FSAR Meeting minutes 5-9-2012

FSAR meeting
May 9, 2012

Barry
Steve Y
Pat
Chuck
Matt
Mark Lopez SP Trooper
Mark K.
Jeff Z
Scott Stevens MWS
Al
Paul
Will
Forrest
Mit

• Baxter dates
• Togue Pond June 30-July1
• Chimney Pond  August 11-12
• Togue Pond Sept. 1-3

• Roster check
• Radio review of channels
• BASAR test Barry and Pat are finished all of the requirements and are waiting for the confirmation from MASAR, Matt is under way.
• AMC notification of all FSAR calls that involve the AT should be made upon mission completion. Notification involves filling out a form and emailing it to the AMC. More info here: http://www.appalachiantrail.org/hiking/report-an-incident
• 2 calls Chickenfest and Bald in Weld, Steve/Coby gave the summary.
• FSAR had a rescue/support role for the Carrabassett Backscountry Cycle Challange last year and we plan to participate again this year. The race is on, Sunday, July 22 more info here:  https://www.bikereg.com/Net/15826  If you are interested in helping out contact Barry or Al. Even if you do not have a mountain bike, you can be of great help during the event.
• Eco Challenge June 19-24 Begins in the forks Thurs/Fri more likely to involve us at the end. FSAR should be on a ‘heightened readiness response’ during this time. Al is coordinating Northstar and FSAR’s response for this event.
• June 9 Smalls Falls rope rescue training.  ALL FSAR members are encouraged to attend. the event is from 9-3  Paul, Mike DK and Al are instructing.
• Paul will place an order for a new rope and a friction device (scarab) and will let Sprague know the total so he can write him a check.
• Trooper Mark Lopez and Warden Scott Stevens gave an excellent talk on scene preservation. Because I was listening, i did not take good notes. This is all I wrote down: DNA, footwear (photocopy), No photos!, rubber gloves a must, suicide are 10 times harder than homicide because the family will want it to treated like a homicide, they won't believe you. chain of custody photographed before picking it up.

All Units Stand Down

1:55 a.m From MASAR A found has been made, all units may stand down, Thank you!


more info about the call here:


http://fenceviewer.com/site/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=74285:missing-boy-8-found-after-getting-lost-in-prospect&Itemid=938

1:00 a.m. Thursday 5-10-2012

FSAR has been activated to search for a missing 8 y.o. boy in Prospect, Maine. Staging is at 7 a.m. at the Prospect fire department. Even if you are not able to make the 7 a.m. staging, a later response would still be a great help.

Steve Yates is coordinating FSARs response. Please contact him if you are able to respond.

MASAR CALL OUT ALL RESOURCES REQUESTED AT 0700 AT PROSPECT FIRE STATION FOR MISSING 8 YO EMAIL TO FOLLOW

Monthly meeting and training 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 9

Franklin Search and Rescue

Monthly meeting and training

6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 9

Kingfield Fire Station

Join us for our monthly meeting and training session on Wednesday at the Kingfield Fire Department. State Trooper Mark Lopez will conduct training on ‘scene preservation’. This topic has been increasingly important as FSAR has been called to assist in more criminal investigation searches around the state.

In addition, members will share what they learned at the MASAR conference this past weekend, details of a meeting with the county EMA director, upcoming trainings and recent calls.

The gear to share will be summer gaiters and insect repellant. What do you use and how effective is it?

As always, any interested people are welcome to attend. 

2012 MASAR Conference Camp Jordan, Ellsworth, Me. May 5-6

Group Photo May 6, 2012 Camp Jordan (click to see whole photo)

FSAR Participants

 Dr Murray Hamlet presents on hypothermia

FSAR members hang out on the dock under the super moon.

Jim begins the conference with a welcome.

FSAR bunkhouse

Bunkhouse for snoring people.

Patient packaging workshop by Gerry Brache SOLO

Deb Gets a lift

Keynote speaker Gary Anderson

Steve hauls in the net with the catch of the day.

 Branch Lake under a super moon.

Rick Slatten teaches a very interesting class on search tactics. 

 MESARD

Wilderness Rescue Team's crew.

The new Trident Tactical Tracking Team

FSAR has been activated for a search April 25, 2012 7 a.m.

