Tony Wells

Programme Manager Search & Course Instructor Location: Christchurch

I first got involved in SAR in the early 1990’s when working for DOC on the West Coast of the South Island.  I have spent all of my life working in the outdoors including as a high country musterer, a number of years for the Dept of Conservation on the West Coast and in the McKenzie Country, and 10 years as a contract Outdoor Instructor.

I consider myself fortunate to have ridden the initial wave of “modern” training in Tracking, Search Methods etc. throughout the mid nineties.  I guess I was part of a number that thought “there had to be a better way…”

As the Programme Manager Search I am responsible for over-seeing all of the field based search courses. This sees me working with the SAR Development Manager, Rescue Programme Manager, and other contracted specialists to meet the needs of the search programme to insure that all content and material delivered on all of the field based courses is relevant, up-to-date, meets the current operational needs as defined by LandSAR New Zealand and also meets the agreed academic standards and requirements.

I am involved operationally as a volunteer with LandSAR - generally as part of the IMT in suburban searches and in the field on wilderness based searches.  I really enjoy getting out in the wilderness and applying the skills that I normally teach to others.  By being in the field I also get to talk to field people, understand their difficulties, their frustrations and wants and needs as well as enjoy in their successes.  This means I am better able to understand the training requirements and listen to what the people in the field would like to have and to try and meet those needs – providing an important link between those at the coal face and those that often make the decisions.  Without either the field teams or the management team working to their full potential we are not doing everything we can “in the best interests of the subject”.

Working as an Instructor for SARINZ since early 2003 enables me to get around the country and catch-up with what is going on, both in training and operationally. I instruct on nearly all of the Search related courses, however is no secret that I have a preference for all aspects of tracking – particularly the more advanced interpretation skills of being able to deduce the likely physical and/or psychological state of the subject based on the sign they leave.  By following a line of sign we can also gain an understanding as to where and when the subject likely became aware they were “lost” and also the steps that they have taken since, thus allowing us to ‘best guess’ the intentions of the subject and where they may now be.

It’s gratifying to hear how former course participants have applied the skills and knowledge they have learnt on a course, saving time, saving money and often saving someone’s life.  That’s the best part – “helping others save lives”.

Contact Details

Mobile:	027 464 4824
Office Phone:	03 359 7669
Office Fax:	03 359 7689
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