Introduction/Certification/Experience Thread

[Hltoppr]

I figured since we've got the sub-forum, we can introduce ourselves:

Andrew
Coconino County Sheriff's Search & Rescue
based in Flagstaff, Arizona

Member since 1998
General SAR (Ground Pounder/ATV/Tracking etc.)
Technical High Angle Rescue Certified
Mountain/Alpine Certified
Wilderness EMT (WEMT)

Um...experience...too many saves to count...too many bodies to remember. Did get a heckuva helicopter trip down the gut of the Grand Canyon at low altitude (had to go look for a murder victim.) which was awesome.... Close calls...3 so far...thought I was gone each time. Tons of friends I trust with my life. Getting tired of going out for knuckleheads who forgot flashlights and that the sun goes down...


-H-

[BriansFJ]

Okay, about me... I've been with El Paso County SAR since 2004, with 2 years on another MRA team and a half-dozen years in Civil Air Patrol before that. I am anEMT-B/IV and am into high-angle rescue, avalanche recovery, and wilderness missing person search. I like to tell myself I'm experienced; our callout volume is 125-150 searches/rescues a year, not including false starts.

I think my most memorable rescues have been on Pikes Peak which, at 14115 feet, always throws a curveball into anything we do. As "the peak" is in our primary jurisdiction and is visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year, it keeps things interesting!

[4Rescue]

Dave King, Portland OR.

EMT-B (formerly AMT-I)
W-EMT (through WMI)
Swiftwater Rescue Certified (I'm and avid rafter)
High angle rescue Cert (a climber too ;) )
OR-DPSST Fire Fighter 1
Volunteer Firefighter
Decon-Hazmat/disaster team leader for our ER
Former Wildland Crew Boss/Field EMT

Currently an ER Tech at St. Vincents in Portland

Finishing my pre-req's for Nursing (emergency oriented of course) and testing with Fire Dept's.


Cheers

Dave King

[kellymoe]

Well I dont belong to any SAR group but I have been a FF/PM for 20 years and 10 of those as a member of the Los Angeles City Fire Departments Swift Water Rescue Team. LA may not be known for rivers but we have over a thousand miles of rivers, streams and channels that rage during the Winter.

In addition I have High and Low angle rescue certification and a handful of other certs.

I was also a 15 year Pro Patroler at Mt. Baldy in So Cal. Baldy has a reputation for active in bounds avalanche activity. Have witnessed, been caught in and recovered more bodies from slides than I care to remember. One of the best jobs I ever had besides being a river guide.

[Mcfly]

Mike in Red Deer..
Been apart of SAR for close to 5 years.
Trained in:
High/Low angle rescue
Confined space rescue
Collapse structure rescue
Mountain rescue
Wilderness fisrt aid
A few more things I'm sure just can't think of any more.
Also on the board of Directors, and in the process of joining the Volunteer Firefighter in my town.

[Bluto]

Howdy!
Waiting for the next CERT class in my area. This sub forum and the SAR folks will certainly help me be a competent first responder out in the field. Lots of new terms (high/low angle - etc Whew!) I've read from the previous posts above.

Currently in the Medical area as an RN experienced in ICU and ER at a large Metro LA Level 1 hospital. Yeah on our in (hospital) we get them after you you saved their asses!

Looking forward to the progress. :chowtime:

[kellymoe]

Howdy!
Waiting for the next CERT class in my area. This sub forum and the SAR folks will certainly help me be a competent first responder out in the field. Lots of new terms (high/low angle - etc Whew!) I've read from the previous posts above.

Currently in the Medical area as an RN experienced in ICU and ER at a large Metro LA Level 1 hospital. Yeah on our in (hospital) we get them after you you saved their asses!

Looking forward to the progress. :chowtime:

Which hospital, County? If so I work just down the street in Lincoln Heights at FS 1.

[Spikepretorius]

I'm new to this SAR thing.

I belong to ORRU (Off Road Rescue Unit) which in turn falls under the auspices of WSAR (Wilderness Search and Rescue) which manages all the various rescue organisations in my area. (Cape Town is surrounded by sea and mountains and we have a gazillion clubs and organisations with rescue units. WSAR keeps this situation manageable with a central emergency number and central control)

Essentially we (ORRU) are there for logistics and communications. In other words carting guys and equipment to inaccessible places, providing mobile repeater stations in the mountains, clearing and manning landing zones, etc. Basically anything that the Rescue Manager may require at the time.

My experience and training is really limited to 4x4ing (and I lean on old stuff I learnt in the military and from my mountaineering days)

While my primary function is not not medical or rope work we do voluntary training with the guys to get up to speed because we might not always have the right guys available.

