[SaraHap] SARA Happenings August 2006

[Chris Hoare]

Hi All: 

This is our regular mailing intended to improve communication within the Search and Rescue community in Alberta. It is going to 322 e-mail addresses that are listed as the primary contact of SAR Alberta member groups or which were requested to be added to the mailing list.
Subscription and unsubscription information is at the end of the newsletter. 


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THE QUADSKI

This amphibious machine is generating interest - and could be useful for SAR teams who need to cross water in their back-country. For further information, go to http://www.aquada.co.uk/mediacentre/quadski_low.php


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ALBERTA ENVIRONMENT HIRES ENVIRO-COP

An item in the Edmonton Journal (August 3rd ) details the hiring Colonel Jim Ellis to head Alberta Environment's new environmental response unit. Fresh from the military, where he commanded troops in Bosnia and Afghanistan, Col. Ellis also commanded the troops sent to help with disasters in Canada - the Pine Lake tornado, Red River floods, and the extensive BC forest fires in 2003. His first task is to hire the other 11 members of the team, which should be complete by mid-September.

It's possible SAR teams may find themselves working with Col. Ellis and other government agencies in future. The Environmental Protection Commission made several recommendations for creating an emergency response system in Alberta.
1. Create a provincial agency responsible for emergency, disaster and security issues.
2. Create an institute to support safety, environmental and security functions.
3. Ensure the government agency addresses incidents with a full response, scaling back as
warranted.
4. Increase emergency response training and field simulations with government and
industry.


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SAR IN THE NEWS

The Edmonton Journal had an article on July 30th on the experiences of Edmonton area volunteers in incidents as varied as Hurricane Katrina and Project Kare. The item was sent in by Michelle Masche, thanks Shelly, but it is scanned in Adobe format and SARA Happenings cannot reproduce it here.

Briefly, the reporter followed ESARA volunteers in a training exercise at the old Greisbach military base and learned about their training and experiences. Then he was impressed when a cell phone alerted members to a Police call about a missing Alzheimer's patient and the team immediately cancelled the practice and took off to help search. Hey - that's what we do. 

Anyone interested in seeing the whole report can contact Michelle Maschke  mdmaschke at yahoo.com 



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HOWELL MEMORIAL

Another interesting item was sent me by Roger Tetrault   roger.tetreault at westfraser.com  A photograph again, and Editor must remark here that SARA Happenings is scaled down as a communication that  has to fit the email capabilities of 322 subscribers - some of whom would be inconvenienced by the arrival of a 785 Kb picture file. However, please contact Roger to see the photo for yourselves.

The memorial is for Tom Howell, who was killed in a quad accident in September 2005 on a mountain in the Team's area. The photo shows the team members sitting behind a cross fabricated, it would appear, from stainless steel and bearing an engraved plaque. The plaque is headed by the words - "Every Mountain Man lives Knowing, one day, the Mountain may win."



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SAFETY OFFICER COURSE

September 9-10, 2006
Edmonton
Registration Deadline: September 1, 2006
Training Grant funded course
Host Team: Search & Rescue Dog Association of Alberta
To register/details Contact: Mary-Ann Warren mwtracks at netzero.net or 780) 939-2675



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COURSES OFFERED BY SEASAR

SEASAR ( South Eastern Alberta Search and Rescue) will be offering a Wilderness First Aid Course on August 25 - 27, 2006. Contact eckman at telusplanet.net or mapskd at telus.net 

SEASAR ( South Eastern Alberta Search and Rescue) will be offering a SAR Basics Course (Fundamentals of Ground Search and Rescue) in September/October. Contact eckman at telusplanet.net or mapskd at telus.net 


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SARA HAPPENINGS SUBMISSIONS 

Our regular publication date for mailings of SARA Happenings is the middle of each month. Please note that the deadline for material is the 14th of each month. 
 
Does your group have an event posting for the SARA Happenings mailing? If so, please send information 1-1/2 months prior to the dates you wish advertised. It will then give ample time for those reading it to respond. 

Please send all material to the editor; Chris Hoare at choare at shaw.ca  PLEASE DO include contact information for members to gain further information.


To subscribe or unsubscribe visit http://castrov.dyndns.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sara-happenings  enter your e-mail address and click on "Edit Options". Automatic subscribers will need to click on "EMail My Password to Me".  You can subscribe and unsubscribe on the same page. 

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