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<P><B><FONT face=Arial>Hi All:</B> </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>
<P></P><B>
<P>NOTE</P></B>
<P>I don’t do this often but two time sensitive items missed my mail-out date on
August 15<SUP>th</SUP>. Wouldn’t you know I was on time when it would have been
an advantage to be late.</P>
<P>For future submissions I must hold firmly to the cut-off date of one day
before the stated time of newsletter mailing – generally the 14<SUP>th</SUP> of
each month. To ensure everyone has time to see the posting about your event I
direct your attention to the request at the bottom of the newsletter. It’s to
your advantage to send the item to SARA Happenings early enough for it to appear
in at least 2 issues.</P>
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<HR>
</P><B>
<P>SAR ALBERTA STANDARDS COMMITTEE</B><BR><BR>Cindy Heselton has volunteered to
chair the SAR Alberta Standards Committee and was appointed at the Jul 5, 2008
SAR Alberta Board Meeting. She asked for this extra issue of SARA Happenings as,
you may see, it is hoped the committee is able to start work at the end of
August.</P>
<P>The next newsletter item below this is part of her Terms of Reference for the
committee, which she is also posting to SAR Alberta website. I just reproduce
part of the notice. Immediately following is from her cover letter and addressed
to all SAR Alberta members.</P>
<P>Please review the attached document (on the website) (includes Draft Terms of
Reference) for more information. The Committee is seeking 4 - 6 dedicated,
enthusiastic individuals who have:<BR><BR>* <BR>Experience and knowledge in the
development/implementation of standards and accreditation/certification
processes<BR>* <BR>Ability to engage people, build relationships and maintain an
open positive attitude<BR>* <BR>Willingness to work outside of
meetings/discussions and can meet internal deadlines* <BR>Organization and time
management skills<BR>* <BR>Desire to further SAR from a provincial
perspective<BR><BR>The Committee will also be seeking members who have the above
qualifications as well as specific knowledge in related SAR topics to form
working groups as required (i.e. to develop standards in specific SAR topic
areas). <BR><BR>Please contact Cindy via email if you are interested and provide
a short description on how you meet the above qualifications and whether or not
you are interested in the Committee or a specific working group (indicate SAR
topic that you are interested in focusing on). Provide your return email address
and phone number so she can follow-up with you. Please submit your applications
as soon as possible. Ideally, committee members will be finalized by August 31.
If you know of people who are away for summer holidays and have expressed
interest in this work, please notify her as well.<BR><BR>Cindy goes on to say –
Regardless of committee membership, I intend for work to begin immediately with
communications primarily being via email / phone / internet and once we have a
few members on board we'll look at scheduling a committee meeting. A top
priority will be member engagement so if you are not able to serve on the
Committee or </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>inea Working Group, mechanisms will
be set up early to provide everyone with the opportunity for input and
perspective at various points throughout the Committee's work. Our committee and
AEMA will also be scheduling some forums to give members a chance to provide
feedback on aspects related to the development of standards, accreditation and
certification and topics related to AEMA's training initiative.<BR><BR>I'm
looking forward to our continued work so that others may live! I look forward to
hearing from you.<BR><BR>Cindy Heselton <BR>Director, South Central Region
</FONT><A href="mailto:sarasouthcentraldirector@yahoo.ca"><U><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff>sarasouthcentraldirector@yahoo.ca</U></FONT></A><FONT face=Arial>
<BR>Search and Rescue Alberta (SAR AB)<BR>Day (403) 268-5561 | Eve (403)
295-6474</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>
<HR>
</P><B>
<P>DRAFT TERMS OF REFERENCE</P></B>
<P>DRAFT SAR Alberta Standards Committee Terms of Reference (This is abbreviated
for the newsletter.)</P><B>
<P>Structure</P></B>
<P>The SAR Alberta Standards Committee is a standing committee that reports to
the SAR Alberta Board . Its members consist of:</P>
<P>Chair – appointed by SAR Alberta Board (does not have to be a member of the
SAR Alberta Board)</P>
<P>Vice Chair – appointed by Standards Committee</P>
<P>Members – appointed by the Chair and Vice Chair</P>
<P>Ideally, committee members should have knowledge and skills in the following
areas:</P>
<P>Concepts and development of standards, certification, accreditation</P>
<P>Stakeholder engagement and relationship building</P>
<P>Organization and time management</P>
<P>Desire to further SAR from a provincial perspective</P>
