Little Egypt Search And Rescue (LESAR) is hosting a weekend long seminar this spring, dubbed SAREX 2008.
We are asking everyone within the sound of our voices (or email as it happens to be) to provide input, materials and/or personnel for this endeavor.
Our area is not devoid of training opportunities, nor is it devoid of responders. What we are hoping to accomplish, even on a small scale, is to bring as many of you together, bring quality training to us all, and familiarize you with similar training and techniques as the rest of your fellow responders will have. If nothing else, to see/hear another team or individual's point of view, and to take a little bit with you when you go home.
This will most likely be a two or three day event with unheated (in the winter) /uncooled (in the summer) cabins and nearby tent camping
available. Motels are with in 10 minutes.
The location is on Little Grassy Lake at the Methodist Camp within minutes of Carbondale , IL .
Some of the things we've heard from responders in surrounding areas about other local and not so local seminars, conferences and trainings are that "It's too far away", "I've been there and done that", "I've been doing this for years, I don't think (it) has anything for me", "it's too cold/hot/wet/ etc".
So, we'd like to offer something in Springtime, offering a weekend of training closer to people that may not be able to make other seminars, and have many of our classes revolve around more of a Intermediate or Advance level of training, giving our vetern SAR people something new and different.
This event will NOT leave the "newbie" out of the equation. On the contrary, we hope this draws the new person's interest to many groups and agencies BECAUSE of what they
gain and learn during the SAREX.
We'd like to see a few things available to those that attend:
-Training from knowledgeable and experienced people. -Vendors with their wares available for purchase and demo -In-field exercises to practice skills being taught.
Please consider the following and reply. -What would YOU as a responder like to see as far as classes? -What would you like to see your team have for classes? -What do you think the Southern IL or surrounding area is lacking in its Emergency Response "tool bag" and how could this be intergrated into our SAREX? -What other trainings, demos and vendors would you like to see at the event?
If you know of trainers that would be willing to give of themselves for a day or two to bring our awareness and training up a notch or two, please pass this on and ask them how they could contribute.
Topics of training we're setting up (feel free to add
to these):
Ground Search Disaster Confined Space/Mine/Cave Rescue Technical Rescue Knot Course Mantracking K9 (all disciplines) K9 Behavior Scent Theory Obedience for SAR K9s (CGC probably too) Emergency K9 Medicine Survival Basic Radio Class Ham (demonstrate APRS system) Radio Finding Equipment demos Critical Incident Stress Management Vendors willing to come set up small booths with SAR related gear (this was done in CA at conferences I went to with vendors selling gear at discount prices)
Classes we'd like to see arranged:
Mounted SAR
Search Management
Lost Person Behavior Managing the Lost Person Incident Local dangerous and useful flora and fauna
We will be looking for a low cost event for people to attend. This is not a fundraising venture.
Thank
you for any useful input you may contribute.