WELCOME TO THE PRSAR NEWS
Chief Editor: Doug Logan ------- duglogan@hotmail.com
supporting editors ------- T.B.A.
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This is the inaugural issue of The PRSAR News.
The newsletter belongs to the membership of PRSAR.
This communication tool is ours to use to help us improve and enjoy our efforts. As editor, I will attempt to keep all content politically neutral, and focus on the facts. While passing on information, I will keep things positive and accurate. This is not a 'soapbox' for people to state their views or campaign for their cause. There are other methods to do that. As other editors join the staff, we shall reserve the right to omit or edit contributions to that end. Generally, that will not be required.
At first, there will be one newsletter a month. In the future, a second issue per month may be needed. The monthly issue will be sent out in the morning of the Friday before our regular meeting night. Therefore, contributions must be sent in by midnight, the Wednesday night before the meeting.
In order for this to work, everyone needs to be involved, and contribute.
So the amount of contribution that each member sends in, can be anything from a single quote, bit of information, or an interesting article or website. Members can become a regular contributor or a supporting editor. I hope to have regular sections from each 'specialty' part of PRSAR.
With this issue, I am asking everyone who needs to communicate information to PRSAR members forward the information to me at duglogan@hotmail.com.
The more people participate, the more this becomes 'our' newsletter.
The next issue will be February 2002. It will be sent out on Friday, February 1st. Deadline for contributions will be midnight, January 30th. Preferably, send in submissions as soon as possible. The information can always be changed before the deadline date.
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"Thought for Today"
Discussions by Stuart Hutchison, in Explore Magazine, about the disastrous night of May 10th 1996, when 8 climbers of the 33 on the mountain, died attempting to summit Mt. Everest. Stuart stopped just 500 feet from the summit of Everest. Stuart was among several others that stayed up on the mountain to help and save lives. Barely making it down himself.
“Turning around was a personal decision, and put safety first. Nobody could have talked me out of my decision after I had made it. You have to make these decisions yourself; in the mountains you are responsible for yourself,” he explains. “It’s important to understand that even if the storm hadn't’t hit, it still would have been right to turn back because that was the choice I made on the basis of experience and feelings. You can’t gauge the correctness of your choices on the basis of what comes after.”
Stuart Hutchison
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"QUOTE OF THE DAY"
Gunslinger's First Law of SAR:
"SAR is for the serious, not the well meaning."
Garrison St.Clair
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Coming Events
Jan 8/02 - PRSAR Meeting/Training Night
(USUALLY FIRST TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH - PRSAR/FIRE HALL)
AGENDA AND GEAR REQ.
Presentation by Dean Gerhart, PR Fire Chief, on:
-Improvements to Fire, Rescue and SAR Response,
-Expectations on Escallated Searches -
(several operational periods)
-ICS - Incident Command System,
-Open questions.
(No special gear or packs required)
Jan 15/02 - Rope Team Meeting/Training Night
(USUALLY THIRD TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH - PRSAR/FIRE HALL
(CONTACT - Doug Logan - Rope Team Manager)
AGENDA AND GEAR REQ.
-Discussion on training plans and expectations,
-GSAR Rope Evaluations,
(indoors, gloves and 'climbing clothes')
Recent Events
November/December 2001Nov 18-19 Task No. 520-3525
A 62 year old man went missing in the Nassichuk road area, around 16:30 hours on Nov 18th. The RCMP called out PRSAR at 20:00 hours. During the evening and the next morning 31 registered volunteers searched the surrounding properties, bush areas and logging slashes. The searchers were assisted by a tracker team, four search dogs, and several neighbours. There was almost 200 person hours logged by PRSAR members.
Subject descriptions indicated a person of limited mobility. He had recently experienced a stroke, and had a hip operation. His vision was also indicated as poor.
A detained, thorough search of neighbour properties and adjacant bush areas during the evening were unsuccessful. At first light the following day, PRSAR members were at it again.(with little rest) PRSAR was joined that morning by three Courtenay SAR members, and Bob Plankenberg with his RCMP search dog. The properties were all re-searched and the search was expanded into the three slashes and bush areas to the west.
At 09:33 hours, Tracker Team 1 crossed paths with subject between Slash 1 and 2. The subject was wet, dirty, and very tired, but still quite mobile. He was transported to his residence, and went to the clinic for a checkout a little later.
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TIP OF THE MONTH
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* * Question and Answers * *
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We can also post general and 'survey type' questions to the membership. All answers sent in response to this type, will be strictly confidencial. Not that anyone needs protection, just to allow completely honest responses. Obviously, PRSAR News reserves the right to edit or omit responses.
To get it all started:
What do you think of the PRSAR News? What can be added? Removed? Expanded?
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Links
This section will feature interesting links to websites, pictures, or articles.
www.sarbc.org/sarbc/homepage.html
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Please forward the email addresses of any other PRSAR members or other interested people to
Any persons not wanting this newsletter, also contact the above email address.
If there is any trouble with this 'rich text' version,
a 'plain text version can be sent out.
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BE RESPONSE READY!