Commander’s Corner

March is about to come to a close and the days are getting warmer. This means that we probably dress lighter for missions, but remember that the nights are still cold, so our packs still need the heavier gear for overnights! Regarding missions, the two that we had on the 19^th and the 20^th were short and efficient; due largely to the proper turnout to the calls.

The Map and Compass training on the 22^nd was well attended by the Squad, however I was disappointed that some of the newer members missed this opportunity to gain proficiency in one of our most important search skills. Special thanks go to Ron Crimmins for putting this session together.  On the subject of training, I’m looking forward to a large turnout at the AZ SAR Conference at Camp Yavepines (Prescott) on April 4,5&6.

If you can’t attend the whole weekend, at least go over for one day. There is a variety of training offerings, all related to Search & Rescue in Arizona. Also, Tonto Rim SAR is sponsoring an Arizona Basic SAR Academy on April 26^th & 27^th at the Pine Community Center. Arizona law requires that all Search & Rescue personnel attend a SAR Academy within their first year. If you need this training and miss this one, you will probably have to travel to another county for a weekend to take it.

Our annual major fund raiser is being kicked-off and you probably have already received your packet of raffle tickets. I urge you to sell these tickets as fast as you can so that the drawing can be held prior to Memorial Day. Remember that Tonto Rim members or family residing at a members household are not eligible to win. These tickets should not be a “hard-sell” and won’t require hours of manning booths at various fairs and other public functions. The Funding Committee has done an excellent job of planning and organizing fund raising for the year, but only you, the members, can make the plan work!

C.U. on the trail

Jim

Don’t forget; the meetings this month are April 8^th  for the Boardand April 10^th  for the General Meeting.

Sheriff’s Office

Peace Officers Training Course will start again in May. It is a nine month course, with 3 classes (16 hours) per week; Tues, Thurs, and Sat.  The course is open to any who wish to become a Reserve and possibly Full-Time Officer for GCSO. Cost is $3800. If interested, contact Sgt Craig Smith at GCSO.

Worthwhile Quote

“They can conquer who believe they can.” John Dryden (1631-1700)

A SENIOR MOMENT

Jane Boyles

BEYOND TRAINING

Training in Search and Rescue can be accomplished in many different ways. If you are a hunter, tracking comes pretty natural. The additional characteristics such as stride, distance, gait, and clue awareness come easy. When the training officer conducts a session, it is most important that everyone show up. If you are good at tracking, there are always others you can assist with learning.

If you go out on a hike, be aware of your surroundings. Look for the signs of animals, the land marks, the clues left behind by others. If you have a GPS, practice with it whenever you are out, orienting yourself with the GPS and maps will help you when you are given an assignment on a search. Practice makes perfect. If you are on a rope training exercise, you see how important it is to be a cohesive team. This same team work needs to be used no matter what your assignment is on a search. All the statistics and knowledge that one learns in the Academy won't do any good if you do not see the clues on the ground, know how to use your maps, compass and GPS. Being a part of any tracking team requires that you understand how to use your equipment and that comes with practice.

Often times the ability, agility and mental awareness of the lost subject are misjudged or not known by the reporting party. Many times the information received is not only incorrect, but misleading. Sometimes you have to make decisions out in the field that may seem contrary to your directions. Check in with command if you feel this is the case. A further question to the reporting party may help you out in the field discern the correct action to take. Remember that the most insignificant clue could become an important piece of evidence. Always get a GPS reading on a clue and mark or flag it for further follow-up, being careful not to destroy tracks or possible evidence that you find. It is not unusual to send another team out to crisscross the area your team has covered or to assist with further follow-up on your findings.

It cannot be stressed too much that how well an area is covered can mean the difference in a potential lawsuit somewhere down the road. Always be aware, alert to clues and document what you find. This is such a big help to the Search Coordinator. Trainings are offered monthly by the squad. Remember that any of the squad members are always willing to help you learn. Some of the older "retirees" often look for ways to escape boredom or the "honey-do" list. Ask and they will be happy to go out on a little mini training.

Never forget your goal as a SAR participant—"THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE".

Training Schedule

 4, 5&6 April—Fri-Sun—AZ SAR Conference. Camp Yavapines, Prescott.  AZ SAR Coordinators in charge. Excellent training opportunity for everyone.

12 April—Sat-- Rope Training TBA

17 Apr--Thu  1800 hrs-- First-Aid Training. Ira Gibel’s house.              

18 Apr—Fri 0800 hrs—ATV/Trail Bike Training. Meet at Punkin Center. Bring water, lunch, GPS, warm clothes, etc. Full 8 hour day. John Avery in charge.                                    

 26-27 April  Sat & Sun. Basic SAR Academy  in Pine at the Community Center, 0800 to 1700 each day.

