Meeting May 19, 2006
Art Jordan, Glenn Schultz, Jake Weber, Sharon Fisher, Darrell
Monroe, Brooks Hanford, Sarah Jordan, Jim Peters, Doyle Wenzel, Jeannie Hughes,
Pam Fritschel, Carole Carstensen, Polly E. Towle, Edward Lisowski, Steve Reddington,
Barb Hanford, Grant Smith
Introductions Everyone at the meeting introduced themselves to the group.
Brooks Hanford moved and Polly Towle seconded to accept the minutes as written. The motion passed unanimously.
One goal of the president is to have all counties members of SARVAC so that there is a united voice for SAR volunteers in Washington State. The continuing focus is that SAR volunteers are recognized, in writing, as first responders.
Dues notices were sent to the SAR Coordinator in each county in Washington. The date for 2006 dues to be paid was listed as April 15. As of
May 15, the following counties have paid dues for 2006: Pierce, Grays Harbor (2 groups combined), Okanogan, Yakima, Clallam, Cowlitz, Snohomish, Kitsap, and Asotin
Art has contacted County DEM directors and he asked each one for the SAR resource information for his/her county. The hope is to have a resource list for volunteer units to use to coordinate trainings, etc. Many county DEM’s have responded.
Current balance: $938.62
3/19/06 $866.89 balance
+350.00 dues
-119.95 website annual fee
-145.40 SARVAC award plaques
-12.92 copies for 5/19/06 meeting
$938.62 balance 5/19/06
Sharon shared that Noel McRae said that we can purchase our own domain name for the website. Steve Reddington moved and Grant Smith seconded that we should do this. Sharon will pursue this.
SARVAC’s goal is to continue to help with the WA State Conference by providing start up funds for the next host county. Also, in addition to the plaques, award winners will have their registration fee for the next year’s state conference fee paid (does not include food). The award winners this year were: Ruth Hanson, Yakima; Mike Lemmons, Cowlitz; Matthew Thompson, Snohomish.
None.
In January 2013, common SAR frequencies will have to move to narrow band. Doyle Wenzel has been working to see if SAR can get frequencies dedicated to them with the goal to reduce ambulance and other radio traffic interference. Doyle also requested permission for a pair of frequencies for portable repeaters.
At the March meeting, a county representative mentioned that they
use the OSCAR frequency for SAR. Doyle found out that it can be used by SAR,
NOT for tactical communication (with field people) BUT for on scene command.
Also, it can’t go over 5 watts.
Doyle will continue to pursue this as SARVAC’s representative.
SARVAC has been asked to take back the selection of host counties for the WA State SAR Conference. Sharon is working on an application for this. It was discussed that letters of support from the prospective host county’s Sheriff’s Office/DEM must be submitted as part of the application. Chris Long had shared that it is becoming essential that the SAR conference location has the infrastructure to support the classes, food, garbage, etc.
Marty Lentsch, Yakima County SAR Council member, is working to establish a National Search and Rescue Memorial in Seattle. She would like to have the backing of SARVAC in this endeavor. For further information she can be contacted through email at: mountainmarty@hotmail.com
She is asking for a letter of support for this project from SARVAC in order to apply for grants. She has a power point about her project. It was suggested that it be available on the SARVAC website pending board approval. It was moved by Polly Towle and seconded by Jake Webber that a letter of support be sent to Marty Lentsch pending board approval. Sharon will see about emailing the power point to the board members by the end of June.
Yakima: Search and Rescue responded to a search for a missing 5-year old from the town of White Swan on Mother’s Day. Yakama Tribal Police located him at a relative’s home just as SAR teams were beginning to arrive.
An 18-year old was reported missing on the Yakima River. After searching with WSP aircraft, watercraft, ATVs and ground teams, the search was suspended when the river, near flood stage, made it too hazardous to continue searching. The subject has not been located.
AN ELT team from the Civil Air Patrol located an active transmitter in Ellensburg. It had been tracked from Montana, but was not at the airport. It was found in a helicopter being transported on a flatbed truck.
The SAR team helped rescue an injured pelican from an island in the Yakima River. Unlike most rescued parties, it did not necessarily appreciate the help. It was taken to be rehabilitated in the veterinary department at WSU.
The 2006 SAR academy had 15 graduates.
Kitsap: Searchers were successful in finding
a deceased subject. The county’s SAR volunteers also assisted in Thurston,
King, and Pierce county searches.
The county has sixteen new ESAR graduates.
Ferry/Okanogan: Several snowmobilers were caught in an avalanche. Some started searching and others went for help. A dog team was flown in and the missing snowmobile was quickly found. The young man riding it was recovered, but did not survive the injuries he sustained in the avalanche.
Snohomish: Most calls were turn arounds. An experienced climber was recovered after falling 300 feet to his death at Twin Peaks.
Cowlitz: A security man for a local logging company
was reported missing after his vehicle and dog were found near the logging operation
with no sign of him. After several hours of searching, he shouted back in response
to a verbal contact. He was uninjured and had built a fire to keep warm until
someone found him.
The team responded to help rescue an 18 year old female who had fallen off her
inner tube in the Toutle River and was stranded.
Mason County: No report.
Pierce: Responded to several out of county searches. Also searched for evidence at the site where the body of a 10-year old girl had been found. She was the subject of several searches earlier in the year and was found by a couple of kids outside the earlier search area.
SARVAC‘s mailing address
Any information you would like to see announced, may be addressed
to SARVAC‘s web manager.
Noel McRae, a life member of Cowlitz County Search and Rescue Team, has agreed
to be the webtech.
For information about the site you can contact the webtech at webtech@wasar.bizland.com
Chris Long [the State SAR Coordinator of WA]
can be reached at the web address: c.long@emd.wa.gov,
WA-SAR.net: www.wa.gov/wsem.