The Basic Mountaineering Course (BMC) is Upon Us

More details for the next Basic Mountaineering Course (BMC) are coming into place. The course has expanded rope skills and avalanche awareness. Personal Vertical Skills (PVS) is now required before taking BMC. The classroom portion will be held on November 17 and 18. The location is the San Bernardino Mountain Team's rescue shack, aka "Harrison Hotel." It is located at 3250 Harrison, San Bernardino, CA 92404. Please arrive by 7:30 am on Saturday. There are local eateries for lunch. There is also a kitchen with stove, microwave, refrigerator, etc., at the facility. There is no set end time Saturday evening. So be prepared to have dinner as well. The metal chairs can be a bit uncomfortable; hence you might consider bringing a cushion to sit on. Bring necessary clothing for rain and a warm jacket and pants in case the Harrison Hotel is chilly. For people travelling great distances, you are welcome to stay Friday and/or Saturday night at a member’s home in Redlands. Let me know if you would like to take of advantage of this.

The date for the field portion is January 12 and 13. Depending on snow, the tentative location will be the county's new SAR facility at Heart Bar. It is located at GPS WGS84 0518080, 3780070. From I-10 in San Bernardino, take the Alabama exit in the city of Redlands to Lugonia Avenue (State Highway 38). Travel northeast on Highway 38 for approximately 30 miles. The facility is on the south side of Highway 38. Look for signs and other indications for road access and parking. This is dependent on actual snow condition at the time. Be prepared with snow chains. Four wheel drive vehicles are preferred. Consider carrying a large snow shovel in the car. There is extremely limited cell phone access. Most likely you will have no service at all. We will monitor the county radio frequency SAR TAC 1, channel 11. The wise student will arrive Friday night and car camp at the facility in order to acclimatize. Be fully packed and ready to hike at 7 am Saturday.The event ends in the late afternoon Sunday.

To sign up, send a check for $50 to Volunteer Forces along with your phone number, PVS documentation and email address. The check will be returned to you upon completion of the course. If you do not attend, the check will be given to IESARC as a donation. For further questions, please contact Sonny Lawrence email address: slawrence AT sbsar DOT org or phone: 909 dash 255 dash 6036.

David Metzler of West Valley SAR Loses Battle With Cancer

On behalf of the West Valley Search and Rescue Team I am writing to inform you that our long time teammate and friend, David Metzler, passed away on Monday, October 1st.  David had been with our team for nearly 15 years and courageously battled cancer for the last two years. 

 David had a knack for always finding the latest and greatest gear at the best possible price. Whenever he found something new, he would always purchase extras that he would bring back and share with his teammates.  David has a special affinity for flashlights, and as such, many of us will be bringing a small flashlight as a tribute.  Please feel free to do the same if you choose to attend.  David will be sorely missed by all.  

 David's memorial service will be this coming Friday, October 5, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. at St. Peter and St. Paul Catholic Church.  9135 Banyan St., Alta Loma, CA  91701 - phone:  909-980-9404.

 There will be a reception at David and Christine’s home immediately following the memorial service. 

 The following was written by Christine Metzler:

 I am requesting in lieu of flowers, if anyone wishes to donate in David's memory to the West Valley Search and Rescue Team, you may do so at the address below.  These men and women have been a tremendous support to both David and myself over the last few weeks (as all of you have) and I know this would please David tremendously.  Those that knew him - knew this volunteer organization was near and dear to his heart.

 Thank you again for all the love, support and prayers.

 Much Love,

 Christine

West Valley Search and Rescue
8780 19th St., PMB 475
Alta Loma, CA  91701

You may also donate on their website.  westvalleysar@westvalleysar.org

If you can attend Dave's memorial service this Friday, Dave's wife Christine would appreciate it, if you could wear your SAR uniform.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.  Robert Gattas

Free MapSAR Training Course December 8-9

Don't miss out on this opportunity to receive top notch instruction in the use of MapSAR. The participant will learn how to use the free MapSAR tool with Esri’s ArcGIS Desktop product.  It is designed for individuals with limited or no GIS experience. GIS has proven to be beneficial to map emergency incidents.  This class will teach you how to create search segments (probability areas), draw search assignments and print maps for field crews and the command post.  You will also learn how to track incident activities like clues, field team status, debriefing information and GPS track logs.  This is a hands-on training class; computers, textbooks, reference manuals and software will be provided for 30 students. Please fill out the registration form and email it to John Amrhein (jamrhein@sbcsd.org) if you are interested in attending. Class participant selections will be announced November 15.

Dates/Time: December 8-9 (16 hrs) 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Location: San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Headquarters

655 E. 3rd. St.

San Bernardino, CA 92415

33rd Annual Morongo Desert Run Oct. 5-7, 2012

When: October 5-7, 2012

Where: Means Dry Lake

15-20 Mile Off-Road  Desert Run, Balance  Beam,  Articulation Ramp, Kids Games, Prize Drawings, Vendor  Displays, Hot food, 50/50 Drawing!!

