Director's Dialogue November 2011

The months of September and October were very busy months for the members of our SAR units. There were numerous countywide callouts, unit activities and department wide events going on continuously over these last two months. The Sheriff’s Rodeo, SAR City, BSAR and The Sheriff Jamboree Ride did in-fact manage to keep our members very busy, along with the various callouts.

However, unfortunately, the 6th Annual Countywide MSAR Training was once again cancelled due to a countywide callout on the same day and at the same location that the training was to be held. This, along with the same training that was cancelled due to an equine virus earlier this year, was very disappointing. The members of the Apple Valley Posse on both occasions have had the training already to go when they have been notified of this news. But, giving them credit that they so richly deserve, they are undeterred and are bound and determined to still host this training at yet another time. This will be determined by them and our MSAR Committee in the near future. I would like to thank all of members of their unit for their hard work and determination.

There is also a variety of activities and events upcoming that you may want to attend during the next few months. We hope that you can find the time to be part of and/or participate in some of these affairs that are listed below:

DAN WHITTEN FAREWELL: As most you know Dan has left Volunteer Forces and has been reassigned to the Yucaipa Station. We would like to invite you all to attend our upcoming SAR Council Meeting, to be held on November 16th at 7 p.m., to help show him our appreciation for the job that he has done while serving as our SAR Coordinator over the last three years. All of us are looking forward to seeing him and thanking him for his dedication and service. I sincerely hope that you can attend, your participation will be deeply appreciated by the SAR Council and Dan. Hope to see you there.

SAR VEHICLES - NEW DEPARTMENT POLICY’S: There has been some confusion and some rumors going around our SAR community about how and why some of our SAR vehicles’ are being removed and/or replace. To clarify this matter, at the next SAR Council Meeting, there will be members of the departments Executive Staff who will be attending to address this issue. They will layout the why and when’s and will be available for questions and answers at the end of their presentation. If you have any concerns or are just wanting to know what’s going on in regards to this issue, please attend this next meeting.

SAR FUNDRAISER: A lot of you know the name, Sgt. McCoy, he is the past co-chairman of the Sheriff’s Mudrun. Due to a number of factors, Sgt. McCoy now has moved on to now wanting to host an event that will strictly benefit the SAR Council and the SAR Units of our county. Sgt. McCoy will be making a presentation at our next meeting to inform us of what type of an event it will be, when its going to be held and what we can do to help him and his committee to make this a very successful fundraising project for our SAR community. This is very exciting, this could be the annual event that we have been looking for to help raise funds for the Council that can be used to provide much needed equipment to our SAR units. We hope to gain all of the support that we can find from our units, and our entire membership, for this upcoming event.\

MOTORCYCLE FUND RAISER: The SAR Council at this time is conducting a raffle for a chance to win a 2008 Yamaha WR450F motorcycle. This motorcycle has very low hours and looks and runs just like new. Tickets are on sell for $10.00 per ticket. You can purchase these tickets at Volunteer Forces or call/email Council Treasurer Ron Pesch and he will make arrangements to get the tickets to you. This is a fund raiser for the Council and we hope that you will help us out. We are also hoping, if your unit would like to assist us, that each SAR unit would purchase 10 tickets and use them as gifts or to sell to your community members. Any help that you can give us would be deeply appreciated and if you or your unit would like to purchase these tickets, again get a hold of Ron Pesch.

GIFT OF LOVE: This annual event will be held on December 10, 2011. Mike Ward and the committee he is on are once again looking for assistance to provide SAR displays for the kids and their moms. Call Mike at 909-953-0962 if you can lend a hand at this very worthwhile affair. See the smiles and appreciation that these unfortunate kids and their moms have to show us and the department. So, please take a little bit of time to provide them with a very nice Christmas event. Hope to see you there.

DIRECTORS BREAKFAST: The 4th Annual Directors Breakfast will be held on Saturday January 7, 2012. This is an annual breakfast for all of our new and returning SAR Unit Commanders. Members of Volunteer Forces, the Executive Staff and the SAR Council Board of Directors will also be in attendance. We encourage all of our Unit Commanders to attend this event. Breakfast will be served upstairs at headquarters at 830 a.m. More information will be sent out about this breakfast as the time draws nearer.

LIFE SAVING AWARDS: We are pleased to announce that from Volunteer Forces Sgt. Jeff Joling and Dep. Marylee Brown with be receiving their Life Saving Awards this Friday, November 18, 2011 at the Government Building in San Bernardino. Along with Jeff and Marylee, Tom Humphryfied of the Morongo Basin SAR unit will also be receiving his. If you would like to attend this event to show your support please be there at 10 a.m. Suit and tie for this very very nice affair. 　 CPR, HARMS AND BASIC SAR SKILLS CERTS: Volunteer Forces has asked us once again to remind you that all of these certification as due and that they would like to have a list of your unit members who have and not have recertified in these various areas. Please send your paperwork with this information to SAR Coordinator Dave Alexander at Volunteer Forces ASAP. Thank you.

As you can see we are busy once again with a variety of events and meetings and we hope that you can find the time to participate. But, in the meantime, on behalf of the entire Board of Directors of the SAR Council (Frank, Ron, Diana and Mike) I would like to wish you all a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

　Be Safe Dave Nicolet, Director Inland Empire SAR Council Dnicolet@sbsar.org