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Commander’s Corner
Project Lifesaver is now being implemented. We have raised enough money to purchase the receivers, 14 wristband transmitters and initial training. Sgt Hudgens made arrangements to have two instructors from the Humbolt County Sheriffs Office in Northern Nevada come down to provide training. Several Deputies and a few Squad members were selected to attend this initial training session. All squad members will be trained on this equipment as soon as possible. Sgt Hudgens has a list of potential recipients of the wristband transmitters. The 16th of March, Sgt. Hudgens and I put the first wristband on a client. John Logan put the second one on and Vynette Sage placed the third. We each will be responsible for the monthly maintenance of each bracelet these recipients were given. Funding for this project will continue. Money will be needed for extra batteries, wristbands and additional transmitters as the need arises. Don Peters continues to solicit funds from businesses and organizations. Each of us can speak to friends and neighbors and ask for funds. Refer potential donors to our website for additional information. The SAR Academy is being presented the 2nd and 3rd of April at the Pine Community Hall. Each day activities will start at 0800 hours. This is required training for all new members. Members who have already had the training and who wish to attend are asked to bring the training material they received at their initial training. The training material will be provided for new members. Don Johnson has done an outstanding job organizing this training Academy. There is a lot of material being presented. Lunches and breaks will be short. Bring your lunch and snacks. Training will end at 1700 hours or as close to as possible. I look forward to seeing you there. Stay active and stay healthy Dave Pirtle ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
New Feature The Webmaster has
added a new page to our website. It is entitled “MEMORABLE MISSIONS”
and the 2nd article is posted there now. Check it out at: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Guest Article
Alaskan Experience by John Boyles 510
This past weekend was an anniversary of an experience that even after 41 years is still very clear in my memory. Good Friday March 27 1964 was a day that I wish on no one. Forty-one years ago, I was working for a well-known painting contractor in Anchorage. He was big enough that he was able to pick up must of the larger military and commercial accounts there. That morning started well enough and nobody even dreaming what a tragic day it was to become. I drove in to Anchorage Intl. Airport to finish a complete painting of the business offices of Wein Consolidated Airlines. All of us there were looking forward to doing the Easter things. There was still some snow around but the thoughts of us all was on the coming break-up. Spring was close. Nearing quitting time, all of the painting equipment and paint was taken down to the hanger level and covered with canvas. Thank God, a big job had just been finished and we could look forward to starting another. Driving home was routine. It was still daylight. Spring was near. As I drove into the yard there in Chugiak, my mother and dad were standing in the yard talking about their summer plans. I had hardly entered our cabin when everything in the world was shaking and falling all about. I grabbed our baby out of the crib and sat on the floor holding the other three close to me and watching out for anything that could hit us. My wife was trying to set on the couch at my shoulder but every time she was settled the quake would throw her off onto the floor. After a couple times of that I said just stay down here before you get hurt. Now earthquakes are not uncommon in Alaska, and we had lived through several small ones. However, nothing ever prepared us for the shock we took that evening. After we got the refrigerator and the stove from in front of the door, we went outside. My folks were still standing in the yard holding each other and wondering why we did not get outside when it started. Our little cabins were still standing and the only damage was to the jars of canned stuff on the shelves. About then the fire alert system phone rang. We had a mission. I had just been accepted in the Chugiak Volunteer Fire Co. and as one of the members I was duty bound to respond. One of our neighbor’s house had caught fire because a gas line brake. So, a couple of us went to the house and waited for the fire truck to come. It never did. The chief had a call from Anchorage to respond to the fuel storage yard in town. It was on fire and all the area support was requested to help. Sadly, there was no help at my friends cabin. It was totally burned. Very late that night I returned home dead tired to find, all my four kids, wife, mom and dad, a colored neighbor lady and her two grandkids all over the floor and chairs in mother’s 24 X 20 foot cabin. That old grandma was dressed as if she was ready for church. Nobody could sleep. The after shocks were frequent and strong enough to really get your attention every time. That is the way it was for me, 41 years ago this week. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tracking Class Photos Les Hulse 523 was kind enough to take some photos at a recent tracking class and has shared them with us. You can see them at: http://www.trsar.org/slideshows/tracking/index.html ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Photos We are in need of SAR photos during trainings and missions that can be used on the website. Please share any you currently have and take your camera to SAR events of all types so you can collect more for us. Jack will arrange to pick up the pictures, CD, Floppys etc... or he can take them off your computer with a portable hard drive. Or, you can email them or send them on CD or DVD by mail to: Jack Quinn
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Annual NASAR Conference Oakland CA May 25-28, 2005 Go to; http://www.nasar.org/nasar/conferences.php?id=130 for more info or to register
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Website Tonto Rim SAR Members can now have your very own email address through our site. Just contact our Webmaster at jack@jackswebs.com to arrange for it, no cost to you or us. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ We are promoted and you’ll also find our newsletter on the Rim Country Volunteer site; http://www.inpayson.com/TRSAR-Payson-Rim-Country-Area.htm ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I believe each one of our members has a one-time story that needs to be shared. Please write it up and get it to your editor.