So far since officially joining SAR I've only done a helicopter training course with them. My plan is to put my name down for each course as they come up. We also have a big three day mountain training exercise coming up in a couple of weeks where all the different guys will get training in all the different disciplines.

My last rescue was done in difficult conditions (a climber had a suspected stroke while climbing a ravine during pouring rain) and I had to go clambering over a section of mountain clutching a corner of a stretcher. I took a bit of strain because I'm unfit and wasn't prepared for it. (learning curve)

As time goes by I hope to qualify as a Field Rescuer in terms of training, but essentially the bulk of my responsibility will keep me close to my truck.

[Bluto]

Which hospital, County? If so I work just down the street in Lincoln Heights at FS 1.

Naw the crosstown rival who is currently #3 in the country! But I did work there as a Travel RN couple of years ago. Never got assigned to the C booth but the side areas in 1350.
County is the bomb for trauma :ar15: - first class in my book. Also the best rest stop for a liter of banana bag when you need to get over a Thunderbird :hehe: .

[Antichrist]

I can't believe I missed this section.
Former FF/EMT.
Current SAR Tech, but limited certifications.
I'm trying to get the Bank I work for to form some teams (they do a lot of community service related stuff, including related to disasters. But they are slow to move because of liability reasons.
Unfortunately there is pretty much zero official SAR activity in the Atlanta area.

[Hltoppr]

Tom,

Your bank might be interested in the CERT courses (Community Emergency Response Team). It's set up in more of an urban setting, to have community members respond to local disasters, such as fires, floods, tornados, etc. Basic search technique, triage, and building clearing/marking are all taught.

Well worth the time for the course, and would fit the bill exactly for where you are!

-H-

[JeepinBear]

I can't believe I missed this section.


It's brand new!:)

[offroad_nomad]

Field Team Leader
Assistant Group Training Officer
Development Coordinator (aka fundraiser and grant writer)
Shenandoah Mountain Rescue Group (http://www.smrg.org)

SMRG is also a member group of the Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference. (http://www.asrc.net/asrc/DesktopDefault.aspx)

We have agreements with federal, state and local agencies to provide emergency medical and search and rescue services free of charge. We also provide these services to adventure race organizations too.

For training and interoperability, we conduct Full Scale Exercises that are open to any SAR organization, law enforcement, fire and EMS, emergency management, National Park Service personnel and non-SAR trained personnel.

Some background info on our team:
Based in Vienna, VA with 130 members our response area includes: Virginia, West Virginia, D.C., Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Ohio. However we’ll respond anywhere if requested. Prior to the creation of the FEMA USAR teams, SMRG was flown to such incidents as the 1985 earthquake in Mexico and hurricane-related SAR in Puerto Rico.

Formed in 1974, SMRG is incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. SMRG is not affiliated with any law enforcement agency. Our members receive extensive training in SAR operations and ASRC protocols, rescue, steep angle and related technical skills, aircraft incident site procedures, wilderness safety and survival, land navigation, first aid, land/air evacuation methods, ground search and tracking techniques, radio communications, search incident management and other areas that are key to our operations.

We operate at the discretion, and under the direction, of a legally Responsible Agent (RA). The RA will usually be the local law enforcement agency (county sheriff or police department) or another organization responsible for SAR activities in their region, such as a local fire department or rescue squad. The RA may even be the State Police, or in the case of operating on federal land, the park or forest service personnel. Our members fulfill roles defined by the RA and within the scope of their training.

When responding to a search incident, SMRG is able to provide and maintain its own communications, field equipment, ground transportation, dispatch coordination and on-scene liaison. We also provide specialized services generally not offered by other emergency service agencies, such as search incident management and technical related services.

[kellymoe]

Naw the crosstown rival who is currently #3 in the country! But I did work there as a Travel RN couple of years ago. Never got assigned to the C booth but the side areas in 1350.
County is the bomb for trauma :ar15: - first class in my book. Also the best rest stop for a liter of banana bag when you need to get over a Thunderbird :hehe: .

I worked on RA 46 and 15 in South Central all through the late 80's to mid 90's when the Bloods and Crips fighting was at it's peak. We transported GSW's to County several times in a 24 hour shift. I am glad to be off the rescue now and just be on a truck. Those were some fun years but I would not want to relive them.

Thunderbird, Night Train, Boons Farm..... the list goes on and on. Those were some of the more frustrating calls, Skid Row reeks of urine in the hot Summer sun. Urine and feces saturated clothing covered in maggots and lice, good times:) Some things never change. The Row remains the same.

[Hltoppr]

Geez...you guys have high class drunks...we get hairspray and bread loaves here....

