[SaraHap] SARA Happenings April 2009
Chris Hoare
choare at shaw.ca
Sat Apr 18 16:30:58 MDT 2009
Hi All:
SARA Happenings is issued to foster communication within the Search and Rescue community in Alberta. It is going to 226 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.
2009 PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE
April 24 to 26
Hosted by Parkland SAR
Conference registration can be accessed directly from the Conference info panel on the SAR Alberta website. http://www.saralberta.org/ The Information Brochure and Event Schedule can also be accessed on the site.
See www.parklandsar.org or www.saralberta.org for info - register at www.ticketweb.ca
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HUGE NEWSLETTER THIS MONTH
Some months your newsletter editor has to scratch for material and some months everyone wants to say something. The newsletter used to be tailored to short items because many members were on dial-up. Not knowing if that has all changed I'm sending this missive out, but if it gives problems at your end, please let me know for future months.
Editor choare at shaw.ca
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CAVE RESCUE WORKSHOPS
Hi everyone, (feel free to pass this on to those who may be interested in caving or cave rescue)
British Columbia Cave Rescue with assistance from the Alberta Cave Rescue Organization is putting on a couple of hands-on workshops in the Crowsnest Pass area May 8 - 12, 2009.
The 20-hour Companion Cave Rescue Workshop is intended to be useful to anyone interested in safe caving skills, including novices, experienced cavers and SAR personnel who wish to broaden their knowledge. It provides experienced instruction in rigging, single rope techniques, accident avoidance, mechanical advantage systems and companion rescue methods for caving.
The consecutive 20 hr Rope Rescue Response Workshop builds on the rigging and rescue skills practiced in the Companion Rescue Workshop by introducing participants to high angle stretcher handling, rigging and the organizational structure of a technical rope rescue response, with particular reference to cave rescue.
If you are interested in attending either of these workshops, please check out the details at
1. http://www.missioncontrol.co.nz/itm/Event_Master_Item_Public.aspx?ID=2029
or http://www.cancaver.ca/bccr/BCCRtrain.htm
Registration is limited to 20 participants for each workshop. Student / Instructor ratio is 5:1 or less.
Cindy Heselton
Director, South Central Region
Chair, Standards Committee
Search and Rescue Alberta (SAR AB)
Day (403) 268-5561 | Eve (403) 295-6474
www.saralberta.org
Calendar of events: http://www.missioncontrol.co.nz/ITM/Calendar.aspx?id=3
SAR Albert Standards Committee http://saralberta.dnsalias.org:8080/SARAlbertaStandardsCommittee
NOT GETTING INFORMATION? Check out http://saralberta.dnsalias.org:8080/SARATrainCoordsEMailingList to see if you're listed as a training coordinator on the group contact lists...also, anyone interested in training can sign up for the sara-traincoords at castrov.cuub.ab.ca list ...
Note: I do not have access to Yahoo during business hours. If your issue is urgent, please email me at cindy.heselton at calgary.ca
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SAR BASICS COURSE
Sundre VSAR is running a SAR Basics course in June 2009
June 13/14 and 27/28 2009
Sundre Arena meeting room
08:00 to 16:30 approx.
instuctor ; Les Brace
Cost $150.00 p/p
Contact;
Renny Norsworthy arms_rn56 at hotmail.com
SVSAR Training Director 1-403-638-9133
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FROM THE PRESIDENT
SAR ALBERTA UPDATE APRIL 2009
The past few months have been very busy for SAR Alberta with some interesting challenges and opportunities. In March I met with AEMA Managing Director David Hodgins to discuss the progress to date between our two organizations and how we might better be able to move forward. Over the last year I have met over 30 times with various people within AEMA and while there has been progress in some key areas, the lack of an overall plan for search and rescue in the province has been a problem. Mr. Hodgins did recognize the need for improvement in the process and understands the need for the two organizations to work together toward a common goal. He has raised the issue with his executive team and I have heard from Colin Lloyd, the Executive Director of Operations who is taking the initiative to see that AEMA clearly defines its role in search and rescue and how it will continue to work with SAR Alberta to ensure an effective search and rescue system in the province.
Colin Lloyd and I will be speaking again next week and we will provide an update at the AGM. I appreciate Colin's perspective on things and I think he has a good grasp of what needs to be done and how we can better work together to support SAR in Alberta.
MOU
As part of the ongoing negotiations with AEMA SAR Alberta has officially requested an MOU with the agency. It is hoped that the MOU will be in place within the next six months. SAR Alberta has also, once again, requested an MOU with the RCMP. Mike Self, with K-Division has requested clarification from AEMA on its search and rescue role and wants that clarification in place before he proceeds with an MOU with SAR Alberta.
SAR ALBERTA GRANT
In February SAR Alberta put forward a grant application for $25,000 to hire an individual to help build capacity within the organization. The grant was approved and will be issued to SAR Alberta within the next few weeks. Having this resource in place will be key in moving the organization forward in the next year.
