<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1555" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face=Arial>
<P>Hi All: </P>
<P>SARA Happenings is issued to foster communication within the Search and
Rescue community in Alberta. It is going to 328 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.</P>
<P>Subscription and unsubscription information is at the end of the newsletter.
</P>
<P>
<HR>
</P></FONT><B>
<P>FROM PAUL OLMSTEAD</P></B><FONT face=Arial>
<P>This is really a test. Shelly sent this commercial and I’m running it naked
(well, the way it arrived, un-edited and still in its colours and formatting.)
If anyone finds this gaudy ad a problem in your issue of SARA Happenings, let me
know (or else tighten up your spam filter – whatever.)</P>
<P> </FONT><FONT face=Arial color=#ff0000>FREE - New sat Phone ( plus
accessories) and Garmin GPS ( plus software) </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial><B>Talk about the power of advertising. </B></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial><B>Below is a link to my house in Stony Plain Alberta and as
you may know I am about to retire and move to where I can launch my sea kayak
almost 12 months of the year. BUT I need to sell this house - see web link
below. </B></FONT></P>
<P><A href="http://users.eastlink.ca/~ghm//albertahouse4sale"><B><U><FONT
color=#0000ff><FONT face="Times New Roman"><A
href="http://users.eastlink.ca/~ghm//albertahouse4sale/">http://users.eastlink.ca/~ghm//albertahouse4sale</FONT></B></U></FONT></A><B><FONT
face=Arial>/</A> </FONT></B></P>
<P><B><FONT face=Arial>I may list it in Feb. 2008, but for now anyone who
directly brings or steers a buyer my way will receive gifts as an incentive.
</FONT></B></P>
<P><B><FONT face=Arial>I will provide that person with the Newest Global Star
Satellite Phone (Model # 1700) , a pelican case, a car charger and spare battery
(accessories are worth almost $400.00) as well I will throw in a new Garmin GPS
60CX and software to download maps into the GPS. </FONT></B></P>
<P><B><FONT face=Arial>All this can be yours if you please keep your ears and
eyes open for someone who might be looking to buy a great house in Stony Plain
Alberta. </FONT></B></P>
<P><B><FONT face=Arial>Thanks </FONT></B></P>
<P><B><FONT face=Arial>Paul OLMSTEAD 780 991 6406</P></B>
<P> </P>
<P>
<HR>
</P><B>
<P>COMMERCIAL FROM THE PRESIDENT</P></B>
<P>Please put in the next SARA Happenings issue - thank you (that way if anyone
is interested from our member groups, associates and others they can contact
Eldon directly) </P>
<P>Rodney</P>
<P> </P>
<P>Our company, Wyse Design & Development Inc., has developed a Portable
Winch Recovery System designed for Snowmobile, ATV, and Rescue and Recovery
operations. Extensive product testing and evaluation was conducted by
Newfoundland and Labrador Search and Rescue and our winch was given their stamp
of approval; </P>
<P>"A superior product, its tough construction and heavy-duty components make it
almost indestructible. Its pulling capacity is more than adequate and
portability makes it ideal for SAR Teams." - Barry Nash, NLSARA </P>
<P>The Wyse Portable Winch System provides quick and easy set-up, is lightweight
and compact, and comes complete with a remote control, 2 straps, 1-ton shackle,
wiring harness and carry bag. The winch has a 2000lb rating from a 1.2hp motor
and is powered by any 12 volt source. Detailed product specifications are
available from our website - <A
href="http://www.wyse-design.com">www.wyse-design.com</A> </P>
<P>Our Winch Recovery System was developed in Canada and is an effective tool
used by Fisheries & Oceans Canada and the Newfoundland and Labrador Search
and Rescue Association. At $299.00 per unit, this is a very affordable and
valuable asset for Search and Rescue operations. </P>
<P>If you have any questions about our Portable Winch System, or would like more
information, please contact me at your convenience.</P>
<P></FONT><B><FONT face=Arial color=#000080 size=5>Eldon Davis</B></FONT><FONT
size=3><FONT face=Arial> </FONT><B><U><FONT face=Arial color=#000080>Marketing
Director</B></FONT></U></FONT><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=3>
</FONT></P></FONT><B><FONT face=Arial color=#000080>
<P>WYSE Design & Development Inc.</B></FONT><FONT face=Arial> </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Suite 3022, INCO Innovation Centre </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>P.O. Box 4200 </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>St. Johns, NL, Canada, A1C 5S7 </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Telephone: 709-737-6215 </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Fax: 709-737-2539 </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Email: <A
