I have just  posted file on the GTA Yahoo group page that contains the schedule and particulars of the conference.

I will be trying to locate more information on cost and registration requirements.

The Virginia Search and Rescue Council Annual Conference
April 28‐May 1, 2011
Hungry Mother State Park
Hemlock Haven Conference Center
Marion , VA

I am pleased to announce our 2011 board changes for Georgia Tracker’s Alliance. Additional GTA leadership is needed and will be solicited from the most involved and capable persons. Please consider how your own leadership skills and experience may be put to use in GTA, beyond the obvious passion for finding those who are lost.

Please congratulate Jimi Ellis, who is our newest Director.

Jimi is responsible for membership, including maintaining our existing membership, working with Mona to help our existing members advance, and he will work on recruiting new members; focusing on developing a strong core team of callout-ready and committed volunteers, but welcoming all who desire to learn the skill.

Jimi comes to us with a very successful history of building a key Red Cross volunteer disaster team and he has a real passion to help and learn. If you haven’t had the chance to meet Jimi yet, I certainly hope you get the chance soon. We are lucky to have him with us.

Mona Hand is thanked for her help working on membership in the past, and for renewing her commitment as our Training Officer, which is an incredibly important role for all of us. Her personal efforts have led to her being trained as a JHPTS Tracking instructor and her continued commitment to GTA will ensure we follow the best possible method to acquire skills, meet certification requirements, and document our progress fully. This is a huge role and Mona continues to have my support as well as specific commitments from Joel Barrett and Jimi to assist her in this effort.

While it has been my pleasure to help with GTA and to serve in a leadership capacity up to this point, I have stepped down as President at this time. I will continue to train, and participate as the JHPTS Lead Tracker for GTA, while serving you and our board to the best of my ability.

We have a growing base of certified trackers in GTA and an apparent growing awareness of the need for tracking resources in the state. I encourage those of you who have been active in the past to dust off your tracking stick, watch this message board and our website, and consider re-engaging with us.

Thank you,

Mark

An interesting little article  found on the web by our local CSI guy, Ken C :

http://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/agingofshoes.html

Aging of Shoes and its Effect on
Shoeprint Impressions
From the Journal of Forensic Identification
Vol. 55, No. 2, March/April 2005*
by
J. Matney Wyatt
Katie Duncan
Michael A. Trimpe
Hamilton County Coroner�s Laboratory
Cincinnati, OH

We had an intimate group for training on Saturday at the Wildcat WMA near Big Canoe. After breakfast at the huddle house Ken Miller and I met Mark Young and went over to the Wildcat WMA. The other two Ken’s in our group tried valiantly to make it but sometimes life just gets in the way. The weather when we arrived was overcast and about 47 degrees. It promised to rain – probably sooner rather than later. In the morning, we attempted to track random folks from their cars into the park. We went into an area with multiple prints and spent a good bit of time dissecting the prints into which pattern went with which print. We observed where someone had walked over to the creek bank and went down to the water’s edge and then stood around for a while (logical thing to do for a fisherman) and then climbed back up and left. It was very interesting to see the effects of the freeze and subsequent thaw on the ground. The freezing of the moisture in the soil to form ice crystals withdraws water from soil and creates shrinking and swelling of the soil. At first glance, these areas of disturbance looked like animal or a person had been there but it was the separating of the soil from the freeze-thaw effect. Mark had a good term for this but I can’t recall it at this moment.

After lunch at Fuegos, Ken Miller was kind enough to lay some tracks for us to follow. A light rain had just started and the lighting was horrible for tracking. This did allow for an illuminating – hee, hee- discussion on good tracking flashlights and why a tracker never has enough flashlights. The humidity had been high all day and with the steady light rain, our sign seemed to be vanishing before our eyes. Tracking fresh sign on damp leaf cover was tough. Definitely one of those days where you learned more from the problems than you did from the successes. Luckily, the torrential downpour we were expecting never came. All in all it was a great day and a great start to our year.

Next Tracking Training Feb. 20th – location TBD. Any ideas?