 Planned                    Line Search training—Les Hulse in charge

Planned                    Tracking practice—all levels—Les Hulse in charge

Planned                    Radio Communications class

Member Profile

Margaret Bullard 551

Margaret was born in Phoenix in 1960.  She graduated from Camelback High school and ASU.  Margaret majored in Education and a minor in Math.  Margaret is married to a cool guy, Dave.  Dave commutes to the valley and works for the Rural Metro Fire Department.  Dave is also active in Wildland Fire.  They have four kids, Candice 12, Matt 11, Dustin 8 and Dave jr. 4.  They moved to Payson in 99 after spending many summers in the Payson area.  Margaret teaches Math and Science at Junior High in Pine.

Margaret and Dave love anything related to the Outdoors.  They love to hike, ride horses, quads and Jeeps.  They have two old Fire Trucks, a ’58 and ’59 Seagraves that they are restoring.  They love the old Fire Trucks and you may see them riding these trucks around in the summer months. 

Margaret is also a 4H leader.  They raise pigs, goats, horses and lambs.  She is also an EMT.  Needless to say she is very busy. 

We welcome her to the Squad and we are fortunate to have some of her time and talents in Tonto Rim Search and Rescue

 Changes

We have several changes this month. Bill Martin 528 has accepted the position of Treasurer.  John Boyles 510 has accepted the position of Training Coordinator to take the place of Ron Crimmins 526 who has elected to take his option of Life Membership. Ron will still participate in many activities but cannot hold office.

Carl Hacker 544 has been upgraded to Active status and Kathleen Bagley 554 asked to be changed to Reserve.

Rescue Archives

 The search with the saddest ending I was involved in was on Easter weekend, 1989. Three year old Brian Greer wandered away from his Grandparents cabin in Thompson Draw about 1:30 PM wanting to be with his dad who had gone into the woods with family members. Brian’s younger brother trailed along for awhile, but they soon became separated.

 It was a brisk, spring-like Saturday but a storm was predicted to move in that evening. After starting a search of the area by friends and family, the younger boy was found OK but Brian was nowhere to be seen so about 3:00 the parents called the GCSO who sent someone out to initiate the search.

 By dark they had found no trace of him and it had started a cold drizzle with the prediction to turn to snow by daylight Sunday. At 10:00 that night, it was raining so hard they called off the few searchers on scene and asked for additional help to be there at 0600 Sunday. Our Squad had not been activated although I had personally called to offer our services as soon as I found out about it Sat evening. They did decide to use us just prior to shutting down for the night.

 About a dozen of us arrived Sunday at 0600 with 2” of snow on the ground and more falling thickly. We were organized into a line search team to work several areas around the subdivision, working out from the CP in ever widening circles. The snow built up to 8” by noon and every small shrub had to be checked because it looked like a small body under the snow. It finally let up Sunday afternoon and stayed cloudy and cold.

 We were joined Sunday and Monday and Tuesday by more and more searchers from all over the state, with well over two hundred at the same time working through the tall pines and scrub undergrowth. Several mounted teams as well as scent dogs and ground teams searched around the clock with no results. A group of air scent dogs were flown in from Utah and it was one of them that found Brian’s body Tuesday about noon, curled up against a log where he had tried to get shelter from the rain and snow. It was determined that he had died of hypothermia the first night out. No wonder as he was only wearing a T-shirt and shorts, adequate for the Saturday daytime weather but not for what hit him that night.

 He was found in an area where our team had searched Sunday morning in the snow, which proved to us that no matter how careful or close together we work a line search, it may not be close enough. We felt we had covered that terrain very thoroughly as our team members were about 5 feet apart. Obviously that was insufficient for the conditions.

 Another lesson learned from this incident was to facilitate as many people as possible as soon as possible especially where a young child is concerned. No one will ever know whether the outcome for Brian might have been different if more searchers had been utilized Saturday afternoon and through the night.

J. Mike Taylor 502

YES and SAFE

We have been invited to do some presentations for the Cactus Pine Girl Scout Council and also the Boy Scouts of America, Grand Canyon Council.

 The Boy Scouts will be on 0900 Sunday April 13^th at a campsite near Strawberry. There will be one SAFE presentation and two YES presentations. For those who would like to help, contact me at 476-4947 and I’ll have more details closer to the event.

 The GSA will be a SAFE show on June 4^th at 0900  and 4 separate YES shows from mid-June to the end of July. All presentations will be at Camp Shadow Rim Girl Scout camp near Washington Park.

 We need more presenters for both programs on an ongoing basis. Please contact me to get involved.

TRSAR Officers

Thanks to all who contributed to this issue of the newsletter.

 Please continue to share for the enlightenment of all.