Update 10:46 a.m. 4-25-2012   The search in Howland has been terminated. The subject has been located.  All units may return to base. 

More here:
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/national/northeast/view/20120425search_for_missing_maine_musician_intensifies/srvc=home&position=recent


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


FSAR has been activated for a search tomorrow morning.

MASAR is requesting all available manpower to respond to Howland, Maine tomorrow morning (Wed. April 25) at 7 a.m. to search for a missing UMO student.

Steve Yates will be coordinating FSAR’s response. Please contact him only if you are able to respond or if you MAY be able to respond via his home phone or cell      

 Steve will coordinate carpooling to Howland.

To all MASAR Unit Reps:

The Wardens Service has requested a full call out to Howland tomorrow Wednesday April 25th for the missing UMO student. The page will go out shortly.

All assets including horses are requested. The start time is 7am. The CP is on Route 155. Take the interstate to the Rte 155 junction, go west on 155. After 150 yards there will be a large gravel pit on the left where the CP will be located.

The lat-long coordinates for the CP (Google Earth, so WGS 83 datum, in decimal degrees) are

45.234 degrees north, 68.682 degrees west

         

FSAR meeting/training minutes 4-11-2012

Pat, Al, Taylor B., Paul, Mit, Steve Y, Coby L, Barry, Jeff

The Tiff grant is tied up in red tape with the auditors. We are being told that we should have our $ within a few weeks. Steve M will continue to call and keep the board posted with movement. Pat has kept our contact at Maine Radio in the loop about grant progress. He has the radios and will program the set with our channels as soon as we have the $ in hand.

Baxter SP gave each participating volunteer a certificate of participation for their SAR work last year. Steve Y has filed them in each member’s FSAR training record folder.

The MASAR spring conference is May 5-6 registration is online, 4 or 5 members have registered and will attend.  If you are able, it is a great 2 day conference with many great classes.

Coby has been working with the US military SERE school in Redington.  He participates in multi-day, man-tracking events. Through this connection, he has been involved in forming the new Trident Tactical Tracking. This team is interested in becoming a MASAR certified visual tracking team. Colby has invited any FSAR members who are interested in learning more about man-tracking to attend one of their meetings. Trident web site:

http://broad-wingedfarm.com/Trident_Tactical.html

The board is in the process of reviewing the roster and removing members who are now inactive.

Steve Y,  Mit and Pat will correlate our text msg. lists for call-outs to make sure we all have the same people.

FSAR has 3 members who have passed the written BASR test!!!!!! Way to go Barry, Pat and Colby!!!   Matt is in the process of prepping for the test as well.

Paul provided an overview of the search/recovery for a missing hiker in Tuckerman’s Ravine on Mt. Washington.  Paul provided an interesting perspective on searcher safety and risk management. More on the situation here:
http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20120405recovering_boston_mans_body_on_mount_washington_could_take_weeks

On Saturday, June 9th there will be a one day Smalls Falls (SF) rope rescue training.  Prior to the SF training, Al and DK are teaching a 1 day classroom wilderness workshop for EMS providers. The SF training will be a combined high angle and litter packaging skills day for the EMT class and others. It should be a wonderful cross-training opportunity for FSAR folks. Plan to be there if possible.

JUNE 19-24  the Untamed New England Eco Challenge will be held in our region of the state. This is a 4 day non-stop team race. The Command Post will be at the outdoor center and Northstar EMS will be working the event. FSAR will be ‘On-Call’ to assist if needed during the Eco Challenge. The teams are to be completely independent and if we assist them they can be disqualified. So FSAR assistance would only be needed if things get really bad. This is the event web site:

http://untamedne.com/

Although I do not have the exact date yet (sometime in May I believe) DK has invited FSAR to the final saddleback EMT class simulation. They plan to field test the new Lifeflight LZ at the Rangeley Lakes Trail Center on the access road, so the sim will take place in that general area. The plan is for a cookout supper up at the lodge around 6 PM or so and then start the sim around dusk. 

Minutes taken by Mit

Bic Mini Electric Review on BPL

Many FSAR members are into lightweight backpacking. A Backpacking Light (BPL) member  recently posted this review of a new lighter. Members may find it interesting. I have carried a Mini Bic for a few years but after reading this I am keen to do some testing of the new Bic Mini Electric. The comments after the post are interesting. Link to the post:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=62669