Commander’s Corner

Several TRSAR members took the weeklong “Ropes That Rescue” Team Skills Seminar in Sedona the last week of February.  This is an outstanding class from a world renowned rope rescue expert that greatly enhances the skills of our rope team.  The class is an intensive 10 hours per day for 7 days straight, with about 1/3 of it being classroom while the rest is hands on practical skills over high exposure rock.  Margaret Bullard, Tammy Miotto, Roger Miotto, and I attended.  In addition, GCSO sent Rodney Cronk who will be a terrific asset to any of our rope rescues.  There were 12 students in this class – 2 from Japan, one from a famous rock climbing area in New York (The Gunks), 2 from California (San Bernardino Mountain Rescue), and 2 from Superstition SAR.  The Gila County members in the class did our squad proud, so Roger as lead rope rescue instructor is definitely doing things right in our trainings.  Tammy did outstanding for being brand new to the squad and to rope rescue.  Margaret has always been a very strong rope team member of course, but now has the skills to run the show when necessary.  Roger and I learned even more this time around than we did last time.

Reed Thorne who runs “Ropes That Rescue” does much of the leading edge testing and rescue systems analysis.  It is through his constant testing and analysis that safety margins continue to increase for what we do.  He works with all of the major rescue gear manufacturers, and because of Reeds ongoing testing, critical things that we do change from time to time.  Since Roger and I took this class 3 years ago, Reed has discovered a potential flaw in the belay system that is in use worldwide.  We will introduce a change to that immediately.  Over time, we will introduce a few more things that make rigging easier or faster – so you don’t have to put your coffee cup down while rigging.

Some pictures should show up soon on our website.

Thanks to all who helped out selling quad tickets at the Tonto Basin Rendezvous.  We had a good showing and did quite well.  We have the big Sportsman’s Expo coming up in Phoenix – March 10, 11, 12.  This show alone should put us into the black.  Give Dave all the support you can – he’s doing a fantastic job with this fundraiser.

 Reminder!  Dues are due by midnight March 9^th (general meeting night).

 Thanks,

Bill Pitterle 500
 

Don’t forget; the meetings this month are March 7th
for the Board and March 9th for the General Meeting.

Volunteer Hours
 

This month we show you a comparison of 2005 hours against previous years.

Thanks to Les Hulse 527 for all his time and effort.

OUR COMMANDER PROFILES

By John Boyles 510L

      MY FIRST COMMANDER

BOB HARTZ 1988-1989

When I first joined the Squad Bob Hartz was Commander.  In those days there was no money and few members.  We held a Cowboy Breakfast every Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day weekend in conjunction with the Craft Fair.  That along with a drawing for a few locally donated prizes was how we paid for insurance and what little else was needed.  Bob had retired from the phone company and had managed to get a little Ford Econoline van donated which he was able to keep running.  It served everything, transportation and command center. We also had a Kristi Snow-Cat with a corvair engine. Bob loved corvairs and had several of his own, so he was a natural to keep that running. Bob was a hands-on person, so much of the property is due to his work. The squad building is named in honor of his dedication to Search and Rescue Service in the Rim Country. On his passing, the Vice Commander took over his control.

MIKE TAYLOR 1990-1995, 1997-2001

It seems like Mike has been around forever in Search and Rescue. Mike is a Native Son born from a very historical town in Arizona called Snowflake.  He says he has no recollection of that event.  Under the quiet composure, lies a tremendous sense of humor. With his lovely wife, Ellie, they raised two children now grown and gone from home. They met in Phoenix and were married in 1968. But the Taylor household is lively and vibrant again as their almost teenager grandson Kylen lives with them.  Both Craig and Kristina were in the youth organization of Tonto Rim years ago.  Mike has been very active in Tonto Rim since joining in 1987. At that time there were five or six people who would show up on a mission and somehow get the job done.  Mike tells the story better then I can. “ In 1988 I was appointed to Vice Commander when the previous one moved away and then a few months later, the Commander died and left me a small challenge.  I accepted the Commanders’ job basing it on the promise from the squad members that they would handle some of the responsibilities and that premise has worked ever since. The more I delegated the more members joined to help out and this group has built itself into a well respected team and I am proud of everyone who participates.” He took a brief respite as leader, when Bob Hudson was elected.  That didn’t last long as Bob moved away and Mike resumed the office of Commander once again.

 The YES and SAFE programs were conceived by Mike to fill a need in the community to educate the youth and adults with survival skills, and to give them an introduction to aid us in finding them. Each year now it has been our mission to continue the presentation to any group that request it .

