<!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 6.00.2900.2963" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have been requested by President Rodney Dietrich
to forward this on to the membership.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Reese Wolsey</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Past President SAR Alberta</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=accountinggod@shaw.ca href="mailto:accountinggod@shaw.ca">RODNEY
DIETRICH</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=sztymb@shaw.ca href="mailto:sztymb@shaw.ca">Bev
Sliger</A> ; <A title=dardan@telusplanet.net
href="mailto:dardan@telusplanet.net">dardan@telusplanet.net</A> ; <A
title=mdmaschke@yahoo.com href="mailto:mdmaschke@yahoo.com">Michelle Maschke</A>
; <A title=westpem@telusplanet.net href="mailto:westpem@telusplanet.net">Reese
Wolsey</A> ; <A title=sara-board@castrov.cuug.ab.ca
href="mailto:sara-board@castrov.cuug.ab.ca">sara-board@castrov.cuug.ab.ca</A>
</DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, July 31, 2007 7:37 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> SAR Alberta - message from SAR Alberta President - July
31</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>To the membership of SAR Alberta,<BR> <BR>Re:
in response to the email that Monica sent out on Wednesday July 25, 2007 -
SAR Alberta Executive became aware of it on Monday, July 30,
2007.<BR> <BR>First and foremost SAR Alberta would
like to thank all those over the years that have assisted in working
towards a lead ministry for SAR Alberta. A lot of time, effort and
work has been put in by many people throughout SAR Alberta. The
work continues and will for many years to come.<BR><BR>SAR Alberta has
learned late today that the AEMA is stepping up to the plate
as GSAR lead ministry for Alberta. It is my understanding
their was a meeting (in response to Monica's letter to the Premier)
between AEMA and the Solicitor General (SAR Alberta was not
involved) and a decision was made between these two government departments
as to who would best serve search and rescue in Alberta.
<DIV><BR>It is true that SAR Alberta Executive met with WCB (Workers
Compensation Board), RCMP and AEMA late last week. The meeting
was a result of a SAR Alberta meeting with EMA last year in which
then President Reese expressed concerns
about WCB coverage that we as volunteers have in-light of all
activities we perform outside of just searching for the lost person (ie.
evidence searches, floods, etc). WCB was the only focus of the meeting
and the same presentation will be presented to the board
and the membership. Originally I was the only executive member invited
- in the end the meeting was attended by all the executive (with the
exception on Darrell who had previous commitments) at my request. From what I
saw in that meeting was truly a commitment between the
RCMP and AEMA on working together for the betterment of search
and rescue in Alberta. As a matter of fact the next meeting will include
the board as the executive felt that this was the best way to communicate
what was being presented (the more involved everybody is, the more
everybody is informed).<BR><BR>It is also true that the Alberta Emergency
Management Agency falls under Municipal Affairs and Housing and they
have reviewed a number of documents that SAR Alberta has sent to
the Provincial Government over the years (including those sent to the
Solicitor General) - SAR Alberta has no control over these documents
once sent to the Provincial Government.<BR><BR>On a side note I attended a
ceremony on Monday, July 30 (representing
SAR Alberta), highlighting the progress that has been made to the
provincial emergency response capabilities since the Edmonton Tornado. I
had the opportunity to meet with David Hodgins (managing director of
AEMA) and the Fire Commissioner's Office, they both would like to meet and
work with SAR Alberta. I mentioned that it would be best if they attended a
SAR Alberta board meeting, and the SAR Alberta Executive will work to make
this happen.<BR><BR>For the first time in a very long time, I can
see commitments being made on the provincial front for SAR in Alberta
- this will be a work in progress for SAR Alberta and the Provincial
Government in a continually working partnership focused on enhancing SAR in
Alberta. </DIV>
<DIV><BR>Rodney Dietrich<BR>SAR Alberta - President<BR><A
href="javascript:main.compose('new','t=accountinggod@shaw.ca')">accountinggod@shaw.ca</A><BR><A
href="http://www.saralberta.org/"
target=1>www.saralberta.org</A><BR> <BR>Attachment (s): <BR> -
Monica's letter to the membership<BR> - Monica's Letter to the
Premier<BR> - Agenda from the SAR Alberta/RCMP/EMA/WCB meeting<BR> -
Outline of background events<BR> - Provicial Challenges to SAR in
Alberta</DIV>
<DIV> - Email from AEMA<BR> </DIV>
<DIV>Dated - July 31,2007 - 7pm</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>