September 2007

'Heads Up' #5 edition: The way forward.....

Hi all,

Welcome to this September edition of Heads Up.

It has been a hectic few months for the SARINZ Team and still a little way to go before we glimpse the end of the year.

The Search programme remains at full capacity and we have had to start pushing courses out towards the end of the year and into 2008. The Rescue team have been actively working with Antarctica NZ and the Australian Antarctic Division to complete a range of consulting and training projects to prepare their teams for SAR activity in Antarctica.

As always we are actively recruiting more instructors to keep on top of the demand for training. We are about to advertise/launch Course Assistant and Permanent Instructor positions, so if you are interested please contact the office or look online.

Once again thank you to those who have contributed to this edition. We are always grateful of contributions from individuals or regions, and suggestions regarding topics you want covered - and as always feedback will be appreciated.

If you have received 'Heads Up' from a colleague or mate, and would like to receive your own issue then drop us a line (info@sarinz.com) or visit the website to read, print or subscribe.

We know already this year that there has been some very good SAR work done in various parts of the country, so well done to those groups and all the best for the remainder of 2007.

Kind regards

The SARINZ Team.

In this edition:

Administration & Post Course

• Region Training Coordinators Forum

Training

• Courses vs. Workshops - confused?
• MLSO Burnham
• SARINZ organised courses
• Scenario based learning

Projects on the go

• Urban Search - book review

Research and development

• Tools to save lives
• Bob Koester - Fulbright Scholarship application

News - activities & events

• The future of SAR - the Steve Fosset search
• The Shewee
• A Kaimanawa mystery
• Hamilton YSAR Camp
• Illuminating study on torches for SAR

Staff

• People on the move

Caption Competition Winner.....

Thanks to those who contributed to last edition's caption competition.

The photograph was taken at the recent Canterbury SAREX at Mt Peel and depicts one of the facilities signs created by Teressa and Aaron May of South Canterbury LandSAR - an effective local initiative which catered for all incident management and operational facilities. If anyone is interested in creating their own they can contact Aaron at aaron@amayzing.co.nz for further details.

Getting back to the caption competition - now there could only be one winner this time around and the judges' decision was unanimous.

So congratulations to Barry Were from Hamilton with this caption.............

"With a trusted Policeman standing guard, sleep for all volunteers is assured - even during the day."

Well done Barry - your $40 petrol voucher will be in the mail shortly.

Editor's note - this is the last Caption Competition in this series - it is being replaced by the 'Name the Hut Competition' which we hope will provide the same levels of interest

ADMINISTRATION & POST COURSE

Region Training Coordinators Forum 23-24 February 2008.

2008 will herald a number of changes in the way we deliver our courses (refer Dave's article on Course or Workshop - Confused?), book our courses and generally interface with the SAR industry - new initiatives which are designed to increase efficiencies, maximise the learning outcomes and generally make everyone's jobs a little easier.

We identify that the key people responding to these initiatives are the Region and District Training Coordinators who have an unenviable task but do a tremendous job - ask anyone who has organised a course for a voluntary group.

To that end SARINZ and Tai Poutini Polytechnic will be hosting a Training Coordinators Forum in Christchurch 23-24 February 2008 with invitations being extended to all Region Training Coordinators and other LandSAR nominated people.

More details will be sent to regional training coordinators in the next month. In the meantime if you have any suggestions for agenda items, please email pete@sarinz.com

TRAINING

Course or Workshop - Confused?

Over the last month you may have heard the phrase "workshop'' being used to describe the two day/delivery and assessment activities undertaken in your region.

Don't worry this isn't a 'Georgism', nor a case of a schizophrenic Business Manager trying to confuse and baffle the wide world of SAR, but a delibrate attempt to explain a contridiction that has caused some angst amongst SARINZ, TPP, and SAR in general. The issue - to define the weekend/face-to-face training/delivery session so that it clearly indicates it is a part of the sum (a course) - without contradiction. The following articulates what SARINZ means by Course vs. Workshop.

Workshop:

•  This describes face-to-face instruction/assessment activities.
•  In many cases workshops occur in the weekend.
•  When we talk about weekend courses, we should refer to workshops.
•  When booking a course we are booking a course with a workshop on a specific date.
•  Periods surrounding workshops are referred to as pre or post workshop.

Workshops are:

•  A component of a course,
•  An instructional/assessment methodology
•  Designed to give students supervised practical application of studied theory or content covered in the course.