 Somehow Mike has gotten busier with his business as he has grown older.  Maybe it is because the dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to.  Whatever the reason, Mike had to cut back with his volunteer work and let others take over the reins of Search and Rescue while he works more then full time.  He does, however, dedicate himself to a job that has never been done better and that is the SAR Coordinates Newsletter. This is a job that can be done at home whenever he has a few spare moments, which I have found are often in the wee hours of the morning.  Communication is such an important tool and in this day of technology he keeps us on top of things with the monthly publication of the news.  His organizational skills have turned the letter into something that any company would pay to have published.

 Mike, your leadership has helped Tonto Rim grow to be a well respected group of Volunteers.  Thanks for all you did to obtain that goal and for all you do now, behind the scenes.  

BOB HUDSON 1996   

For a short time we had Bob as Commander.  Bob was a retired Navy Seal. In keeping with His military background it was inevitable to be reflected in his command. He initially encouraged the formation of the Certified Rope Team.  The rope training tower is named “Hudson’s Tree Farm” in his honor for his dedication to rope training.  Bob soon got bored with retirement and moved east to be a part of the Department of Defense Research Team.  Jumping out of airplanes with a parachute or on a rope was an experience that was exciting to him, so when he was offered the job of testing different systems in the East, he just couldn’t turn it down. His leadership during his short tenure now is reflected in our fine Technical Rope Rescue Team.  

JIM MARTIN 504 2002-2003

You all have read the obituary of Jim just a few short weeks ago.  His education, work and life exemplified a fine man. Father of Tim and Laura and husband to Janet, his childhood sweetheart, their move to Arizona after retirement from General Motors brought him into our lives here in the Rim Country. 

We were blessed with his presence.  Along with their move to Payson came “Ruby” the bloodhound.  They were inseparable whether on missions or on a trip, Ruby had her special place on the back seat of the truck and on the ATV.  She loved to go to the squad building and “hang out” while Jim led his work crews.  Jim’s diligent leadership of Tonto Rim Search and Rescue lead to the remodeling of one of the bays into a first class training and meeting room along with major much needed building and yard improvements.  He always had the best interests of the squad in mind and was always planning a way to better things, be it training or an actual mission. Under his leadership, the Squad established a Man Tracker protocol for certification which has led to many of the squad members in becoming certified man trackers, some of the finest in the Southwest.  Education of the kids was so important to him. When Mike Taylor chose to take on being Editor of the newsletter, Jim took over the presentations of the YES and SAFE Programs.  The local program called YES “Youth Education for Survival” is very popular at the church and scout camps in this area. SAFE is a similar program for adults. Trips to Barstow to SAR City, Prescott and Parker SAR training took on a whole new meaning for the guys when Jim started going and taking his fifth wheel for sleeping and after hours visiting.  Jim brought back to the squad ideas for the formation of several training programs as well as bringing in outside instructors so that our members didn’t have to take time from work to go out of town. Jim Martin’s direction contributed greatly to the respect within the SAR community for Tonto Rim Search and Rescue. I was much honored to have served a short time as his Vice Commander. And I miss him very much.

Always a leader, Jim’s quiet and caring ways lead the squad to newer heights in training and preparedness and above all a very special bond of friendship.

Jim, your job here on earth is done and we will carry on as you wished.  We know you are watching over us.  Well done my friend, may you rest in peace. 

 JEB 510L

///////

To this writer, Jim holds a very special place in my heart.  We all know that chemo causes depression, and since John’s return home after his battle, Jim made sure John was included in every activity that he was capable of doing.  A telephone call from Jim, would spur John to get out of the house and go do something.  They sawed, hammered, moved “stuff” and worked as a great team.  Some of the most memorable times were spent when John accompanied Jim to Globe or Phoenix.  They kept each other going.

//JAB 

DAVE PIRTLE 507 2004-2005

One of the most active members of the squad, Dave joined in 1999.  In a matter of years he has worked his way to the top serving as Secretary, Vice Commander, Commander, and board member. I like to think I had a part in twisting Dave’s arm to encouraging him to take on some of those jobs. His leadership and dedication to service has carried TRSAR over some very trying periods.  Another part of a husband/wife team, Cathy keeps right up with Dave in the field.  He is certified in Man Tracking, First Responder, and Technical Rope Team. Dave’s volunteering wasn’t limited to SAR. He served four years with the United States Air Force.   

  His son Ron, a career military man, is currently deployed in Iraq with the US Army.   