href="mailto:Eldon.Davis@WYSE-Design.com">Eldon.Davis@WYSE-Design.com</A>
</FONT></P>
<P><U><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><A
href="http://www.wyse-design.com">www.wyse-design.com</A></P></U></FONT><FONT
face=Arial>
<P> </P>
<P>
<HR>
</P><B>
<P>NEW SARA TRAINING COORDINATOR</P></B>
<P>It is my pleasure to announce Ric Henderson as the SAR Alberta Provincial
Training Coordinator. </P>
<P>Richard (Ric ) Henderson </P>
<P>h: 403.348.8868 </P>
<P>w: 403.357.2371 </P>
<P>c: 403.505.3069 </P>
<P>p: 403.304.3181 </P>
<P>email: </FONT><A href="mailto:rhenderson@reddeercounty.ab.ca"><U><FONT
color=#0000ff><FONT
face="Times New Roman">rhenderson@reddeercounty.ab.ca</FONT></U></FONT></A><FONT
face=Arial> </FONT><A
href="mailto:rjh1@telusplanet.net"><U><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT
face="Times New Roman">rjh1@telusplanet.net</FONT></U></FONT></A><FONT
face=Arial> </P>
<P>I also want to thank Paul Olmstead for all his time he put into this position
over the last number of years (very much appreciated) and wish him well with his
future endeavours </P>
<P>Thanks also to Cindy Heselton </FONT><A
href="mailto:sarasouthcentraldirector@yahoo.ca"><U><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT
face="Times New Roman">sarasouthcentraldirector@yahoo.ca</FONT></U></FONT></A><FONT
face=Arial> who canvassed for nominations to this position.</P>
<P> </P>
<P>Rodney Dietrich </P>
<P>SAR Alberta - President</P>
<P> </P>
<P>
<HR>
</P></FONT><B>
<P>WORKING WITH A SEARCH DOG TEAM IN THE WILDERNESS / URBAN
ENVIRONMENT</P></B><I>
<P>by Mary-Ann Warren</P>
<P>Training Director/Dog Handler</P>
<P>Search & Rescue Dog Association of Alberta</I> </P>
<P>Since not many ground searchers or search managers have worked with SAR dogs,
this document is meant for you!</P><FONT face="Courier New"></FONT>
<P>A search dog team is defined as one dog with one handler.</P>
<P>How a search dog is worked, and how successful it will be, is very much
dependent on the environmental conditions at the time of the search
incident.</P>
<P>Most search dog teams in Alberta are deployed as air-scenting dogs. These
dogs are trained to pick up human scent from air currents. Depending on
environmental conditions, the scent may be picked up as far away as one km or
more.</P><FONT face="Courier New"></FONT>
<P>The air-scenting dog does not require a scent article from the lost
person.</P><FONT face="Courier New"></FONT>
<P>Some search dogs are trained to track a lost person’s scent left by their
foot impressions, also called ‘Tracking’. Civilian dog teams are rarely used as
tracking dogs in the province of Alberta.</P><FONT face="Courier New"></FONT><B>
<P>About the Search Dog Teams:</P></B>
<P>The dog handlers are to have met the minimum standard for GSAR in the
Province of Alberta. </P>
<P>Dog handlers are trained to recognize and interpret how their dogs work and
what their dog is scenting.</P>
<P>Dog handlers will communicate how they will work a search segment. Dog teams
don't always physically cover the entire search area. Depending on wind and
scent conditions, the team may "miss" large areas of the search zone (example --
only searching the bottom and top of a gully, but not the sides). </P>
<P>At times the search dog teams are relocated from one-search segment to
another at any given time as dictated by Command.</P>
<P>Dog handlers are trained in clue awareness.</P>
<P>Dog handlers will dependent on conditions, and dogs ranging capabilities
usually move through areas quicker than the ground SAR teams.</P>
<P>Dog handlers are independent; they carry their dogs and own needs in their
packs. </P>
<P>Dog handlers don't use sound signals, support personnel should expect to be
working quietly most of the time. You can talk to the handler, but you won't be
yelling or whistling to try and get the subject's attention, unless the dog is
stopped.</P>
<P>Dog handlers may take breaks at intervals in the field, to give the dog a
chance to rest and be re-motivated if needed. At times during a long search, the
handler may ask the support personnel to hide so that the dog has a "live find"
during or after the search, then play with the dog as it's reward. </P><B>
<P>About the Dogs:</P></B>
<P>A search dog should be approachable.</P>
<P>An "alert" is a trained response the dog will give when it has located the
lost person and or clue. The handler should identify what their dog’s alert
is.</P>
<P>The dogs are trained to alert on people as well as articles (clues) with
human scent on them. </P>
<P>The dogs should not distract on other searchers, or support personnel.
