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SARNews.com - May 2009 Newsletter

An official publication of Emergency Response International

Published by dbS Productions LLC

In this issue:

Mountain Rescue Member Dies in Climbing Accident in UK

We received sad news from Mountain Rescue in England and Wales that John Evans, a highly experienced climber and mountain rescue team member in the UK and Alaska, died from a fall while on a recreational climb in Snowdonia in Wales . He was highly regarded around the world for his expertise in mountain rescue and wilderness first aid. Friends and team members pay tribute to John Evans’ life and great skill as a mountaineer and rescuer.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/north_west/8025439.stm

Lost Person Behavior Train-the-Trainer Course August 10 – 15

Become certified to instruct Lost Person Behavior based upon the program developed by Robert Koester and currently used by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management's SAR program. The course includes the full Lost Person Behavior course plus in-depth instruction on the details and mechanics of teaching the class, case studies, map problems, and a day trip into nearby Shenandoah National Park for on-site review of actual major searches that have occurred there. The course will be held at Blue Ridge School near Charlottesville , VA. More information on course requirements, agenda, registration, fees, lodging is at http://www.dbs-sar.com/LPB_TTT/index.htm.

US Professor Exploring Volcanoes Is Missing in Japan

Craig Arnold, a poet and professor on a creative fellowship exchange in Japan, did not return from an afternoon hike to a volcano, which he was researching for a new book. We first heard news of this from a friend this morning, who asked us if there was anything we knew about SAR in Japan that might be able to help.  From what we know, there isn’t typically an exhaustive SAR response when a person goes missing. The article below bears that out: The government normally authorizes a three-day search for a missing person. So far, there have been about 40 searchers (police, fire), search dogs, and a helicopter to respond. In this case, the government has made an exception and has authorized an additional 55 searchers for another three days. Family and friends have been worried that the search would end too soon, but they believe that US and Japanese authorities are working together with the best available resources to make this an effective search, and we certainly hope, a rescue.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_12264466?source=rss

Media Investigates Mishandling of Search Effort for Woman with Dementia

In an appalling story from Wisconsin , the media brought to light the inadequate handling of a search for a woman with dementia crying for help in the woods near her home. After a small team of deputies searched off and on for several hours, the Sheriff called off the search, stating he did not want his deputies to scare her and cause her to flee further into the woods toward a river. He also turned down at least two outside search teams that offered help. What is different about this story is that, in addition to reporting on the case, the media provided access to the full sheriff’s report, his official statement and a letter from a neighbor who tried to get involved to find the woman but was turned away. The story highlights several critical aspects of SAR: 1) the need for law enforcement to be trained in searching for persons with dementia; 2) the importance of using available resources to support a search effort, and 3) the moral imperative to do everything possible within one’s jurisdiction to save a life. It seems clear that had the sheriff acted responsibly in light of these aspects, Deanne Brien would likely not have died in the woods that night.

http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/42228922.html

Using Google Earth to Solve Missing Plane Case

Two and a half years after a plane went missing in Arizona it was found in a canyon recently after someone sent the family of one of the crash victims a photograph of a forest fire taken by hikers on the day the plane went missing. Using Google Earth, the family was able to pinpoint the exact area in the picture by identifying rock formations and other terrain features. To see how they did this go to http://www.n2700q.com/googleearth.html. The families have finally gotten closure after finding their missing loved ones.  Building on their experience and use of Google Earth, they created MARSI (Mapped Archive of Rescue & Search Information), which they hope will be useful to help others in similar types of search and rescue efforts.

http://www.kpho.com/video/19285736/index.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2009/04/26/AR2009042600077.html

Civil Air Patrol Says “Don’t Trash the Beacon”

Instead of throwing your old ELT beacon into the dump, there is a proper way of disposing of it: first, remove or disconnect the battery, then contact your local electronic waste authority on how to best dispose of it. CAP warns that if not disposed of properly, the beacon may accidentally emit a distress signal, which would trigger a response from emergency responders who are required to locate the signal. Since false alarms and emergencies are indistinguishable, an old ELT signal coming from a dump would waste valuable resources.