Dave retired as a large scale Computer Systems Administrator, moving to Payson so he would be closer to the hunting country, although he is known to travel to Mexico for hunting trips.   He loves to explore on his ATV and has traveled a lot of the back trails in our forests.

 I have a very special place in my heart for Dave. During my very trying time of cancer treatment, his notes and encouragement strengthened me spiritually to beat my disease. Thanks for being there. ---- Johnny Boyles 510L

BILL PITTERLE 500, 2006-

Our current Commander joined the squad in 2002.  He has been Vice-Commander and in January was installed as our newest Commander.  Married to Elise, they have four children. Grown sons Clinton, Karl and Warren and almost grown, the lovely Erin, a junior at Payson High School. Bill has lived an interesting life, growing up in Apache Junction back when it was “way out in the country”.   Graduating from ASU with a BSEE, (electrical engineering), he worked in Tucson, San Jose, Colorado and Oregon before he retired from IBM, but along the way he managed to build and own a winery near Portland.

 Bill has spent much of his life hiking and bicycling from the Superstitions (his back yard), the Mazatzals, the Rim Country, the White Mountains to the other Southwestern States.  During the “Bike-Centennial” in 1976, he biked from Arizona to Illinois. 

 While in Oregon, Bill got into winter mountaineering and has hiked the Cascade Peaks in the winter. Maybe someday he will write about his experiences up there. Perhaps we can get him to do some more winter training exercises if it ever snows again.  Certainly, we are fortunate to have such a physically fit, well educated, knowledgeable guy at the helm.  Bill, you are doing a fine job as our leader.  Thanks for your dedication and stepping up to the plate.

Copter rescues 2 climbers on Mount Katahdin
Saturday, February 25, 2006 - Bangor Daily News, Bangor ME

BAXTER STATE PARK - A U.S. Army helicopter rescued two Vermont mountain climbers Friday after they spent a cold but not unbearable night on Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park, ending an almost seven-hour search that involved park workers and two local search-and-rescue volunteer groups.

Dustin Dearborn of Jeffersonville, Vt., and Nathan Chipman of Cambridge, Vt., were apparently in good health despite not being fully outfitted for an overnight stay on the mountain, park Director Jensen Bissell said.

"They are both very experienced climbers who knew what they were doing," Bissell said Friday.

The incident began when Dearborn and Chipman split off from three other climbers Thursday morning and were due to rendezvous midday on the mountain. When they didn't make the rendezvous, the second group's members climbed down to Chimney Pond on Thursday afternoon and told park Alpine Ranger Rob Tice, Bissell said.

Tice and other park workers searched Thursday until high avalanche hazard conditions made continuing inadvisable, Bissell said.

The search resumed at 5 a.m. Friday with members of the Lincoln and Wilderness search and rescue teams and park workers. The Lincoln group worked Dudley Trail; the Wilderness group went on Saddle Trail, Bissell said.

A medivac helicopter from the Army National Guard spotted the two men near the peak at about 11:45 a.m. and picked them up, Bissell said.

The two men were fortunate that temperatures on the mountain never dropped below 10 degrees and winds were almost nonexistent. About 5 inches of snow had fallen on the hard-packed surface, Bissell said.

"The guard crew said it was so still that they couldn't believe they were on the mountain," Bissell said.

Bissell was grateful for the volunteer searchers and the helicopter helping park workers to search for the two men.

The search was the second mountain incident this week. On Monday, an unidentified man suffered a slight knee injury and bruises when he accidentally slipped down Abol Slide on the west side of Mount Katahdin during a guided trip to the mountain peak, Bissell said.

Two walkers used their camera flash to guide rescuers after becoming stuck in a snow storm on one of South Wales' highest peaks.

A 29-year-old man and a woman, believed to be in her 30s, were cut off by the predicted blizzard around 6.30pm on Thursday as temperatures began to drop to -2 Centigrade.

The pair, from Cardiff, had no map, compass or survival equipment with them but had outdoor clothes and boots and were carrying a mobile phone and camera.

A rescue operation was scrambled involving 20 volunteers from the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team, 15 volunteers from Brecon Mountain Team and a search dog and volunteer from the Search and Rescue Dogs' Association.

While rescuers searched for the couple for more than two hours, their mobile phone battery died but they used their camera flash, as advised by the rescuers, to guide team members.

They were eventually found at around 9pm about a kilometre below the summit of Penyfan, in the Brecon Beacons.

Peter Howells, of Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team, said: 'It's lucky they had a mobile phone. But people shouldn't rely on using a phone as an emergency back up as the signal on the Beacons is not very good.

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