If you don't know how that works....you don't want to know....:(

-H-

[kellymoe]

Geez...you guys have high class drunks...we get hairspray and bread loaves here....

If you don't know how that works....you don't want to know....:(

-H-

Please share. I like to know what I am up against. Right now we see to be going on lots of heroin OD's. Usually pretty simple reversal with narcan. Some other upstanding citizen is usually stuffing the the guy who is unconscious crotch full of ice. I dont know where they got it that they think a crotch full of ice will wake them up. I usually tell them that the next time it happens a swift kick in the crotch will wake them up. It wont of coarse but it make s me feel better:)

[DarkHelmet]

Owen M.
Current Assignment (August 2006 - Present)
Idaho Mountain Search & Rescue Unit (http://www.imsaru.org)
Training Director
NREMT-B
High Angle Rescue
Avalanche
ELT

Previous Assignments:
Civil Air Patrol - WA Wing (March 1993 - June 1997)
King County Search & Rescue (Seattle, WA) (March 1994 - April 2006)
Western Montana Mountain Rescue Team (Missoula, MT) (Sept. 1997 - May 1999)

I started my SAR career at 13 with CAP and 14 with Explorer Search & Rescue in Seattle. Idaho is a bit slower pace than Seattle. Seattle was running about 120-150 missions each year. In Boise we are running about 25-40. In the 15 years I have been doing SAR I have somewhere around 750 missions under my belt. I'll be in SAR for life. I love it. In High School it was a great excuse to skip (I missed 43 days my senior year for SAR and still managed a 4.0). A ton of great experiences and some not so great. A defining moment of my SAR "career" was the loss of a SAR mentor of mine in a plane crash in 1995. He survived the crash but died of hypothermia waiting to be rescued. His survival pack was on the back seat of his car at the airport. This is the likely reason that I am always so over prepared for any outdoor excursion.

- DH

[Bluto]

Geez...you guys have high class drunks...we get hairspray and bread loaves here....

If you don't know how that works....you don't want to know....:(

-H-

My guess-
Cheap highs from household/cooking/baking stuff?
What Ive been hearing is that kids nowadays are using baking ingredients to get high - inexpensive vanilla extract that contains alcohol, cooking spray, nutmeg...

[Antichrist]

Tom,

Your bank might be interested in the CERT courses (Community Emergency Response Team). Good idea. Yeah, I'm familiar with CERT and that would suit the Atlanta area. But what I had in mind was SAR teams to respond to disaster areas, like New Orleans, tornado disasters and the like.
We have other groups that head out to disaster areas to assist, but I'm trying to get something going more along the lines of my volunteer background.

[Hltoppr]

Ok, since folks have asked...and DO NOT DO THIS AT HOME, IT CAN KILL YOU.

Hairspray/Vanilla extract have high concentrations of alcohol.

Spray hairspray into loaf of bread, saturating the bread...then sqeeze and drink or eat (yuk).

Nasty.

-H-

[Momrocks]

Member of CERT. Minor impact to my personal life but can be a very valuable for the community. We just were alerted for Fay and one week later we have Gustav breathing down our necks. Hurricane Ivan encouraged me to become active, Katrina cemented the decision as a good one. Never miss an opportunity to be a descent citizen.

[RVR2RSQ]

Hi all, new guy here.

I'm in Columbus OH, and am on a K9 team. We don't do alot of wilderness searches (a few in the last couple of years). Sadly we get alot of call outs to do recovery :( .

We have about 15-20 call outs a year.

Some of us get a SAR Tech cert, but mostly we certify through NAPWADA (North American Police Work Dog Association). We are all volunteers.

Brian

[Hltoppr]

Great to have a K-9 handler here!

I'm assuming yours is air scent, and cadaver?

-H-

[RVR2RSQ]

Hltoppr - He is cadaver and trailing, we do have a couple of air scent dogs on the team though.

Brian

[Tacomedic]

Hi all, my name is Matt, 25 yo, and I've been a member of this forum for a little while. I'm glad someone finally recognized that alot of us are into this! Anyways, as long as all of us are bragging....

National Registry EMT-Paramedic
National Ski Patrol Alpine Patroller
Wilderness EMT w/ ALS
North Carolina EMT-Paramedic
North Carolina Rescue Technician
North Carolina SWAT Medic
Former Corporal w/ the Davie County Sheriff's Office

Just moved out west and obtained my:
Colorado EMT-Paramedic

Looking for a good rescue organization here in the west!

[Hltoppr]

Good to hear you're one of the team Matt! Colorado should keep you busy! With the vast country up there, I don't think you'll have a hard time finding a team that'll need your talents and challenge you at the same time!