Can you find the sign in this picture?

Members of GTA attended the FIRST Lost Person Behavior Class taught in Georgia on Dec 12-13, 2009 at the Hall County EOC.

The class was taught by Jim Greenway and Ed Nance, both of who attended a week long training course in Virginia, taught by Robert Koester.

The information presented represents the  “Bleeding Edge” for lost person searches.   We focused on search subject classification and associated real word statistics for over 50,001 actual searches.  The data included the following :

• Distance from the IPP/LKP where the person was found
• Mobility Hours – How long the person moved before stopping
• Dispersion Angle (from original path)
• Track Offset – Distance from the original path that the person was located
• Survivability for a particular category based on time
• Initial Reflex Tasking Checklists based on Category
• Investigative questions specific to Category

In addition to learning how to use the data included in Koester’s book “Lost Person Behavior” we had several tabletop exercises using actual SAR missions.

This class was extremely valuable, especially when you incorporate the data as part of your initial Search Urgency calculation and Reflex Tasking assignments.  In addition to the traditional “Wheel Model” of Reflex Tasks, we also learned about a cutting edge strategy of corridor searches as an additional part of the Reflex Tasking steps.

Here are the steps in Reflex Tasking :

1. Look, Listen and acquire information.  This is done from a combination of theoretical, statistical and deductive work and a quickie consensus process.  Get the map out.

2. Start to follow the “Wheel Model” for Reflex tasking.  Starting with the HUB and BEARINGS.  Saturate the hub out to the 25% probability circle or 300 meters.  If the hub and bearing fail, so does everything else.

3. The RIM – Establish Containment based on a combination of theoretical, statistical and deductive work.

4. The SPOKES – These represent possible routes from the IPP (paths, roads, trails, powerlines, fence lines, power lines, etc).  Get qualified, clue conscious searches to rapidly conduct hasty searches along the spokes.  These hasty teams also provide real-time info on decision points along the hasty route.

5. The REFLECTORS – Check likely spots of attraction for the particular category of lost person.

6. If the subject is not located as part of the above reflex tasks, then consider deploying trained searches to conduct a “Corridor Search” along the hasty search routes (depending on category of person you are looking for).  Early data shows that this is a incredibly valuable technique that can rapidly either find the person or at a minimum reduce the search area by a substantial percentage.  A corridor search is basically a search along and a certain distance (based on Koester’s data) either side of the spokes already hasty searched above.

Other take away’s include always being aware of potential “Scenario Lock”.

All in all, it was an excellent class and big kudos to Jim and Ed for making this available.

Persons attended included folks from Hall County SAR, Georgia Trackers Alliance, Hall County Sheriff’s Dept, Alpha Team SAR, Appalachian Trail Club SAR team and Chatham County EMA/CERT.

December 12-13, 2009 (Sat-Sun) 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Hall EOC, 470 Crescent Drive, Gainesville, GA 30501
Course Cost $30.00 (includes book and workbook)

Instructors: Jim Greenway & Ed Nance, the only two Georgia residents certified by the author, Robert J. Koester, to teach the course.

Notify Ed Nance (ednance400@gmail.com) for one of the thirty seats.

Participants will not only gain a full understanding of 41 subject categories contained within the Lost Person Behavior profiles, which have been compiled from the latest search and rescue incident statistics from the International Search and Rescue Incident Database (ISRID), but also receive a workbook along with in-depth instruction and case studies that goes above and beyond the just the book. The class is limited to 30 participants. Hall County Agencies will be given first choice to 11/20, and then will be offered throughout Northeast Georgia.

Lost person behavior is the cornerstone of search and rescue efforts. Based upon a landmark study, this book is the definitive guide to solving the puzzle of where a lost person might be found. Nowhere else is it possible to learn about the latest subject categories, behavioral profiles, up to date statistics, suggested initial tasks, and specialized investigative questions. This book delivers what search managers need.

