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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></FONT>
<P>
<HR>
</P><B><FONT face=Arial>
<P>WHOOPS ........... GOOFED AGAIN</P></B>
<P>While delaying this month’s newsletter to catch that article I failed to
notice that the President’s mail to me about it also included an open letter to
the membership for me to publish. So here it is -- Editor. </P>
<P>
<HR>
</P><B>
<P>LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT</B></FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman">
</FONT></P><FONT face=Arial>
<P>Now that SAR Alberta’s board has had a few meetings I wanted to bring you up
to date on some of the things that are happening. We are focusing our efforts on
a few key areas, communications, standards and defining our working relationship
with AEMA and other agencies.</P>
<P>Under communications we have two main projects: redevelopment of the website
and a PR package for government and media. We are redesigning the website with
an updated look and making it more user friendly. With the PR project we will be
writing and producing materials to send to Cabinet Ministers, MLA’s, and others
in the provincial government. The teams will be asked to participate in this
process by delivering the PR package to the MLA in your area and arranging a
meeting to introduce your team and search and rescue to your MLA (if you haven’t
already). Kelly Kobe from Calgary SAR is looking after the website project and
Darlene Holden from Edmonton SAR is coordinating the PR project, contact them if
you are interested in helping with either project.</P>
<P>A standards committee has been set up under the direction of Cindy Heselton.
A call for people to sit on this committee was sent out last month. A process
for how the work on this committee will be carried out is being done. The
initial priority of this committee will be to determine how certification and
accreditation for SAR will work in this province. From there standards will be
developed – much will be based on what is already out there – we are trying to
keep this complex issue as simple as possible and to adopt standards already
available when and where we can.</P>
<P>Vice President Ric Henderson and I have been to a number of meetings over the
last few months with AEMA. Most recently I met with Ernie Polsom, Acting Fire
Commissioner to discuss how SAR Alberta and AEMA can move forward. Some initial
points taken from that meeting were: </P>
<P>1.We need to revamp the training grant and find a way to make it work better
for both SAR and AEMA;</P>
<P>2.SAR Alberta needs administrative support – we are going to explore options
for this and see what solutions may be available in both the short term and long
term;</P>
<P>3.AEMA will work with SAR Alberta to develop standards;</P>
<P>4.The two organizations will look at ways to revamp the Civil Emergency
Response Program – perhaps through a NIF grant;</P>
<P>5.RCMP K-Division needs to be kept in the loop and they need to know they
still have an important role to play in search and rescue in the province;</P>
<P>6.We need to sort out liability issues – insurance etc, for SAR teams and
individuals</P>
<P>7.Some research should be done on emerging SAR issues such as the possible
increase in search for Alzheimer’s patients and what kind of extra training may
be needed.</P>
<P> </P>
<P>AEMA and SAR Alberta both want to start moving forward on these and other
issues and we seem to have come to a place where we better understand what each
organization is trying to achieve. I will continue to update you on the issues
as SAR Alberta and AEMA work through them, having said that, if you want to get
involved or feel strongly about an issue please get in touch with me or your
regional representative – it is important that you and your team be heard.</P>
<P>Along with AEMA SAR Alberta wants to re-establish our relationship with a
number of agencies and groups including Parks Canada, provincial parks, Fish and
Wildlife, fire departments, municipal police forces, municipalities and the
Canadian military. It is also important to encourage the Solicitor General to
keep an interest in SAR – as we are a very well used policing resource.</P>
<P>During the week of Oct 12-19 I will be at the national conference, SARSCENE,
in Newfoundland. I will be representing SAR Alberta at the SARVAC (Search and
Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada) meetings which will be held on Oct 13
and 14. A number of major initiatives are being undertaken by SARVAC this year.
One major project is being funded through a federal NIF grant. Three people from
each province and territory are being sent to St John’s to train in two
programs. One is called Adventure Smart – a basic wilderness survival course for
pre-teens to adults, the second course will be on how to set up SAR exercises.
The three people chosen from Alberta are Carianne Budalich, Natasha Jensen and
Ian Oxton. </P>
<P>On a final note, we are looking to set up a meeting for all the teams in
January or February – a location is needed so if anyone can help with this it
would be greatly appreciated.</P>
<P>Thanks</P>
<P>Monica Ahlstrom </FONT><A href="mailto:mavada@cruzinternet.com"><U><FONT
face=Arial color=#0000ff><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff>mavada@cruzinternet.com</U></FONT></FONT></A><FONT face=Arial>
</P>
<P>President SAR Alberta</P></FONT>
<P>
<HR>
</P><B><FONT face=Arial>
<P>D’JUNO </P></B>
<P>Something lighter from Jerry Fochler, </FONT><A
href="mailto:jerry@inroads.ca"><U><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><FONT
face=Arial color=#0000ff>jerry@inroads.ca</U></FONT></FONT></A><FONT face=Arial>
</P>
<P>If you have an analog wrist watch, you can use the time to find north. Hold
your watch up in front of you, and let the short hand, red on the figure, that
indicates hours point at the sun. While holding it like this, cut the angle
between the red arrow and 12 o'clock in two, (noonwards if the time is before
6am or after 6pm), that way is south. (The reason you need to cut it in two, is
because the clock takes two rotations while the sun takes one around the earth,
it is of course the other way around, but never mind.) </P>
<P>Many people wear digital watches these days (I do myself, if I wear one at
all). If you do, draw an analog watch face on a piece of paper, and then mark
the hour hand on using the digital watch. The rest of the method is identical.
</P>
<P>This method can be used even when it is pretty foggy. Although you may not be
able to see the sun, it may still cast a shadow. If you take up a straw or a
tiny stick, and you may see a shadow. You just have to remember that the shadow
points the opposite way from the sun, but the rest of it is quite similar as
above.</P>
<P>(While I read this I thought of the somewhat more accurate method of gaining
the azimuth of the sun I used when surveying in the Arctic. Does anyone think it
would be useful to know, or do you all already know it? It’s a calculation
involving the sun’s hour angle and the local longitude. I can add it to a future
newsletter if you like. Editor.)</P></FONT>
<P>
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</P><B><FONT face=Arial>
<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>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="mailto:jerry@inroads.ca"><U><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><FONT
face=Arial color=#0000ff>choare@shaw.ca</U></FONT></FONT></A><FONT face=Arial>
PLEASE DO include contact information for members to gain further
information.</P>
<P> </P>
<P>To subscribe or unsubscribe visit
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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>