Course:

•  Describes all learning/instruction.
•  A course includes (usually) one, maybe two, workshops.
•  SARINZ/TPP delivers courses and students complete courses (not workshops).

In the end, we have chosen to use language to consistently communicate that a course is not two days over a weekend. This will in turn help SARINZ to reinforce the message that learning is ongoing - not what is delivered and assessed in a weekend!

MLSO Burnham - August 2007

This SARINZ coordinated management course was very successful with 21 participants from all over the South island attending. It was a diverse group with representation from DOC, Police, LandSAR, Search Dogs and Western Australia which created a great learning environment and a vibrant cross pollination of ideas and knowledge - a great group of people to work with who will make a significant contribution to their local SAR effort. Another similar course is being held in the North Island with a workshop at Whenuapai at the end of October. To date this has also been well subscribed - we are expecting a similar result with that course.

Scenario Based Learning

A significant amount of time spent on SARINZ courses involves simulated searches utilising table top map exercises and case studies. This type of scenario based learning requires the student to use their knowledge to analyse, make decisions and complete tasks in a real life context. It is a powerful way to educate, as it mirrors the way we naturally learn as humans.

Put simply, humans learn best by "doing", so if students can explore scenarios, with real life contexts, with the goal of diagnosing a problem, undertaking a skilled analysis or taking actions in a simulated scenario, then their learning is enhanced. They become motivated because they can see the real world value of the material being taught - theory can become integrated with practice.

To keep the map exercises and case studies fresh and topical there is a need to regularly update and revise the scenarios available to the course. By continually introducing new material we are also able to cater for regional variances - not only in terms of topography, demography and geography but also in terms of SAR vulnerability i.e. what activities are creating the need for a local SAR response.

Recent call outs around the country suggest that we may need to start developing map exercises for activities such as mountain biking, para-gliding and also those other more traditional pursuits attracting overseas tourists with less than the requisite levels of outdoor knowledge and skills.

So we are always keen to hear about search operations that you think might provide the basis for a map exercise or case study. We don't necessarily need all of the details but map coordinates and photographs of the search area are helpful with a brief outline of the circumstances. If there were any learning points arising from the operation that you would like to share with the wider SAR community then that is always a bonus.

If anyone is interested in contributing to our collection of SAR scenarios then please contact Pete Corbett - pete@sarinz.com

SARINZ Organised Courses

From time to time SARINZ will coordinate courses around the country - the Advanced Rope or two MLSO courses run at Burnham and Whenuapai respectively being examples of these - which differ from other courses in that they are wholly organised by SARINZ. All courses are open to the public which is a requirement of the Tertiary Education Commission which is the Government body which provides the funding for this type of training to occur.

This approach affords the average SAR person two options to facilitate attendance:

1. They don't need to be nominated by the organisation they are affiliated to - they can register directly with SARINZ and pay for the costs of the course themselves.
2. Or they can approach their local training coordinators and receive nomination to attend the course in which case they are far more likely to receive funding assistance.

In any event we would suggest that people liaise with their local training coordinators and discuss the options available before registering for the course.

PROJECTS ON THE GO

A regular update from Ross Gordon - SARINZ SAR Development Manager

Urban Search - Book Review by Ross Gordon

Targeting operational Police, searchers and search manager's this 338 page text contains the latest international information on urban SAR. It addresses operational structures, practises and advice on how to increase your probability of success in some of the most difficult searching.

The Lost Person Behaviour section includes sections on dementia, children, despondents (and suicide in particular), psychotics (mental illness), and others. The information is from the International Search and Rescue Incident Database (ISRID) to which New Zealand contributes along with the US, Canada, South Africa, Australia and others.

Abduction data and actions are included because these incidents do occur and both Police and search management must clearly understand the research and the recommended actions which should be initiated in the first few hours.

My prediction is that this book will become the world's leading text for urban search within a very short time because of its quality and the operational usefulness of its information.

The text should be available via SARINZ by the end of November. Cost to be determined.

Declaration: Bob Koester (publisher) and Ross Gordon (book reviewer) are personal friends and SAR colleagues. Ross reviewed the text in the early stages.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

An update on research and development activities being undertaken or supported by SARINZ.

Application for a Fulbright Scholarship

Bob Koester has applied for a Fulbright Scholarship for New Zealand in 2009. If successful, he will be sponsored for five months and intends on working with the New Zealand SAR organisations on specific topics including sweep width experiments, Alzheimer's and Lost Person Behaviour.