Lost Person Behavior provides the reader with:

• An indispensable book that can be used as a field reference (special rugged binding allows the book to lay flat) and an essential library reference
• The latest search and rescue incident statistics from the International Search & Rescue Incident Database (ISRID), which contains over 50,000 SAR incidents
• New detailed behavioral profiles that give insight into what drives the basic behaviors of lost people
• Statistics based upon ecoregions to best match your specific search areas
• New types of statistical information; find location, scenario analysis, mobility time, survivability, elevation changes, track offset, dispersion angles, plus classic statistics such as distance from the initial planning point
• The ability to pinpoint the most likely areas to search, then determine initial tasks quickly using reflex tasking, the bike wheel model, and quick consensus.

Robert Koester’s ground-breaking research has made a science of the study of lost person behavior. This book underscores the importance of that science. Lost Person Behavior is an indispensable part of any rescuer’s library.

-Charley Shimanski, President Mountain Rescue Association

** UPDATE – SARCON 2010 has been Cancelled **

Georgia SARCON (Search & Rescue Conference) RETURNS on Jan 29-31, 2010 !!!!!!!!!

After a one year hiatus, the well received SARCON is returning to Georgia.

This is an excellent opportunity to learn from fellow professionals in the Georgia SAR community.

Georgia Search & Rescue Trackers

CONFERENCE AGENDA

CONFERENCE SESSIONS, FRIDAY – SUNDAY, JANUARY 29-31, 2010

GROUP SESSION ONE

– Friday night: KEYNOTE ADDRESS, Mark Eggeman, State SAR Coordinator Operations Division, Virginia Department of Emergency Management.

Mr. Eggeman will provide insight into the well established Virginia State Search and Rescue program, and discuss the necessary steps to develop a broader SAR capability. He will also discuss how volunteers are best utilized in a statewide SAR program.

GROUP SESSION TWO – Saturday night: Organized movie night. Fun-filled networking opportunity.

TRACK OVERVIEWS

TRACK I – SAR Management

: The SAR management track is for those people who will actually be directing a search operation. This assumes you are with an agency that responds to search incidents or are preparing to join one. Prerequisites include FEMA online courses, NIMS ICS 100, 200 & 809. The course is designed to provide the skills necessary to properly initiate search operations and manage a growing search incident.

TRACK II – SAR Operations and Tactics:

This track is designed for those who understand basic search and rescue topics and desire to learn more about SAR operations, tactics and the SAR ready pack. Those wishing to challenge the NASAR SAR TECH II exam at the conclusion of this course may take the written NASAR certification test for an additional fee of $60/NASAR member, $75/Non-member, and participate in the practical skills review and ready-pack check. If attempting the NASAR SARTECH II certification, it is necessary that you are familiar with course materials, own the required 24-hour ready pack, and have all the required contents.

TRACK III – Intro to SAR:

This track is designed for those who would like an introduction into Search and Rescue topics. This will provide a high level overview and provide an opportunity to obtain NASAR SAR TECH III certification. Those wishing to challenge the NASAR SAR TECH III exam at the conclusion of this course may take the written NASAR certification test for an additional fee of $60/NASAR member, $75/Non-member. It is highly recommended that participants be familiar with course materials prior to the beginning of class and use this course only as a review if attempting certification

TRACK IV – Resources:

Plan to attend sessions in this Section in order to meet and learn from experts in areas that can support SAR efforts including: GEMA, GSAR, IMT, GSDF, GBI CAT, GTA and others. Specific times are not yet available and specific groups have not been finalized. These will be posted as soon as available.

VENDOR – DISPLAY SESSIONS

Commercial vendors dealing in equipment used in the SAR environment will be invited to display their products and promote their services. Additionally, public safety agencies will be invited to offer equipment displays. Two sessions per day will be scheduled to conference participants to visit with vendors, in addition to regular meal and break periods.

If you are interested in Search & Rescue in Georgia, you need to be at SARCON 2010.

Click the link below to get the “Official” Registration form, with all the details, including the cost, lodging and other important info.

SARCON 2010 – Registration Form

If you see any of us staring intently down at the dirt :-), stop by and introduce yourself.  We want to meet you.