dbS Productions
The Source of Search & Rescue Research, Publications, and Training

 
 Home Research  Publications  Training  Consulting| Contact Us | Order Form |Events  

dbS SAR Newsletter

==========================================================================

Here is Your www.dbs-SAR.com Newsletter March 4, 2002 E-mail Bulletin

=========================================================================

Sponsored by SAR Camp, , SAR professionals serving SAR professionals

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

See below for links. Either click on any active [i.e. underlined] link.

*The Alzheimer's search that wasn't
*New www.SARNews.com link to Newsletter
*Two-day workshop (May 28-29) on Alzheimer's search management.
*Alzheimer's linked to meaty diet
*Archives of SAR Dog Alert Newsletter
*Rescue for the next century
*NC SAR exercise - March 20-24, 2002
*Frostbite search & rescue story
*Horse rescue demonstration March 9th in Santa Cruz, CA
*Search for missing snowboarder called off
*Brain inflammations halt testing of Alzheimer's vaccine
*Alzheimer's news and information links - SeniorJournal.com
*The heroes of search and rescue - masters of disaster
*Critical Incident Stress among NY firefighters and EMS workers
*Hypothermia-related deaths --- Utah, 2000, and United States, 1979-1998
*Mentally stimulating activities may reduce Alzheimer's risk
*Follow up to injured SAR volunteer
*Idaho considers charging for search and rescue

*****************************************************************************
The Alzheimer's search that wasn't.....

Ever wonder about where search statistics come from, or perhaps more importantly what they miss?  Here is a search that will not appear in the state database, local law enforcement records, or any record for that matter, as a search and rescue incident.  Nevertheless, an Alzheimer's disease subject wandered, became lost, and became the subject of a search effort, and was tragically found deceased.

MC was an 85 year old female in excellent physical health.  Her Alzheimer's was first noticed 4 years ago after a traffic accident.  She continued to live alone in her house in a formally rural area that experienced rapid suburban growth over the years. She often wandered to the neighbor's house looking for an aunt or cousin who had been in her house, but then had "disappeared."  Her mirror needed to be removed because "the lady in the mirror would not talk or leave."  She had some chairs that needed to be removed because in the dim light she thought they were people.  She had no close living relatives and no arrangements were made to obtain a diagnosis of Alzheimer's or any type of treatment.  When social services were contacted no referrals were made to the Alzheimer's Association or any other type of assistance.  In August 2001, she wandered almost two miles along a four lane divided highway.  On December 22, 2002 at 6pm a friend contacted her to check up.  Later that night the friend could not reach M.  The following morning the friend contacted the neighbors to check in on M since she was still unable to contact M.  The neighbor knocked on the door and got no response.  Therefore, he called the police and started his own search.  He was able to locate M. before any formal search was started.  To see a map of the find location, please visit the website at: www.dbs-sar.com/SARsim/sarsim_suburban_case.htm

*****************************************************************************
*New www.SARNews.com link to newsletter

In order to offer more services and value to the newsletter several, new features have been recently added.  Updated daily, recent news articles on search and rescue, Alzheimer's, rescue dogs, Urban search and rescue, and missing children may all be found in one location. It is also now possible to access the archives of all the past newsletters at www.SARNews.com  In addition, directions have been added to the page to make it easier to either subscribe or unsubscribe to the newsletter.  The entire database of subscribers has been updated.  Therefore, members receiving multiple copies of the newsletter should hopefully only get one in the future.
*****************************************************************************
Two-day Workshop on Alzheimer's disease Search Management

On May 28-29, 2002 as part of the NASAR SAR 2002 pre-conference events, Robert Koester will present a workshop on searching for subjects with Alzheimer's disease. The seminar offers the participant a unique opportunity to learn about Alzheimer's disease, wandering, and the correct life-saving actions to take when a subject with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia disappears.  The training is aimed at law enforcement personnel with supervisory responsibilities and search and rescue personnel who may be responsible for the initial response and subsequent search. Field personnel will also gain important insight into the nature of Alzheimer's and wandering. The course provides an in-depth presentation of the nature of Alzheimer's disease, the scope of the wandering problem, search management incident crucials, characteristics of lost Alzheimer's subjects, initial report collection and action, initial search strategy, reflex tasking of SAR resources, Urban search considerations, and several case studies. Students will be provided with an instructor's manual, PowerPoint presentation CD (retail $100) and other relevant documents. If you are interested in looking at the current tentative schedule please visit:
http://www.dbs-sar.com/alzheimer_Seminar.htm  Advanced Rescue Technologies has announced it plans on writing a magazine article on the class.  So come to be part of the news!

The class is limited to 25 students due to the interactive nature of the presentation and case studies.  Be sure to register as soon as possible.  $195 for NASAR members and $225 for non-NASAR members.

You may register on-line or call (703) 222-6277


******************************************************************************
Archives of SAR Dog Alert Newsletter

Anyone interested in search and rescue dogs will find a wealth of information provided in the Search and Rescue Dog Alert Newsletter published by NASAR.  Issues are available on-line from 1993-2001.

http://www.nasar.org/canine/SDA_issues9.shtml#art1

******************************************************************************
Rescue for the next century

This document written in 1997 gives a fascinating long-term look at where SAR might be headed.  The projection of future technology is made for 10, 25, 50 and 100 years. It hopes to help exercise the reader's imagination, promote innovative thinking and provide guidance in R&D planning in the various government agencies responsible for SAR. It foresees a day when the "Search" in SAR is all but gone.  Of course, technology never fails and the people we look for have good common sense!

