As your past commander, I can honestly say the past two years have flown by.  I’m very proud to have been your commander.  Our squad would not be what it is today if it wasn’t for all the awesome support from its members. 

I’m sure you will give Bill Pitterle your full support as you have given me. 

I will continue to be active in the squad and take on any task given me.  

Thanks for your tremendous support. 

Stay active and stay healthy

 Dave Pirtle

Commander’s Corner

A new year and a new commander for TRSAR.  I hope to do the job justice, though it’s tough to follow the outstanding leadership of the last two commanders while I have been in the squad.  Jim Martin and Dave Pirtle have both done an exceptional job and I’m glad I have their experience to fall back on.  I plan to continue their strong emphasis on training and preparedness. 

My personal emphasis is on professionalism – we are a highly skilled organization for the job we do.  It’s what sets us apart from, say, a group of friends and neighbors out looking for someone.  We have tools and training that set us apart and makes us experts in finding and assisting those who need our help.

 Regarding preparedness, we have had few missions lately and this can lead to complacency in keeping gear in tiptop shape.  This might be a good time to go through your gear, make sure you know or remember where everything is.  Things “wander off” sometimes – for a project, for hunting, a day hike.  It’s a good idea once in a while to “find” all of those things and put them back in their proper place.  One of the things that make us look professional is to be able to grab the gear you need immediately when you arrive on scene.  We usually don’t know what kind of assignment we will get until we arrive on scene, but if you know exactly where your 10 essentials are, where your emergency overnight gear is, where your tracking gear is, you can throw a pack together in minutes for any given mission assignment.

 One last thing – I am always amazed at the level of dedication shown by many of the longstanding members in this squad.  Lawns are mowed, grounds maintained, newsletters published, equipment maintained, etc, etc, etc.  You know who you are who do these things quietly and behind the scenes – and you are greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

 Bill Pitterle 500

Don’t forget; the meetings this month are January 10th for the Board
and January 12^th for the General Meeting.
 

A very quiet unassuming man should never be underestimated.  This is the case of one of our long time members Burl “John” Avery.  We first got to know John when we were members of a Maricopa County SAR Posse.  John would always show up for trainings in the valley.  He was always prepared for the desert environment.  We knew we could count on him to fill any assigned need there was.  We also worked with him at a state multi-agency training, truly seeing his desire to help others.

 John divides his time between his home here in Pine and his “ranch” in Gilbert.  If you ever want an experience go visit the Avery place.  There is every imaginable farm animal in that field and John will greet you with his farm overalls on, completing a pastoral picture right off Norman Rockwell’s canvas.  His lovely wife of fifty years, Jacquelyn, and his big strapping boys will greet you and show you around.  John also has a son practicing medicine in the upper reaches of Vermont, truly a “country doctor”. 

John has spent many years as a Boy Scout Leader.  Having raised a son up through scouting, I know the dedication this takes.  He is a great hiker and often took his boys on long hikes.  The old Sheep Trail from the Rim to the Valley was one of his favorites.  Can you imagine the good fellowship and knowledge John instilled in these boys out there in the wilderness?  The story goes that after dark he would relate the legend of the “Mogollon Monster” to the boys.  Not one of them will ever forget that story. John has always been an outdoorsman, camping, hunting and fishing.  His years in the Air Force did not give him the desire to leave Arizona, but instead to come back here and give back to his homeland.  His National Livestock shows, Fair entrees, Boy Scout Jamborees and Air Force Reunions are among his fondest memories.

 John has always been in business for himself mostly having something to do with farming and the service industry.  He has owned a garage, gun shop and auto supply store.  The knowledge and necessity for hard work have been passed on to the boys and his daughter.  His spare time activities are typical of a country boy, fixing fences, digging ditches and cutting wood.  His is a self taught expert of wilderness photography.  Have you looked at the albums he has put together of SAR activities?  When asked what he enjoys, his answer was so much like the John we know; “My wife and family, sun rises and sunsets, beautiful seasons and the marvels of medicine. 

 John, it has been the pleasure of Tonto Rim to have you serve with us. Even if we did con you into taking the treasure job, your records were beyond challenge. Your ATV trail rides have been such an addition to our training.  The knowledge you have shared with us on these rides has helped us all to enjoy the wonders of nature and be better prepared to do our job in Search and Rescue.

