Director's Dialogue July 2009

The SAR Council is hosting a Helitac Class on Sunday, July 19^th at Aviation. If you have any members who want to attend this class have them get a hold of me no later than July 10^th. The class will start at 9 a.m. and if you say you are going, then we need to plan on you attending. Please email me at: davenicolet@earthlink.net. It will be on a first come first serve basis. We have room for 25

July 18^th is the Urban Search and Rescue Orientation that is going to be held in Wrightwood. If you can plan on attending you can get the necessary information that you need off of the www.sbsar.org website.

There is a ICS 300 Class that is going to be held on July 7^th and 8^th. Classes will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Call Robin Lindsay at 909-356-3998 or email her at rlindsay@sbcfire.org. Class will be at: San Bernardino County Fire Department, Emergency Operations Center, 1743 Miro Way, Rialto. This is right across the street from our Aviation facility.

There is also a ICS 400 Class that is being conducted on August 19^th and 20^th. There are two other dates available, however we are trying to get all of our SAR personnel to go together on the same day. This class will be at the same location and times as mentioned above. Call Janine Valenzuela at 909-356-3998 to reserve a spot.

The next SAR Council Meeting will be on Wednesday July 15^th. Same time and same place, hope that you all can attend. (Headquarters at 7 p.m.).

Deputy Marion Browne of Volunteer Forces needs volunteer for the Sheriff's Mudrun that is going to be held on September 12^th. If your unit would like to provide some manpower and/or set up a display booth or a booth to sell some goods, please get a hold of her at 909-387-0611 or email her at: mbrowne@sbcsd.org. I am sure that the department and Deputy Browne would appreciate the support.

Posse and Mounted SAR Units need to be thinking about Large Animal Evacuations again, it's that time of the year. I attended a meeting about this subject in Big Bear a couple of weeks ago and the Captains of each station (Big Bear and Twin Peaks) are laying out some pre-fire strategies. You need to have the halters, lead ropes, livestock tags and the new Large Animal Evacuation Forms at your disposal that the MSAR Committee provided to all of you.

Animal Control has said that they will try to provide to the Sheriff's stations a couple of priority Evacuation Centers for each station area. This way when you get a call-out of this type you will have a place to take the animals. However, just in case, you need to also have some locations in mind prior to an event. Of course once Animal Control gets on site then they can direct you to the locations that they have set up.

Please be prepared in the case of fire evacuations to do citizen evacuations as well. Carry all of the equipment that is required for this assignment if needed.

All of our Ground SAR personnel need to be also thinking about fire season. Now is the time to stock up your SAR vehicles with the equipment that you will need in the case of a major fire.

Everyone, all of our county SAR personnel, needs to go back and look at the information, DVD's and safety tips that Donna Newlin, our IESARC Fire Preparedness Chairperson has provided to the units during the last two years. If you cannot find the info, training videos etc please give her a call at: 909-867-5387 or email her at: newlinfour@verizon.net.

The new SAR Council, short and long sleeve t-shirts, will be on sell at the next SAR Council Meeting on July 15^th. Prices are $12.50 and $15.00 each. 2X's will be available as well, however they are $2.00 more then the regular cost. Poll your members and bring us a big order...they are great shirts to wear.

Have a great 4^th of July and remember all of our service people who are now, and who have over the course of history, preserved our Freedoms. May all of you and our military friends... ......

Be Safe
Dave Nicolet, Director
IESARC