFF
1750 NEW YORK AVENUE N.W.
WASHINGTON D.C. 20006
We would also like to give heartfelt thanks to the rescuers
and volunteers from all over the US and Canada, who stand alongside us.
All New Yorkers who have shown by their actions that this is truly one
of the greatest cities in the world. And all those across the United States
that continue to show our spirit cannot be attacked.
The following was another Submission to Moderators
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Here's a story from a flight attendant about their return flight from
Germany on September 11th, and their stopover in Gander,
Newfoundland. It's certainly a refreshing proof of the goodness of people.
Gander alone ended up with 53 airplanes from all over the
world, and Red Cross told us that they were going to process about 10,500
passengers from all the airplanes. What passengers told us was so uplifting
and incredible. We found out that Gander and the surrounding small communities,
within a 75 Kilometer radius, had closed all the high schools, meeting
halls, lodges, and any other large gathering places. They converted all
these facilities to a mass lodging area. Some had cots set up, some had
mats with sleeping bags and pillows set up. ALL the high school students
HAD to volunteer taking care of the guests. Our 218 passengers ended up
in a town called Lewisporte, about 45 Kilometers from Gander. During the
days the passengers were given a choice of "Excursion" trips.
Some people went on boat cruises of the lakes and harbors.
Some went to see the local forests. Local bakeries stayed open to make
fresh bread for the guests. Food was prepared by all the residents and
brought to the school for those who elected to stay put. Others were driven
to the eatery of their choice and fed. They were given tokens to go to
the local Laundromat to wash their clothes, since their luggage was still
on the aircraft. In other words every single need was met for those unfortunate
travelers. When passengers came on board, it was like they had been on
a cruise.
Everybody knew everybody else by their name. They were swapping
stories of their stay, impressing each other with who had
the better time. It was mind boggling. Our flight back to Atlanta looked
like a party flight. One of our business class passengers
approached me and asked if he could speak over the PA to his fellow passengers.
We never, never, allow that. But something told me to get out of his way.
I said "of course". The gentleman picked up the PA and reminded everyone
about what they had just gone through in the last few days. He reminded
them of the hospitality they had received at the hands of total strangers.
He further stated that he would like to do something in return for the
good folks of the town of Lewisporte. He said he was going to set up a
Trust Fund under the name of DELTA 15 (our flight number). The purpose
of the trust fund is to provide a scholarship for high school student(s)
of Lewisporte to help them go to college. He asked for donations of any
amount from his fellow travelers. When the paper with donations got back
to us with the amounts, names, phone numbers and addresses, it totaled
to $14.5K or about $20K Canadian.
Room for Volunteers?
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This editor took a quick look around various websites looking for SAR
specific items relating to the September terrorism, but found
little. I did note that while the FDNY had two websites that mentioned
members who'd lost their lives, the NYPD with a very stiff upper lip had
nothing. The NYC website and the US Government sites both said thanks
for your offers, but we don't need any more volunteer help. I'm sure there
are many in the SARA community who would have liked to have helped out,
had there been a way. It seems likely that many of those people who did
participate in the rescue/recovery operations won't notice any adverse
reactions to their experiences until after life returns to normal - perhaps
long after. I wonder if the Alberta groups might like to get together
to offer some long term, low level assistance - ranging perhaps from sympathetic
listening to those who may want to speak about things troubling them;
to providing a vacation or two for family of those who lost their lives
in the line of duty.
SARA Happenings Submissions
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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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