[SARA-Members] Six SAR Consultation Sessions scheduled between November 21 and November 29

[Cindy (Director)]

Search and Rescue (SAR) Alberta Regional Directors and SAR Group
Leaders – Please forward to ALL your members and other SAR
stakeholders within your areas who may not be aware.  I apologize if
you have received this information more than once.

OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO AEMA AND THE SAR ALBERTA STANDARDS
COMMITTEE
(Round 1 - Six SAR Consultation Sessions scheduled between November 21
and November 29)

The Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) and the SAR Alberta
Standards Committee have planned six (6) joint consultation sessions
to check the current status of search and rescue within Alberta.  This
will complete the initial consultation with fire and emergency
services started under AEMA's Fire and Emergency Services Training
Initiative (FESTI). The sessions are open to ALL SAR stakeholders
including volunteers, tasking agencies, industry or anyone else having
a stake in search and rescue - now and in the future. Information is
also being sent out to the SAR Alberta Regional Directors and Deputy
Directors.

We recognize that this is an extremely aggressive schedule with short
notice, but the SAR Alberta Standards Committee was in the situation
of playing catch-up to AEMA on their Fire and Emergency Services
Training Initiative. I expect that future sessions will be planned
with much more notice.

In the meantime I am asking that everyone recognize the opportunity
that is being created, do their best to participate and go forward
with the attitude and ability that SAR is so well known for – to
perform on short notice under extreme conditions.  Please make every
effort to notify your members and others whom you think might be
interested, to help us generate the excitement and motivation needed
to make this a success. We will also be arranging for alternative ways
you can provide feedback should you not be able to attend a session.
Note that you can provide your feedback directly via the wiki page
indicated previously.

Fred Tyrrell, Manager of Stakeholder Relations for AEMA will be
coordinating the logistics and facilitating the consultation process.
Please RSVP directly to Fred at fred.tyrell at gov.ab.ca or register by
clicking the link shown beside the date you plan to attend.

Fri Nov 21        Calgary (7 - 10 pm)
http://www.missioncontrol.co.nz/itm/Event_Master_Item_Public.aspx?ID=1818
Sat Nov 22       Lethbridge (1 - 4 pm)
http://www.missioncontrol.co.nz/itm/Event_Master_Item_Public.aspx?ID=1823
Thurs Nov 27    Red Deer (7 - 10 pm)
http://www.missioncontrol.co.nz/itm/Event_Master_Item_Public.aspx?ID=1824
Fri Nov 28        Edmonton (7 - 10 pm)
http://www.missioncontrol.co.nz/itm/Event_Master_Item_Public.aspx?ID=1825
Sat Nov 29       Cold Lake - (9 - 12 am)
http://www.missioncontrol.co.nz/itm/Event_Master_Item_Public.aspx?ID=1826
Sat Nov 29       Grande Prairie (3 - 6 pm)
http://www.missioncontrol.co.nz/itm/Event_Master_Item_Public.aspx?ID=1827

More information on the SAR Alberta Standards Committee can be found
on the SAR Alberta Wiki at http://saralberta.dnsalias.org:8080/SARAlbertaStandardsCommittee

The next step will be the development of an appropriate
accreditation / certification process, etc. which is scheduled to
begin in mid to late January.