Welcome to 2009, hope everyone had a great new year and xmas break, and a huge thanks to those that where able to help out on Xmas and boxing day with the Searches we had.
In 2009 we have a few new concepts being played out, the main one is for new members with a “probationary” period of 3 months, in which time they need to met a few requirements we have set out. The “new members” form has been redeveloped with a process attached, to reflect this.
We also have a new members person to help these new people get through the process and keep everybody in the loop. Karl Hunter was appointed to this position in December. (Karl also became a new dad, congratulations Karl.) For those new members, I am sure Karl will be in contact with you shortly.
If you have people that are keen to join SAR please put them in contact with Karl in the first place or any of the committee to give them the run down.
Every 3 months we will be running a ‘intro to SAR’ day and night, this is for new members to see what we do in the field, learn the basics of TCA and Search, GPS and radios, and stay out over night to test the gear.
All members are asked to help out on these ‘intro to SAR’ events and come out and spend the night in the bush with the rest of us. Kane is getting asked “can we do this, can we do that”. We can do just about anything but Shane and Kane will need a hand to arrange it.
We do ask for help to arrange some monthly training sessions, and also for everyone to make an effort to attend. Please come along to these training sessions and/or txt/phone them to let them know if you can’t make it.
You also need to attend 50% of trainings each year to stay competent, In saying that we do know commitments change, work gets busy, ETC… Please just drop us a email, txt or a phone call to discuss, we may put you “on leave”. This also speeds things up during call outs. If you find you are not getting calls to searches think of how much training you are coming to.
In the next little while Kevin or Kane will be in contact to update your personal details, this is for the new spreadsheet that we are running which will hopefully capture who comes to trainings, call outs, keeping track of the phone and gear list, as well as many other details that we may need in times of a search. We need things like DOB, NOK or emergency contact details, phone number, address, email updates, so if we haven’t already spoken to you, can you please email us these, and if you do change ANY details let us know, if we don’t have your number you don’t get the calls.
We are currently looking at different options for streamlining the call out process. One of these is a web-to-txt based system, in which you will get a txt to tell you we have a search on, basic details of ‘where and what’ and then you reply to it (or give us a call) to give us your availability and ETA.
If we go this way we will let you all know how it works. In the attached event calendar we have noted Mountain Safety and other training events/courses in the region. Please note these are not funded by NLSAR, but we do promote them as these are very useful courses and will make you a more skilled and competent resource in the field. If you have any questions about what course you should attend please contact Kane.
TRAINING
SARINZ refresher course – This March is a ‘TCA, Search Methods, and Tracking’ refresher course. You need to have done the full TCA/Methods/Tracking module/s before to qualify for this refresher. Please contact Shane for details.
– SARINZ vertical rope course – Is being held in May. This is being run for the cave and cliff team but if you are keen and think you might have the required hours/skills, Contact Kane.
– Monthly Training – is every Second Thursday of every month @ 18:30pm. Meeting location for this is currently at the back of existing Whangarei Police station. With the new Whangarei Police station being commissioned late February, this meeting location will change. (proberly to either by new police-car entrance in Cameron Street or at the back of the new Police station off Robert Street. ‘Watch this space’
– Third Thursday of the month @ 18:00 – Cliff and Cave rescue training, Location advised prior to event.
Kane (Training)