April 2005 Training Schedule
2-3 April (Sat-Sun) SAR Academy – Time: 0800 – Location: Cultural Hall in Pine ____________________________________________________________________________________ 9 April ( Sat) Man Tracking Training - Class room – Time 0900 - At the Squad Building ____________________________________________________________________________________ 14 Apr. (Thu) Pack Peek Session – After General Meeting – Instructor: Roger Miotto ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 15-17 Apr. Arizona SAR – Camp Ponderosa Ranch, Heber – 1200 Fri to 1200 Sun – see www.trsar.org for details, pre-registration, directions, class list, etc. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 20 Apr (Wed) CPR – Class filled up – Place: Ira Gibel’s Home – Time: 1800 – Instructor: Ira Gibel ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 23 Apr. (Sat) Rope Training – Time: 0900 – Place: Pine Canyon Narrows – Roger Miotto and rope instructors in charge ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 30 Apr. (Sat) ATV Ride – Time: 0900 – Location: Intersection 423 , 426 and 60 on A Cross Rd. at the corral – Instructor: Don Johnson ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Planned Training Sessions (after next general meeting)18 May (Wed) First Aid – Place: Ira Gibel’s Home – Time: 1800 – Instructor: Ira Gibel ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9 Jun. (Thu) Indoc Session – After General Meeting – Instructor: Les Hulse ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 15 Jun (Wed) CPR – Place: Ira Gibel’s Home – Time: 1800 – Instructor: Ira Gibel ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 20 Jul (Wed) First Responder – Place: Ira Gibel’s Home – Time: 1800 – Instructor: Ira Gibel ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 17 Aug (Wed) CPR – Place: Ira Gibel’s Home – Time: 1800 – Instructor: Ira Gibel ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Planned ATV Rodeo – All squad members – Instructor: John Avery ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Planned Navigation Classrooms (with exercises) – Basic GPS Settings and Techniques – Basic Map and Compass Techniques (no GPS) – Organizer: Les Hulse ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Planned Traffic control class will be put on by the Sheriff office ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Requested Training Sessions
… If you would like to volunteer to run a training session, or if you have a training session request contact Any Board Member or Don Johnson Italics = Sign-up required to attend this training * See following notes: P To reserve use of squad ATV, contact Don Johnson 474-5335 or 978-9010 Jacket, gloves, boots, helmet, and eye protection required to operate Squad ATV
Fund Raising 23 Apr. (Sat) Payson Business Showcase Payson Mall Tent. 3 May (Tue) Letter Stuffing Party Squad Building 6 PM. 14 May (Sat) Payson Wildlife Fair Green Valley Park. 28-28 May Pine/Strawberry Arts and Crafts Show Pine AZ. (Sat-Sun) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Navigation Route (self-practice) exercising GPS and magnetic bearing functions: From the starting point at the FR 194 sign: 1 – Go to 0450015E – 3803405N (stake H) 2 – Go 818 ft at bearing 63° (stake C) 3 – Go to 0450274E – 3803339N (stake D) 4 – Go 498 ft at bearing 231° (stake A) 5 – Go to 0450170E – 3803121N (stake O) 6 – Return to start The total walking length of this route is 3388 ft. (about 0.65 mile) measured from FR 194 marker. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Ordeal stays with family Fri, Mar 25, 2005 By MELISSA DONLEY The Brunswick News, Brunswick GA When Sierra Nazzrie-Goda, 11, and Heather Hartsfield, 10, went into the woods off Touchstone Road Wednesday afternoon, they were searching for Bear, a lab-mix puppy that was missing. Little did they know that it would be an unsuccessful mission that would touch off an all-night search for them by police, volunteers and family members. They were found safe early Thursday morning, but the 15-hour ordeal may be something parents and children remember for a long time — the parents for the nightmare they went through and the girls for the adventure of having been lost in the woods. Sierra recounted the events Thursday from the safety of her Touchstone home before a small audience that included her mother, Valerie, and father, Johnathon. At about 6 p.m. Wednesday, the two girls went into the woods with blankets to find and capture the puppy. They took the blankets to help snare the puppy, which Sierra described as skittish. "It started getting dark because it was getting late," Sierra said. As darkness fell, the two girls found shelter in a culvert. "We tried to find a place to stay out of the rain," Sierra said. The girls used the blankets to keep warm throughout the night. Meanwhile, Valerie Goda was searching the neighborhood and calling friends and family. She said she drove for about an hour around Touchstone before calling police to report the two girls missing. Shortly after that, Glynn County police officers and volunteers were searching the area on foot and on all-terrain vehicles. A canine unit was also taken to the area. Apparently, searchers got close to the girls, but not close enough for detection. "The girls said they heard us on the four-wheelers, but it was hard to judge the distance," said Glynn County Police Chief Matt Doering. The police activated A Child Is Missing system — also known as ACIM — to alert neighbors of the missing children. The automated alert system calls 1,000 residences by telephone in the immediate surrounding area within 60 seconds with a description of the missing children and information on who to contact. At daybreak Thursday, the searchers were joined by other volunteers, including members of the Emergency Management Agency Search and Rescue Unit. "Our group was going out on foot to knock on doors and talk to neighbors about the missing girls," said Buddy Webb, chief volunteer of the search and rescue unit. At about 9 a.m. Thursday, officers found the two girls dirty, but unharmed, walking down Touchstone Road. Sierra said they were headed to a convenience store because they were getting thirsty. Valerie Goda said she and her husband were ecstatic when they heard the girls were safe. "We heard it on the (police) radio when they found them," Valerie said. "Everybody's safe. We're still working out the stress."
