Training Reports 2007

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March 2007: Mock Search: Line Search and Bouldering Techniques

 

As usual, I found March’s training to be both informative and fun. The training consisted of two parts. The first was talking about line search techniques and doing a mock search. We were given GPS co-ordinates of a search boundary which we then marked on a quad map. Then, we established a line and searched the area looking for clues. As is typical, the mock search training is run like a real search. When clues are found, they are called in to base and given a degree of reliability as relates to the circumstances of the search. In the line search we practiced using a GPS, using UTM co-ordinates on a map, actually finding the search quadrant and searching, looking for clues and using the radio. We also learned that it was very difficult to do a line search with 15 people so on the return search, we did a different technique and it worked much better. We did miss several clues even though we searched the area twice.

 

The second part of the training involved one of our team members hiding in a large boulder field. We split into teams of 3 or 4 and started our search. The boulder field was very steep, had huge boulders and was very rugged. Climbing ropes came to mind! There were also many large caves created by the large rocks which made it even more difficult to search. After making a “thorough” search of the area, several clues were found and their locations called in to base and noted on a GPS. However, the subject was not found. Several teams went back out and searched around the area of the clues and still nothing! We had completely missed our subject! Apparently, several of our trainees went right over the subject.

 

I feel that it was a great training. The location on the edge of the gorge was beautiful and we had a good team turnout (16). We all learned a lot and had fun doing it!

 

Report by: Donna LeFurgey

New Team Member

February 2007: Avalanche Search: Hasty, Beacon, & Probe Techniques

(Cancelled due to a Mission)

 

January 2007 Training: Cold Weather Medical, Rescue, Safety & Evacuation

 

There was snow and ice everywhere as the team rolled in to the Quality Inn on Wedesday, January 17th for our first general meeting and classroom training of 2007. After a meeting to catch up with recent team events and discussions about recent searches nationwide, our President, Sue Felser, led us in a fun and rousing game of Medical Jeopardy! (Excellent job, Sue!). Jeopardy topics were: Cold Weather Injury, Fractures & Splinting, Cold Weather Safety, Snow Skills, ...

 

Team 1 took off with a vengence as they were quick handed on the buzzer and answered every question with confidence and finese. but teams 2 and 4 quickly warmed up to the task and began to give team 1 a run for their money! Team 3 was the tortoise team, slow and sure to the end. Teams 1 and 4 ended with losing some of those brilliantly earned points with wrong answers to some really challenging questions, so in the end, Team 2 prevailed as the undeniable winners of Medical Jeopardy. What a fun and engaging way to reveiw and practice our medical skills!

 

After the prizes were handed out and consumed (yummy chocolate!), the team surrounded Sue for a session in splinting fractures: the use of our Vacu-splint systems, the Sam splint, and creative field splinting with what you've got on hand. All in all, we kicked this first 2007 training session off with a bang!

 

The following Sunday, January 21, the team assembled at The Shed for a 10:30 launch to Hwy. 518 for our monthly field training. The training, headed by Cliff Peckham and Jaime Wells, led the team through exercises on litter packaging for cold weather, splinting, and harnessing systems to pull out the litter over snow with two and three person configurations.

 

December 2006 Training: Communications

 

Wednesday December 13th found the TSAR types all gathered around tables near the cozy Quality Inn meeting room fire for a class by the eminent Richard McCracken. Richard gave a wonderful, practical tour around the ins and outs of Communications for SAR personnel. He began with a presentation of step-by-step questions which revealed the ABC's of communications from mission launch to deployment in the field. He then broke out all our radios and gave us immediate hands-on experience with each style of radio. There was no techno-jargon about this class, just practical, down-to-earth "this is what you need to know and how to go". Great class, Richard! Thanks from the bottom of our wave-length!

 

Then, the next morning after the fun and famous TSAR Holiday Party we woke up (ok, how'd we manage that?). But there was more training to do, so Saturday morning found us all bright and early gathered at the rear of People's Bank for an urban-style field training in communications. This was the moment we were all tested on how carefully we had retained what the eminent Richard had extolled upon our brain waves the previous Wednesday evening....yikes! It was a fun and fruitful day walking though sage and brush and a little local trash hunting for those pertinent clues.

 

We all did very well in GPS proficiency, navigating our search sectors and correctly locating the appropriate finds. We learned a lot about how communication can effect a mission: about the balance of making a decision and remaining open and objective to possibilities, about the questions to ask, about details to look for and communicating specifics, about not assuming anything. A good day for the team as we fine-tune our skills. Thanks to all the teammates who attended!

OK, so it's not training, but it was fun!: TSAR Holiday Party

Tis the season and even us wilderness types like to dress up a little for a holiday party...

or not (dress up that is)!

 

The TSAR gang gathered Friday, December 15th for their annual end-of-year holiday party. The dinner was fabulous...at the also fabulous Ronnie Lee's Supper Club. The atmosphere was warm and beautiful, the service excellent...hey wait, aren't we always the ones serving? Ah, oh well...it was a night of being served... wonderful food and drink. No more dehydrated trail food for us! Ronnie Lee's treated us like royalty. We all left with a smile on our face and....oooops...was that a mission we just got called out for? But our fealess leader Sue (and Incident Commnader for the evening) took control and helped them make the find before we could launch. Well, I guess its off to training tomorrow morning instead of the real thing! And train we did! (the training report is above).

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