Canterbury University and Tai Poutini Polytechnic and have provided official academic support and various organisations have provided verbal support. Thank you to everybody who has assisted in this process. Each of you will be contacted shortly.

Once the outcome of Bob's application is known, it is intended to gain support and funding from SARINZ Trust and sponsors within New Zealand for additional research.

This important research will help SAR in areas where we are short of specific knowledge. Ultimately that has to be good for the lost, injured or missing person, their families, friends and SAR.

SARINZ is coordinating this project. Any enquiries are welcome at ross@sarinz.com

Tools to Save Lives

Research and development is the backbone of SARINZ. Working extensively with SAR practitioners and researchers from around the world, SARINZ have developed the following range of practical and intuitive guides to help save lives.

Designed to be easy to use these handheld guides are made from a waterproof and durable synthetic card. They are distributed throughout North America and Canada, and used by SARINZ on training courses. Larger versions are also available. To order contact 0800 4 SARINZ or visit our website www.sarinz.com

Initial Response Search Guide (IRSG)

A simple tool designed to enhance the decision making process during the initial response period of a wilderness SAR operation by providing the requisite prompts to get the most effective and efficient use of the available resources - thereby enhancing the chances of success and ultimately saving lives.

Vector Forces Calculation Guide (VFCG)

The VFCG enhances the safe and efficient engineering of temporary rigging systems by increasing and developing your knowledge of what forces are being applied. Unlike any previous approach the VFCG uses a whole system methodology including anchor, directional and slope forces.

Price $20 each incl. GST, postage & packaging. Bulk discounts apply.

To purchase, click here, complete the order form, enclose payment and return to SARINZ.

NEWS - ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

• The future of SAR perhaps............The high-tech search for missing adventurer
• A Kaimanawa Mystery - an article by Roger Bates
• Illuminating study on torches for SAR - an article by Eddie Halson
• Hamilton YSAR Camp - navigation exercise and radio hi-jinks - an article by Barry Were
• The SHEWEE - an article by Nick Coyne

NAME THE HUT COMPETITION

The backcountry hut for most SAR people represents a safe haven, a port in a storm to escape the elements, a cosy shelter where meals are prepared, tall stories told, future missions planned and life long friends made.

Huts also represent a clue rich environment where often the information gleaned about the missing person/s is invaluable for search planning.

Given the importance of the backcountry hut to SAR our new competition requires readers to name the hut featured below - each edition will feature a different hut from around the country.

The correct entries will be placed into a draw to win a $40 MTA Gift Voucher. Quoting 'Name the Hut Competition' email all answers to: headsup@sarinz.com

Editors note - so as to obtain a good representation of huts from all parts of New Zealand we would like to receive digital images of huts you have visited recently so we can use them in future editions - the more remote and less frequented the hut the better! Email all hut images to pete@sarinz.com with thanks.

STAFF

People On The Move - by David Shearer

It is with great pleasure that I can confirm Tony Wells and Pete Corbett have been appointed (respectively) as SARINZ Programme Managers for the Search and SAR Management Programmes.

Tony Wells - Programme Manger Search

Tony has worked for SARINZ since 2005, during which time has shown exceptional ability as a search instructor, resource officer and default manager of the Search Programme. His appointment is formal recognition of his skill and experience, in particular his in-depth knowledge of search methodologies and education processes. For more information go to: http://www.sarinz.com/index.cfm/1,226,html

In the first instance Tony is concentrating on securing more search instructors and developing our search courses to exceed the high standards already associated with SARINZ Search Programme.

Pete Corbett - Programme Manager SAR Management

Pete has been the default manager in this role for the last year, successfully driving the development of the Initial Response Search Guides, unpacking and repacking the MLSO course, all this while liaising with regional coordinators, groups, booking courses, writing Heads-Up....

Possessing an unbridled passion for SAR and the outdoors, a flair for detail and good 'bugger' personality, Pete is a critical component to the current and future of SARINZ. This appointment recognizes Pete's comprehensive knowledge of SAR management, complimenting his extensive LandSAR, Police and Mountain Safety Council experiences. Click here for more background information http://www.sarinz.com/index.cfm/1,223,html

I'm sure you will join with me in welcoming both Tony and Pete into their new roles and assist them to advance two programmes critical to SARINZ and saving lives.

JOKE & QUOTE FOR THE QUARTER

Leadership is the art of getting someone to do something you want done because they want to do it

Dwight D Eisenhower

"Hawkins I'm sensing that you haven't embraced the true spirit of the SARINZ SAR Team Leader course"