 JEB 510L

 Tonto Rim Search and Rescue is blessed to have some extremely well educated and well trained people performing a very important and necessary volunteer duty for Gila County.  Ed Spicer is one of these people.  His interest in anthropology/archeology has led him to not only travel but to obtain his degree in Archeology this past year.  His career as a structural engineer has led him to some interesting places especially, in my eyes, working for the City of San Diego.  Being an Air Force fighter pilot instructor/Air Operations Officer has given Ed the opportunity for world-wide travel.

 Ed has been very active with the Civil Air Patrol, certainly an asset for Tonto Rim. In Utah his crew was credited with a find and a save. His experience with FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force somehow needs to be utilized for training the squad in an area we someday may be called upon for assistance.  He also volunteers time with the Pine Strawberry Emergency Task Force, preparing for our own disasters.

 Ed has raised two fine sons, Bob and Matt and Tripper the Schnauzer keeps him in line when at home.   His not for profit operation FLYBYNIGHT Wilderness and Cultural Trips sound like so much fun to be a part of the experience.  Ed, we are happy you have chosen to be a part of our squad.

 JEB 510L

One of our newer members showing great potential is Bob Edwards.  Coming from upper Michigan, Bob retired as an engineer for Buick.  He has already managed to get the required Academy out of the way and is most willing to train and be available.  Bob and his wife Ginger have three girls, Susan in California, Patti in Oregon and Diane in Michigan.  The Edwards are owned by two cats, Toby and Sunny. 

Bob grew up in Newberry in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and has been a State Legislator and Department Director for the State of Michigan.  He graduated from the General Motors Institute in Flint.

With his love of the outdoors and good hiking skills we fully expect Bob to be one of our best trackers as he gains knowledge of the Rim County.  Bob, Welcome to Arizona and most of all we are happy you chose to become a part of Tonto Rim Search and Rescue.

JEB 510L  

    Maybe it is because she married a Marine, maybe it was the way she was raised, here is a gal you all need to hear about.  As we travel down the road of life, there are some people who make an utmost impression on us.   Sometimes the person stands out in history as one who changed the world through his good deeds, beliefs or strengths.  Sometimes the person is known round the world for what he has accomplished.  And sometimes this is just an ordinary person, raising her children, standing by her man every step of the way.  Never pounding on her chest to draw attention, never bragging about what she has done.  Always a true friend, this story is of Jeanie Ames.

    Jeanie is all of the above, strong in her Christian beliefs and her love for Dave, her high school sweetheart.  This is the ultimate in teamwork.  Many years ago when our kids were youngsters, Dave and Jeanie arrived in Sitka aboard their first little fishing boat.  We became good friends and have kept in touch over the past 30 years.  Jeanie is like the Energizer Bunny. No end to her energy and strength, she just keeps on going.  Well, I have to tell you this story because I do not know anyone else who has packed so much adventure into her married life and remained married to her man the whole time through good and bad.  Starting his adult life as a logger, truck driver, carpenter and then a house builder, Dave quit his steady work for a change in careers.   When Dave realized his love for the sea and fishing could make them a living, the adventures really began.   A lot of us wives went on the fishing boat with our men, often raising the kids on the boat.  Most of us were the navigator, cook and fish cleaner.  Jeanie is so much more.  She is the fisherwoman.  She runs the gear, cleans and prepares the big salmon for freezing and keeps up with Dave working long hours, often drifting on the rough ocean at night to catch a few hours of sleep before starting another long grueling day.   You know the open Pacific is not a mill pond, and stories of waves crashing over the bow or stern often drenching through their clothes as they worked, are common.  Since Dave has always believed he could do anything, his boats kept getting bigger and bigger and their areas of fishing kept getting further away.  One year they picked up a two hundred foot boat in Alabama and headed for the Suez Canal, which in itself is a story to be told.  Not a big deal for the old skipper who had never owned anything longer than forty feet.  It should handle about the same—they all are boats.  After some retrofitting on the west coast he and his hired crew and Jeanie took off for Bristol Bay, Cook Inlet and Kodiak to pack salmon and herring for the smaller boats, work went on round the clock as the boats dropped off their load and returned for more fishing.  Jeanne was the bookkeeper, so sleep was in short supply, always having to pay the skipper when he unloaded.