<P>The Standards Committee will strike working groups as needed to develop the
specific standards as identified by the committee. The working groups will be
made up of one or more individuals who are considered subject matter experts for
the standard being developed and led by someone designated within the working
group upon approval of the Standards Committee.</P><B>
<P>Purpose of the Committee and its Working Groups (or Project Teams)</P></B>
<P>On behalf of SAR Alberta and its members:</P>
<P>Develop, implement and review mechanisms for engaging SAR Alberta members,
volunteers and stakeholders with respect to the development of standards</P>
<P>Meetings and workshops (may be done utilizing AEMA resources and in
partnership with AEMA as described in AEMA’s training initiative)</P>
<P>Wiki page</P>
<P>Email / newsletters</P>
<P>One on one discussion</P>
<P>Research and review existing SAR related standards, criteria and guidelines
(extensive coordination with AEMA research as well as independent research)</P>
<P>Develop, implement and review accreditation / certification mechanisms
(partner with AEMA training initiative efforts on initial development
accreditation / certification process, implementation to follow at a later
date)</P>
<P>Conduct gap analysis and needs assessment for SAR standards</P>
<P>Prioritize standards needing to be reviewed / developed</P>
<P>Risk and liability to member organizations</P>
<P>Need for consistency and interoperability</P>
<P>Ease of development (i.e. standard exists in practice but needs to be
documented and reviewed)</P>
<P>Develop and review training, operational and administrative standards</P>
<P>Develop, implement and review documentation mechanisms</P>
<P>Review the existing standards approval process and propose revisions if
necessary</P><B></B>
<P>For additional information please contact – </P>
<P>Cindy Heselton <BR>Director, South Central Region </FONT><A
href="mailto:sarasouthcentraldirector@yahoo.ca"><U><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff>sarasouthcentraldirector@yahoo.ca</U></FONT></A><FONT face=Arial>
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>
<HR>
<BR><B>CISM TRAINING</P></B>
<P>This from South Eastern Alberta Search and Rescue Association</P><B>
<P>Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM): Group Crisis Intervention</P></B>
<P>When: </P>
<P>October 18 and 19, 2008; 8:30-4:30 p.m.</P>
<P>Where:</P>
<P># 8, 49 Viscount Ave. SW</P>
<P>(Old Terminal at Medicine Hat Airport)</P>
<P>Medicine Hat, Alberta T1A 5G4</P>
<P>The Group Crisis Intervention training program is designed to present the
core elements of a comprehensive, systematic and multicomponent crisis
intervention curriculum. The two day course prepares participants to understand
a wide range of crisis intervention services including pre- and post-incident
crisis education, significant-other support services, on-scene support services,
demobilizations (Rest Information Transition Session) after large scale
traumatic incidents, Immediate Small Group Support (defusing), Powerful Event
Group Support (PEGS/CISD) and more.</P>
<P>The Group Crisis Intervention training is open to any person who wishes to
know more about crisis intervention techniques. Emergency services and disaster
workers, security, safety, military, industrial and school system personnel,
EAPs, human resources personnel, mental health professionals and others can all
benefit from the Group Crisis Intervention training. Gail Eastman is an ICISF
Approved Instructor.</P>
<P>Only those attending the entire 14 hours will receive a certificate from the
University of Maryland, Baltimore County</P>
<P>Temperature in venue may vary, please dress accordingly</P>
<P>Send registration and payment to: SEASAR</P>
<P>Before October 1, 2008 $170.00</P>
<P>After October 1, 2008 $185.00</P>
<P>To: Sue Berner</P>
<P>#8-49 Viscount Ave SW</P>
<P>Medicine Hat AB T1A 5G4</P>
<P>1-403-527-8592</P>
<P>Info from: De Lea </FONT><A href="mailto:mapskd@shockware.com"><U><FONT
face=Arial color=#0000ff>mapskd@shockware.com</U></FONT></A><FONT face=Arial>
</P>
<P>Space is limited – workshop maybe cancelled due to low registration.
Following info required.</P>
<P>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</P>
<P>Name:</P>
<P>Organization:</P>
<P>Phone: </P>
<P>Address:</P>
<P>
<HR>
</P>
<P><STRONG>SARA HAPPENINGS SUBMISSIONS </STRONG>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>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>Please send all material to the editor; Chris Hoare at </FONT><A
href="x"><U><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff>choare@shaw.ca</U></FONT></A><FONT
face=Arial> PLEASE DO include contact information for members to gain further
information.</P>
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e-mail address and click on "Edit Options". Automatic subscribers will need to
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same page. </P></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>