However they may identify to the handler when other people are in the area. </P>
<P>The dog may alert on other search teams in the area. It is what they are
trained to do…indicate where the human scents are located. Their handler will
check out whatever the dog alerts on. Just wait until the handler arrives at
your location and provides instructions to continue. </P>
<P>The dogs should not distract on animal activity in the area. However dogs are
animals and may identify to the handler when there are critters around.</P>
<P>Dogs are not 100%; they do there best based on their trained capabilities and
environmental conditions during any given incident.</P>
<P>As a <B>Support Personnel</B> working with a SAR dog team you may expect the
following duties:</P>
<P><B>Communications </P></B>
<P>The Support Personnel working with a dog team handles the communications with
the command base and other SAR teams. This frees up the handler to concentrate
on their dog.</P>
<P>Support personnel are free to question the handlers at any time. </P>
<P><B>Navigation</P></B>
<P>Wind and environment play a huge role in how the dog is worked. The dog
handler will communicate how they will be working the dog. Preferable, the
handler will want to work the dog using the wind direction to their advantage.
Whether it is in a type I, II, III search, the dog handler will give direction
to their support on what heading they will want to go. Keep in mind that the
direction of their search pattern may change at any time. </P><FONT
face="Courier New"></FONT>
<P><B>Documentation</P></B>
<P>If communicated by the handler, the support personnel may be expected to take
notes. The notes may contain time started/ended search, search segment and
location of clues. Dog handler search reports differ from those that GSAR write
out at the end of a search. Dog handlers document, environment conditions, how
the dog was worked etc.</P><FONT face="Courier New"></FONT>
<P><B>First Aid</P></B>
<P>Support personnel may at times need to aid in performing first aid functions
for the victim, the handler, support person or even the dog. </P><FONT
face="Courier New"></FONT>
<P><B>Another set of eyes</P></B>
<P>The dog handler may communicate to the support how their dog reacts when it
is on the scent and how the dog alerts when it has located someone. Since
handlers are trained to be clue aware as well they also are visually searching.
If the support personnel sees the dog react to something they need to
communicate this to the handler since the handler could have missed it.</P><FONT
face="Courier New"></FONT><B><I>
<P>By working together as a team and eliminating the time it takes to explain
how to work together, more time may be given in searching for that potential
survivor. </P></B></I><FONT face=Arial>
<P> </P></FONT><FONT face=Arial>
<P>
<HR>
</P><B>
<P>SARA HAPPENINGS SUBMISSIONS </P></B>
<P>Our regular publication date for mailings of SARA Happenings is the middle of
each month. Please note that the deadline for material is the 14<SUP>th</SUP> of
each month. </P>
<P align=center></P>
<P align=center>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. </P>
<P align=center></P>
<P align=center>Please send all material to the editor; Chris Hoare at </FONT><A
href="ę0"><U><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT
face="Times New Roman">choare@shaw.ca</FONT></U></FONT></A><FONT face=Arial>
PLEASE DO include contact information for members to gain further
information.</P>
<P align=center></P>
<P align=center> </P>
<P align=center>To subscribe or unsubscribe visit <A
href="http://castrov.dyndns.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sara-happenings">http://castrov.dyndns.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sara-happenings</A>
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. </P></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>