     For a change of scenery, Dave became skipper of another big boat, this time heading for the big waters off New Zealand. The fishing grounds were a seven day run south of the island.  Jeanne fearlessly followed to accompany him on the trip to fish and then the three week trip back to Seattle.  Fearlessly taking off on a flight to Tahiti to meet her man, she only had a one-way ticket.  Arriving on New Year’s Eve with only a skeleton crew at the airport, French customs kept her detained, as they only spoke French and they didn’t need this quiet non French speaking gal stranded on their island.  Jeanne was not too concerned as she knew Dave would be there to meet her.  But there was a wall between them and no one understood her language.  Although Dave saw her through a window at one point he could not get to her because he could not clear customs coming in from the ocean. For five long hours she sat in a lonely room like a prisoner, unable to explain why she was there.  Finally she got someone to understand the name of the hotel where they had made arrangements for her to go if Dave was held up at sea.  The customs man opened the door, pointed down the street and said one word to her, “Go”.   After Dave rescued her from her plight, they began the seven day trip to the fishing grounds south of New Zealand.  Fishing in an area referred to as the “Roaring Forty” and is probably the worst area known to man to fish.  The endless storms, winds and rough seas make this the roughest water in the world.  The Forty means it is only 40 degrees north of the South Pole.  Navigation by Sat-Nav is the only way as they are too far from land.  It is imperative to get a “fix” on the satellites often and to record that known fix periodically during the day.  One of the boats was unable to establish his “fix” and became lost.  Operating on the last known fix, Dave pulled the fishing gear and was able to locate the lost boat with the long distance radar after hours of running.  A successful rescue was accomplished.  They fished 93 days in and around the “Roaring Forty” before beginning the long trip back to Seattle.  Big storms, rough seas and the typical boat mechanical breakdowns made it a long three weeks of ocean travel.  Certainly not like cruise ship advertisements.

    Deciding there had to be a better way to make a living, Dave got rid of the big boat, and they spent time living on the beach, while they searched for another boat and got back into the salmon trolling business. Fishing off the Washington coast kept them closer to the family, but did not satiate the adventurous couple.  Drifting at night with cargo ships going by in the dark, made for some scary times.  They went back to Alaska to fish the rugged North Pacific on board the Willie Lee, the boat they still fish.  The most sophisticated navigational equipment is important to the fisherman and Jeanne can run it all, though she much prefers running the fishing gear.  Long runs off the infamous Fairweather Grounds, known for bad weather, catching the big salmon seems to be what they were cut out to do.   Because it is over thirty miles to safe harbor, drifting at night in rough seas is their adventure.  Packing themselves into bunks in order to sleep becomes a way of life.  Rolled up blankets on either side of your body keeps you from rolling out of the bunk as waves and wind toss the boat about.

   Because Dave and Jeanne have a freezer boat, they produce top quality fish, washed, cleaned, glazed and frozen immediately.  Jeanne is an experienced quality control specialist making sure the final product is superior to all others.  The result is their fish sell on market for the best price.  Jeanne watches over everything as though the next salmon steak would be served to presidents and kings. They have a couple of adventurous girls.   One is down in Peru right now volunteering her time with a group of dentists.  It is just what you would expect from kids raised on a boat, accustomed to inconveniences and the unusual.  Dave and Jeanie stopped by last month, down here to catch some warm sunshine before heading back out to sea.  They walked in the woods, watched the elk, looked at petroglyphs, the scenery and cut some wood with us.   Jeanne hasn’t changed any.  Still quiet and unassuming she stands by her man, whatever his next adventure will be.  These guys never have had to be searched for, nor did they ever have to be rescued.  They go prepared to handle any difficulty that they might face.  Jeanie is one tough and truly amazing woman.   The one you would want on your team.  Like the wind, maybe this story explains why their business is named “Mariah Fisheries”.

Jane A Boyles

European satellite launch will challenge GPS system.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=25899

Tonto Rim SAR Members can now have your very own email address through our site. Just contact our Webmaster at Mail for the TRSAR Webmaster  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