TRAINING GRANTS
The training grants for the 2009/2010 season have now all been issued. All those teams that put in applications this year received their grant money. As most of you noticed there was an issue with the application deadline - which AEMA did extend. There was also some question around the municipality over 20,000 rule. Though the situation was not ideal and did cause some problems for teams, once the problems were identified AEMA did step up to the table and was very helpful in trying to rectify things. Pat Henneberry, Director, Research, Training and Accreditation did get involved and was very helpful in getting the grants through.
The limit on the types of courses available this year was set by Ric Henderson, in conjunction with AEMA, when Ric was acting as the training coordinator. SAR Alberta will be working with AEMA next year to streamline the grant process. It has been suggested that a more coordinated approach across the province - to maximize the dollars spent - is needed.
PROVINCIAL TRAINING EXERCISE
As part of their grant proposal Rocky Mountain House Volunteer Search and Rescue asked for just over $20,000 to help coordinate a provincial wide search and rescue exercise. The Minister approved this grant so the exercise will be planned for the coming year. This will be the first provincial wide exercise in many years and it will be an excellent learning opportunity for all the teams and agencies involved.
STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION
SAR Alberta will be reviewing and redeveloping its strategic plan over the next few months. While it is important that AEMA clarify its role within search and rescue it is also equally important for SAR Alberta to do so also. A lack of clear direction and purpose has made it difficult for SAR Alberta to accomplish things - with too few people and resources being pulled in too many directions. It is not fair, nor was it ever, to ask people to step up to the board and ask them to make head way when no one knows where the ship is supposed to be going. The plan will include more than just a list of things SAR Alberta should do - it will also re-examine why SAR Alberta exists, what its core functions should be and what resources will be needed to make the organization work. SAR Alberta will be looking for input at the AGM on the strategic plan, so it is important for teams to be represented. It will also be important for you to have strong regional representation on the board so that your area and organizations are kept in the loop during this very important year.
REGIONAL REPS
Some region will no longer have representation after the AGM as their directors and deputy directors are stepping down. As this is going to be a key year for search and rescue in Alberta it is important now more than ever that teams send qualified and interested representation to the SAR Alberta board. A lot will be happening with the clarification of roles, further development of standards and the changes to training grants. Make sure your region has representation..
TRAINING COORDINATOR
SAR Alberta is in need of a training coordinator - there is an opportunity this year for someone to make a big difference in how the training grants are used, someone with a vision on how to maximize the training efforts in the province is really needed. If you are interested please let the SAR Alberta board know.
CONFERENCE
If you haven't signed up for the conference this year please do so. It is going to be a very good event and some significant changes are going to be kicked off with this conference. The price does include all your accommodation and meals so it is a very good deal. Parkland Search and Rescue would appreciate the support and SAR Alberta needs to see all the teams at the AGM. The lineup for the conference is really great so don't miss out.
Monica Ahlstrom mavada at cruzinternet.com
President SAR Alberta
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SARVAC
SARVAC Update - April 2009 (Also from Monica).
On April 4, the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada (SARVAC) held a strategic planning session in Toronto. Over the last years SARVAC has been working on restructuring its governance model. Part of this has come about as the result of a NIF (New Initiative fund) SARVAC received from the National Search and Rescue Secretariat, that was to be used in part to help build capacity within SARVAC. This capacity building was part of a larger NIF that is being used to implement a national prevention program that was originally developed in BC.
In the past SARVAC's governance model was based on the "working board" model, a model which most SAR groups use and are familiar with. On a working board the members are expected to do most of the work for the organization through committees, etc, and it is up to them to implement the policies they set.
SARVAC is switching to a Policy board - which will shift the focus from the day-to-day task of running the organization to that of developing strategic policy and direction. The implementation of these policy directions will be left to the hired staff SARVAC now has.
SARVAC has been able to move to this type of board as it now has two hired staff members. Last year SARVAC received a NIF grant that included hired staff as part of the proposal.
RCMP CHAMPION
The RCMP are now the champions at a national level for ground SAR. Though the RCMP has always played a role in Ottawa on ground SAR issues there was no one agency in Ottawa that clearly represented ground search and rescue to the federal government. The RCMP will now officially have that role.
ADVENTURE SMART PROGRAM
SARVAC is going to instruct 10 more people from each province to become presenters of the Adventure Smart program. This training is tentatively scheduled for October. SARVAC will cover all expenses for the training including travel, and accommodation. SAR Alberta will be setting out criteria for those who will be selected and will be providing more information on this initiative in the coming months.
SARVAC will also be training a Master trainer from each province who will be able to instruct others in delivery of the program. This training session is for one person only and will be held in June in Vancouver. SARVAC has asked that when possible, one of the original three individuals sent to the first training program last October be selected. SAR Alberta will work with our three candidates to select this person.
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RED DEER EXPRESS ARTICLE
04/01/09
BY JOHNNIE BACHUSKY
Red Deer Express
Seven Red Deer and area citizens are home from disaster.
That's Disaster City in Texas.
The seven men and women are volunteers with the Red Deer Search and Rescue Technical Rescue Team.
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