http://www.insidenova.com/isn/news/patriot/article/civil_air_patrol_and_aopa_urge_responsible_disposal_of_old_elt_beacons/33108/

Rise in More Venomous Rattlesnakes in Southern California

With hiking season gearing up, a report in Scientific American offers timely information about the rise in a species of rattlesnakes in Southern California . Reports from hospitals in Southern California show a spike in incidents of serious snakebites, and scientists suspect the Southern Pacific rattlesnake. The article reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention logs 7,000 reports of snakebites in the U.S. annually;15 of those result in death and about 25 percent of the survivors are left with some permanent damage. Several theories about why there is in an increase include the characteristics of Southern Pacific rattlesnakes, which tend to lay low or move away rather than hiss and rattle when confronted, therefore they are more likely to survive and move into new areas. Another factor is human migration and activity in the snake’s coastal and mountain habitat.

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=snake-venom-california&SID=mail&sc=emailfriend

New FEMA Independent Study Courses Available Online

The Emergency Management Institute's Independent Study Program has launched the following new courses:

IS-100.HE Introduction to the Incident Command System for Higher Education describes the history, features and principles, and organizational structure of ICS. It also explains the relationship between ICS and the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

IS-197.EM Special Needs Planning Considerations for Emergency Management helps emergency managers and first responders better understand the special needs population and how to partner with persons with special needs as well as their support providers and organizations.

IS-26 Guide to Points of Distribution supports the Points of Distribution overview video and provides an in-depth look into the planning, operations and demobilization stages of a POD mission.

IS-836 Nuclear/Radiological Incident Annex describes the concept of operations to address specific contingency or hazard situations or an element of an incident requiring specialized application of the NRF. This course provides an introduction to the NRF Nuclear/Radiological Incident Annex.

EMI also offers downloadable group-training materials for the following courses:
IS-100.a Introduction to the Incident Command System; IS-100.SCa Introduction to the Incident Command System for Schools;
IS-200.a ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents;
IS-700.a National Incident Management System, An Introduction;
IS-800.b National Response Framework: An Introduction.

http://m1e.net/c?19326550-s6bkOZ0XwvmmI%404142278-NWLex7eP/CRV6

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Geography …

You can find at www.veryspatial.com. This website offers blogs, a weekly podcast on geography/geospatial technologies), tv and dozens of links to other interesting geography-related sites. Managed by three PhD candidates (two in Geography, one in Political Science) with a love of geography, this site is sure to impart some interesting tidbit of information to just about anyone.

SAR Conference Updates

May

New Mexico Escape 2009 May 1-3

The New Mexico Emergency Services Council hosts Escape 2009 in Ruidoso, NM . Highlighted seminars include tactical tracking, mounted search and one-on-one dog handling instruction. Other classes cover basic search and rescue techniques such as navigation, communications, field medicine and patient transport, search organization and wilderness technical rescue techniques.

http://www.nmesc.org/

Little Egypt ( Illinois ) SAREX May 8 – 10

This second annual conference will be held in Dixon Springs State Park in Southern Illinois. Trainings include ground SAR skills, rappelling, confined space rescue, basic mantracking, search management, patient packaging, K9 skills.

http://lesar.org/sarex09.html

Maine Search and Rescue Conference May 9-11

Hosted by the Wilderness Rescue Team, the Maine conference will be held in Bethel , ME at the Sunday River Resort. Course topics include man-tracking, K-9, wilderness first aid, land navigation and crime scene preservation.

http://www.wildernessrescue.org/2009masar/masar.html

August

Illinois SAR Conference (ISARC) August 21 – 23

ISARC will be held at Rend Lake Resort & Conference Center in Whittington , IL . Conference agenda and activities should be posted on the web site below by May 1.

http://www.illinoissar.org/Conference.htm

October

Ohio 1st Annual SAR Conference October 9 - 10

Ohio is kicking off its first SAR conference at Hidden Hollow Camp in Bellville, OH . Robert Koester will be giving courses on Lost Person Behavior, Search Management and Urban Search. For conference schedule and registration go to the link below and click on Special Events.

www.ohiospecialresponseteam.org


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