BMC 2010-2011

This year reveals the continuing evolution of our Basic Mountaineering Course (BMC). We have greatly increased the amount of instruction related to avalanche awareness.  In order to accomplish this, the BMC program had to be expanded over our standard course offered in the past. The November lecture time on Saturday will be extended into the evening. The time spent on various activities in the field has been rearranged and extended in order to cover all of the avalanche material. All SAR members, old and new, are encouraged to attend the entire course. All SAR members are welcome to attend the lectures on November 20/21, 2010 at the sheriff office. Anyone wishing to then take the field portion on January 22/23, 2011 at Snow Valley must also have a Personal Vertical Skills (PVS) certification. REPEAT:  PVS is required to take the field portion of BMC. All San Bernardino County SAR courses require registration (fill out the form) and a $50 deposit (sent to Dan Whitten).  The deposit will be returned if the participant attends.

Helitac Class September 2010

Several teams were represented at the recent helitac class in Rialto. The all-day class gives SAR members enough information to work safely around helicopters, and to prepare patients for hoist evacuation. Our instructor, and the rest of the folks at Sheriff's Aviation were able to get the big class through in such a manner that everybody got to practice. Great fun was had by all.

Rescue Near Baldy, Below Sugarloaf Peak

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West Valley SAR received a call early Monday morning for two hikers who had become stuck after an unsuccessful retreat from Sugarloaf Peak. The hikers were located in a drainage about 1200' below the peak, exhausted, and unable to proceed safely. With the help of Sheriff's Aviation the hikers were located, and a team of 3 made their way to the hikers' location. The climb to the hikers was a steep talus slope common to the area, but the true difficulty was the heavy "buck brush" in a 200' swath between drainages. The first team on scene took approximately 2 hours to traverse this patch of brush. Team 2, comprised of members of the Cave & Technical Rescue Team and the Mountain SAR Team scouted a route at first light. It was determined that this team could avoid much of the brush if they climbed to a band of rocks approximately 200' above the stranded hikers, then dropped into the drainage. As it turned out, this was the easier route. After approximately 2 hours of climbing, Team 2 reached the hikers and the two teams began to assess evacuation options.

Not long after Team 2 arrived, the command post was notified that 40-K was inbound to assess a possible helicopter extraction. The slope was rather steep, but the air crew was able to load all passengers via a hover step. 3 trips were required to get everybody back to Cow Canyon Saddle. The hikers were tired, but relatively unharmed.

Boots on the Trail: To San Bernardino Peak and Back

The weather the week before was a mixed bag of 100+ temps, monsoons, high winds and lightning, but by Sunday 8-29 the weather was with us. The start of the hike had temps in the high 40's and by the time we summited at 11:10 it was in the low 50's with a light breeze.       

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Director's Dialogue September 2010

All of our SAR units this last month or two have been extremely busy with callouts here in our county and other counties as well. On behalf of the Department, Volunteer Forces and the SAR Council we would like to thank you for all of your time and dedication. It has been amazing to see our units working together as one and how our members have handled the merging of unit personnel while in the field. It has been a positive experience for all members involved and once again reinforces the fact that it takes teamwork to have successful results on the missions that we are involved with. Teamwork is what it is all about at all times! Keep up the great work!

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Boots on the Trail

The name, "Boots on the Trail", came from my friend Steve Mills (aka old man mountain) I have been hiking with him for years and we would set a time to meet at the trail head but once there it would take some people longer to be ready to hit the trail than others, so Steve started saying that we would have "boots on the trail" at a certain time that way everyone knew we would be hiking at that time.   

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SAR Dog Team Helps Locate Missing Teen

17 year old Anyssia Escamilla, of Bloomington, was found in a landfill after more than 70 days of searching. Her boyfriend is charged with her murder as well as that of her unborn child. The SAR Dog Team was instrumental in finding Miss Escamilla. Read the story at the Press-Enterprise for more information.

Cave Team Assists in Mock Rescue

The Cave and Technical Rescue Team (@CaveRescue) assisted with a National Cave Rescue Commission Orientation to Cave Rescue course at California Caverns. The OCR is a two-day introduction to cave rescue that ends with a cave rescue exercise. The Cave Team personnel provided all of the victims for the scenario, and served as the command staff. 4 "lost" cavers with varying injuries were located, packaged, and evacuated. More than 20 students participated.

Investigative Tracking Class

An investigative tracking class taught by Darryl Heller and Jeff Joling will be held on September 15-16, 2010. Please read the flyer for details. There is NO cost for SAR personnel.

Talk About a Hot Evidence Search

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It's Saturday afternoon, 1600 and its 104 degrees in the shade in Barstow. A request for the Barstow Desert Rescue Squad comes in for a hasty team to assist in an investigation this side of Baker. 

An hour later we hit the Zzyzx exit with the temperature  now over 112.  The quads are unloaded and a grid search is started to the North.  A typical off-the-freeway-dump-your-trash location, and some remains of an old highway.  The search area consists of washes, hills and a unique sandy area with waist high weeds.  After hours of searching some items were located that will hopefully be helpful in the investigation. 

Read the press release for this incident.