This is not a race, so bring the whole family!

4X4, Motorcycles, Quads, Buggies and all other off road vehicles welcome!

Information:

760-365-8185  or 760-366-4175

mbsar_desertrun@yahoo.com

www.desertrun.org

Basic Mountaineering Course 2012-2013

Please mark your calendars for the next Basic Mountaineering Course (BMC). The classroom portion will be held on November 17 and 18. The date for the field portion is yet to be determined. The location for each is yet to be determined.

BMC has evolved over the past few years. There is significantly more attention given to avalanche awareness and roped travel. Consequently Personal Vertical Skills (PVS) is now required before taking BMC.

To sign up, send a check for $50 to Volunteer Forces along with your phone number, PVS documentation and email address. The check will be returned to you upon completion of the course. If you do not attend, the check will be given to IESARC as a donation.

Director's Dialogue August 2012

If your haven’t heard, we now have a new lieutenant assigned to Volunteer Forces, replacing now Captain Todd Paterson, Lieutenant Mitch Dattilo. The Lieutenant has been with the department since April 1988. He is a former Explorer Scout from the Fontana Station before becoming a Reserve, than attending and graduating with the 92nd Sheriff’s Academy Class.

The Lieutenant has served in a variety of assignments. He has been assigned to the Glen Helen Rehab Center, the Yucaipa Station twice and the Employee Resources and Homicide Divisions. Most notably he has been assigned to Aviation twice where he was a fight officer and rescue crew chief. When promoted to Sergeant he then went back to Aviation, after a number of other assignments, to be their Watch Commander and Crew Chief Trainer. While serving in this capacity he then had the opportunity to work hand in hand with our Air Medic Team. During this time, with that assignment, he was also able to obtain his commercial helicopter pilots rating. He then was promoted to Lieutenant, served for a very short time with another division and then was sent to Volunteer Forces. We wish the Lieutenant the best with his new duties. All of us from the SAR community are looking forward to working closely with him in the future.

Speaking of work, thanks to all of the SAR members who showed up at your new Heart Bar Training Facility for the Cleanup Day. What a great turn out from our SAR personnel. There were many things accomplished by our 40 odd members who attended, from raking pine needles to electrical repairs, and don’t forget tractor driving…..lol.

However, even with all of the hard work that was put in, we still need to ask you again for your services for the 2nd Cleanup that is going to be held on August 25th. Starting time is at 0800 and we should be finishing up by 1500. Not sure about lunch yet, so please bring enough food and drinks for the entire day. We do need some experienced electricians, plumbers and a tractor with a Bush-Hog attachment. For more information, directions andthe type of work needed, refer to our www.sbsar.org web page. Please RSVP to me at dnicolet@sbsar.org or to John Amrhein at jamrhein@sbcsd.org if you can attend. We hope to see many of you there.

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Heartbar Training Facility – 2nd Cleanup Day ( ALL S&R VOLUNTEERS)

The Sheriff’s Department has obtained the Heartbar Training Facility for the department’s Search and Rescue training. Our ultimate goal is to open the facility for every Sheriff’s S&R Team to utilize the grounds for all types of search and rescue training throughout each year.

We need help in cleaning and repairing the facility and are calling for all SAR volunteers to help out. Please pitch in on this special occasion in cleaning, repairing and developing your training facility.

This will be the second (Hopefully we will finish!) day of cleaning and repairing and we could use the help!

WHEN
Saturday, August 25th, 2012 0800-1500 hours.

The facility is available on this occasion for overnight stays. Morongo Mounted S&R unit has reserved the facility and will be staying there over the weekend, however there should be room for all S&R volunteers that wish to stay.  

WHERE
Heartbar Training Facility
46101 State Highway 38
Angelus Oaks, Ca. 92305

Located East of the South Forks Campground (1.7 miles) and West of the Heartbar & Wild Horse Equestrian Campgrounds (Both have signs)

We will have tape and a sign marking the paved road entrance on the day of the cleanup. South side of the road.

Food / Drinks
Please bring all the food and drinks you want for this event. We are not able to provide food for this event. There are no local stores or restaurants in the immediate area. No alcohol during the actual event.

RSVP
We are asking for SAR unit to get a headcount for their entire unit as a whole if possible. Please let SAR Director Dave Nicolet know or JAMRHEIN@SBCSD.ORG 909-387-0641. We would like to get a head count together .