Cheers,

-H-

[RaginRabbi]

Since I can't find a New Members sub-forum I'd like to post my into here.
I was referred by mike, a fellow Frontier driver and member of the ClubFrontier forum, where I'm a newly minted Junior-Moderator. I spent 6 years as a Navy Nuke Electrician and am now an HVAC controls Engineer in the Seattle metro area.
I've been a Nissan Frontier 4x4 owner for a couple of years now and just a couple of months ago I joined up with the King County 4x4 Search and Rescue Unit, based in Seattle, WA. We are just one of a bunch of different units that make up KCSARA, (King County Search and Rescue Association) which also includes units like the Explorers, Seattle Mountain Rescue, Ski Patrol, Dog Teams, trackers and some others. I've only been out to one mission so far, but it was amazing to be standing there when the Sarge from the Sherrifs office was briefing the media that the two boys in the ice cave-in were alive and the rescue was in progress.
I'm signed up for a slate of classes for the SAR academy this fall and I'm looking forward to getting to know the other members of the unit.
I hope to learn a lot of cool things from this forum.

[Hltoppr]

Congrats on joining the new team. You'll find that the training and experience you get will far outweigh the time you put in!

Navy nuke, huh...good guys and gals in that program. I worked with a bunch of 'em as a Radiological Control Tech for Los Alamos National Lab when I graduated from college.

First rate rad techs!

-H-

[spunky2268]

Where it all began: 21 years ago as an EMT-Basic. 20 years as a paramedic. 4 years as a respiratory therapist. 16 years as a registered nurse. 4 years with local Emergency Managment Agency in various capacities; primarily as Mass Casualty Coordinator and mounted search and rescue team coordinator. 8 years as a Medical Specialist for a midwestern Urban Search and Rescue team.

Currently: Emergency Medical Services and Preparedness Coordinator, EMS Instructor, Medical Team Training Coordinator for said US&R team (they are somewhere between Mississippi and Georgia right now - I had obligations here). Provide technical consulting to local search and rescue assets (primarily US&R), but still provide training in land navigation for the mounted guys.

Related interests: EMS Outreach education; providing first aid, navigation and survival training to my motorsport club; spending time with my horse; learning lots to apply to the SAR side from Expedition Portal and Overland Journal.

[DarkHelmet]

Since I can't find a New Members sub-forum I'd like to post my into here.
I was referred by mike, a fellow Frontier driver and member of the ClubFrontier forum, where I'm a newly minted Junior-Moderator. I spent 6 years as a Navy Nuke Electrician and am now an HVAC controls Engineer in the Seattle metro area.
I've been a Nissan Frontier 4x4 owner for a couple of years now and just a couple of months ago I joined up with the King County 4x4 Search and Rescue Unit, based in Seattle, WA. We are just one of a bunch of different units that make up KCSARA, (King County Search and Rescue Association) which also includes units like the Explorers, Seattle Mountain Rescue, Ski Patrol, Dog Teams, trackers and some others. I've only been out to one mission so far, but it was amazing to be standing there when the Sarge from the Sherrifs office was briefing the media that the two boys in the ice cave-in were alive and the rescue was in progress.
I'm signed up for a slate of classes for the SAR academy this fall and I'm looking forward to getting to know the other members of the unit.
I hope to learn a lot of cool things from this forum.


My old team! I spent 13 years with King County ESAR and know a TON of 4x4 guys. Brian Harden is a good buddy of mine. He drives a gray/blue Jeep Cherokee.

Welcome to ExPo and SAR.

- DH

[Speaker]

Man, you guys have some serious qualifications.

[the dude]

New to SAR as well. Our City of Saskatoon has only had a group together for about a year. My wife and I are both getting involved. She is going to do the GSAR to work in the command post and I am working with a group of other 4x4 owners in a mobile unit.

Hopefully training will go well this winter. It has been a lot of fun/hardwork so far but I really find it enjoyable.

We had our first "mock disaster" involving 15 lost canoers on a river. Over 100 volunteers showed up from 10 different organizations. It was our first attempt as a group and some good lessons were learned. It brought to every ones attention how important comunications are between the groups.

Going for my second HAM meeting next week.

[jh504]

EMT
Firefighter

Johnston Ambulance
Wake Forest Fire Dept.
Rescue 24 International Search & Rescue

[blupaddler]

As an instructor for the local CERT program I can say it is a great program to get involved with. If your local area has one, you should sign up and get involved. You won't regret the decision.

[jeepmedic46]

Not currently wilderness certified. Let that expire will be getting it back in 09. National Registry Emt-Paramedic, High and Low angle Rescue certified, Dive Rescue certified. Ice rescue certified. Hoping to get back on a Sar Team.