Deseret Morning News, Saturday, March 26, 2005 6 men buried but survive avalanches They escape slides on Mount Olympus, in Big Cottonwood By Wendy Leonard and Joseph M. Dougherty BIG COTTONWOOD CANYON — Six men were buried but able to escape two separate avalanches Friday as Utah's backcountry mountains reacted to the large amounts of new snow that fell throughout the week.
One slide broke near Cardiff Fork on the south side of Big Cottonwood Canyon just before 4 p.m. Three cross-country skiers were hit by the slide, which they said came at them through the trees. Their equipment was tossed around, and their skis were detached from their feet, said Sgt. Mike Morgan from Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office. He said Bruce Meisenheimer, 48, Draper, was able to find two skis and used them to ski down to the highway, where he called 911 from a cell phone. He alerted search and rescue workers to the whereabouts of the other two men, Rick Hoffman and Graham Stork, both in their 50s, of Salt Lake City. Rescue crews searched for the men and were able to find them when another skier, who came across the injured pair and waited with them, called 911. Meisenheimer was taken by ambulance to LDS Hospital, where he was reported in serious condition with head injuries and a broken vertebra in his neck. It took crews nearly three hours to reach Hoffman and Stork, and they were expected to come off the mountain just before midnight. Stork had fractured his leg in the knee area and also suffered some chest injuries. He was in serious condition and was taken to a local hospital. Hoffman suffered chest injuries, but was reported in fair condition. "They are in happy spirits to be found," Morgan said. The second slide occurred on the west face of Mount Olympus at about the same time Friday afternoon. Officers received a call from one of three Salt Lake area men who were climbing the face and were unexpectedly buried but able to dig themselves out. "They were planning to camp out for the night and go for the summit in the morning," said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Lt. Teri Sommers. She said two of them were only half-buried and were able to help dig each other out. One of the men was identified as Jason Livingston; the other's name had not been released by press time.
The men located the other, Derek Doman, who had created an air pocket to surround himself as he waited while the others dug to reach him. He was under several feet of snow for nearly 45 minutes as the others used shovels they had carried with them to dig him out. "They were all well-equipped to hike there and had apparently had avalanche training," Sommers said. "They were relatively prepared." The three hiked back down the mountain along Thousand Oaks Trail, where emergency crews met them. None was injured and they refused offers of medical care. Bruce Tremper, director of the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center said there were several avalanches in the Ogden area Thursday, due to the new water weight on lightly covered slopes. Two of those avalanches were triggered by out-of-bounds skiers, he said. "Most of the activity yesterday occurred because more dense snow was deposited on top of lighter snow from Wednesday," he said as part of Friday's mountain weather advisory. Friday's level of avalanche danger was considerable, but in areas where snowpack was stable, it was considered moderate. A statement from the Utah Avalanche Center said rapid warming was expected for the weekend, boding an increase in the danger of wet avalanches for most of Utah's mountains. Tremper said he expected the danger scale to rise to high for the weekend. "People need to know that the mountains right now are very dangerous," Morgan said. He cautioned skiers to stay out of the backcountry for a few days to let the conditions at high elevations settle.
© 2005 Deseret News Publishing Company
_________________________________________________________________________ Thanks to those who contributed to this issue of the newsletter. Mike 502,
Editor@trsar.org |