Specialty Skilled Volunteers / Equipment
Master Electrician needed if possible – We have an underground electrical short
Roofers – We may need assistance in completing repairs on the metal classroom roof
Brush-Hog style tractor + attachment. We would like a semi-level area – brush mown down (Not plowed or scraped)

Tasks we will be doing
Laying carpet squares – Bring your skill and tools
Plumbing repair – pipes and toilets
Exterior cleanup – raking, digging, hauling
Carpentry work – cutting and replacing wooden boards
Interior cleanup – sweeping, mopping, wiping etc
Minor painting
General cleaning & more cleaning & more cleaning
Digging up and repairing water leaks

What to Bring
Breakfast and Lunch / etc for personal needs
We have bottled water at the facility – It is not cold water
Hat / Sun Screen / Work Clothes / Gloves / Eye Protection
Tools
Flat and Spade Shovels
Chainsaws
Gas Powered Weed Eaters
Battery powered drills and sockets for metal roof repair
Shop vacuums
Rakes
Pitchforks for pine needles
Garden Wagons / Wheel Barrows
Dry Wall repair tools
Tools to lay adhesive carpet squares
Brooms / dustpans
Battery Powered Drills / saws
Hand tools – hammers, caulking guns
Specialty tools: bring the tools of your trade - pluming / electrical / Carpentry

Bring yourselves and your skills!!!! We can use everyone!!!

Heartbar Training Facility Cleanup Day

The Sheriff’s Department has obtained the Heartbar Training Facility for the department’s Search and Rescue training. Our ultimate goal is to open the facility for every Sheriff’s S&R Team to utilize the grounds for all types of search and rescue training throughout each year.

We need help in cleaning and repairing the facility and are calling for all SAR volunteers to help out. Please pitch in on this special occasion in cleaning, repairing and developing your training facility.

WHEN Saturday, July 28th, 2012 0800-1500 hours. The cleanup day will end with a BBQ. The facility is not available on this occasion for overnight stays due to another event occurring that night.

WHERE Heartbar Fire Station 46101 State Highway 38 Angelus Oaks, Ca. 92305 Located East of the South Forks Campground (1.7 miles) and West of the Heartbar & Wild Horse Equestrian Campgrounds (Both have signs) We will have tape marking the paved road entrance on the day of the cleanup. South side of the road.

BBQ Sheriff’s Culinary will be BBQing some hamburgers around 1400-1500 hours for everyone who helps with this work day! The Sheriff throws a good meal together and we look forward to seeing you there!

RSVP We are asking for SAR unit to get a headcount for their entire unit as a whole if possible. Please let SAR Director Dave Nicolet know or SAR Coordinator Deputy Dave Alexander DALEXANDER@SBCSD.ORG 909-387-0678. We would like to get a head count together for the culinary folks.

Tasks we will be doing Drywall repair Plumbing repair – pipes and toilets Exterior cleanup – raking, digging, hauling Carpentry work – cutting and replacing wooden boards Interior cleanup – sweeping, mopping, wiping etc Minor painting General cleaning & more cleaning & more cleaning

What to Bring

Breakfast (Optional) / water / etc for personal needs Hat / Sun Screen / Work Clothes / Gloves / Eye Protection Tools Flat and Spade Shovels Gas Powered Weed Eaters Shop vacuums Rakes Garden Wagons / Wheel Barrows Dry Wall repair tools Tools to lay adhesive carpeting Brooms / dustpans Battery Powered Drills / saws Hand tools – hammers, caulking guns Specialty tools: bring the tools of your trade - pluming / electrical / Carpentry Bring yourselves and your skills!!!! We can use everyone!!!

Guinness, SBSAR Search Dog and 9/11 Veteran, Dies

The Redlands Patch ran a nice article about the passing of Guinness, a SB SAR search dog. Click the link for the full story.

NASAR/MRA Joint National Meeting

I spent the first week in June taking a NASAR tracking class and attending the joint MRA/NASAR conference in Lake Tahoe. Between the rain, snow, and 70+ degree temps, it was a good conference. Here are some highlights.

The tracking class was great. It was a mix of classroom and field (both day and night) that culminated with a written exam and a large scale field exercise. I was afraid that it would be the same as the class offered by Joling and Heller, but that was not the case. The principles are the same, but they went into a bit more detail with the management of multiple tracking teams, and with tracking in a variety of environments and times of day. I think that this was the second time that this class was offered, and the instructors were pulled from all over the country. It was good to get perspectives from different regions. Evidently it is part of a new tracking cert by NASAR. I was not aware of this prior to attending. I think it is a good class. It is a good "next step" from the county offerings. If anything it gives you more "dirt time" to hone your skills.

Vendor Exhibits

I spoke with a company that makes hypothermia kits for the military. The kits are a tarp, hood, blanket with heat packs in it, and other things. The kit itself is self-contained and costs a little over $100. That is pretty steep for something that is a single use item, but the blankets are intriguing. You can read about them at TechTrade. The one that I think that my team would be interested in lasts for 8-10 hours and costs about $38. They are shrink wrapped in heavy plastic.

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