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-o/g-opr/nsarc/sar2000.htm

*****************************************************************************
Alzheimer's linked to meaty diet

People with high blood levels of a normal diet byproduct, homocysteine, have twice the average risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, a study published Thursday finds.

http://www.iht.com/articles/48155.html
http://www.doctorndtv.com/news/news.asp?id=282

*****************************************************************************
The Burke County/Buncombe County (North Carolina) Exercise"

March 20-24, 2002

This year's scenario will be a lost hiker(s) in the terrain near the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Bent Creek Area. As usual, we will be running a "real time" search scenario, using real people as the lost subject(s).


http://www.ncsar.com/wncwebpage.htm

***********************************************************************************
Olympian suffers frostbite after search & rescue effort

Olympic wrestler Rulon Gardner, who won a wrestling gold medal at the 2000 Olympics, describes his ordeal of being lost, rescued, and suffering from frostbite to his toes (rather important to an Olympic wrestler).

http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/02/19/wrestler.recovery.ap/index.html

***********************************************************************************
Horse rescue demonstration March 9th in Santa Cruz, CA

What if a horse and human were both in need of rescue-do you know what to do in a life- threatening situation to rescue them safely? Did you know most people call 911, or the nearest fire department for help? Have you been trained to do horse rescues? The riding season will soon be upon us and with over 7 million horses in the United States, it is inevitable that some of them will need to be rescued from places like ravines, ditches, collapsed barns, overturned trailers, riding trails or injured in a field. Now, for the first time, there is a new life-sized horse mannikin to safely learn hands-on training of emergency search and rescue techniques. "Lucky," the horse mannikin has articulated limbs, a tail feature as an attachment point, and realistic training weight. It will accept standard horse harnesses, glides and gear. "Lucky" can be used in all weather, mud, water and is designed for training indoors or out. It is specifically designed to train emergency search and rescue techniques to fire and police departments, SAR units, military, humane societies and equine groups.

www.rescuecritters.com

***********************************************************************************
Search for missing snowboarder called off

The article describes the suspension of active searching for Kate Svitek, a 22 year-old snowboarder lost on Mount Bachelor and the subject of a massive search effort.

http://www.bendbulletin.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=6228

**************************************************************************************
Brain inflammations halt testing of Alzheimer's vaccine in South Florida

In what developed into a major story in the fight against Alzheimer's disease, a major set back occured for an experimental vaccine that had reached human drug trials. Here are some of the first articles that broke the news.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-rxalzvac19feb19.story?coll=sfla%2Dnews%2Dsfla

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-rxalzvac19feb19.story?

***************************************************************************************
Alzheimer's news and information links - SeniorJournal.com

An excellent collection of articles and links on Alzheimer's disease.

http://www.seniorjournal.com/Alzheimers.htm

***************************************************************************************
The Heroes of Search and Rescue - Masters of Disaster

Outside Magazine presents an excellent series of articles on Search and Rescue.  Well-researched and written, it provides profiles on a variety of different SAR providers (high-altitude rangers, cavers, trackers, rescue dogs, SAR pilots, and volunteers), and an excellent collection of just plain good ole SAR stories, and some interesting blurbs on important SAR issues (paying for SAR, joining, etc).   Everyone interested in SAR will be intrigued by these articles.

http://outside.away.com/outside/adventure/200202/200202_masters_1.adp

***************************************************************************************
Critical Incident Stress among NY firefighters and EMS workers

The 14,000-member NY Fire Department said it has put about 350 people with stress-related problems on light duty or medical leave since Sept. 11.  Nearly 2,000 more firefighters, fire officers and workers in the department's Emergency Medical Service unit have seen a counselor  through the FDNY's Counseling Services Unit since September 11.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/716972.asp

***************************************************************************************
Hypothermia-Related Deaths --- Utah, 2000, and United States, 1979-1998

The Centers for Disease Control reports that in the United States from 1979-1998 a total of 13,970 deaths were attributed to hypothermia.  Utah reported 91 deaths attributed to hypothermia, with an age-adjusted rate of 0.4 per 100,000 population. During the same period, Illinois reported the most deaths (859), with an age-adjusted rate of 0.4. Alaska had the highest age-adjusted rate of 2.9, with 250 deaths attributed to hypothermia. The article goes on to give several case history's, including an Alzheimer's case.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5104a2.htm

***************************************************************************************
Mentally stimulating activities may reduce Alzheimer's risk

In recent years, many of us have come to believe that doing crossword puzzles or playing cards might ward off a decline in memory or help us maintain "brainpower" as we age. Now, a new study suggests there might be some truth to the use- it-or-lose-it hypothesis.

The study, by scientists at the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center and Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago, IL, appearing in the February 13, 2002, "Journal of the American Medical Association", found that more frequent participation in cognitively stimulating activities is associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The research looked at everyday activities like reading books, newspapers or magazines, engaging in crosswords or card games, and going to museums among participants in the Religious Orders Study, an ongoing examination of aging among older Catholic nuns, priests, and brothers from several groups across the U.S. On a scale measuring cognitive activity -- with higher scores indicating more frequent activity -- a one-point increase in cognitive activity corresponded with a 33 percent reduction in the risk of AD.

So keep reading the SAR Newsletter and help reduce your risk of Alzheimer's disease!

http://www.seniors.gov/articles/0202/alzheimers-risk.htm

***************************************************************************************
Follow-up to injured SAR volunteer

Here is a letter by a fellow rescuer reprinted with permission to provide follow-up on an article reported in last month's newsletter.

Hello All

Don Neuman, one of our members, took the fall when he became disoriented
in the blizzard and snowmobiled over a cornice on the Continental
Divide. (39-55-2.76N, 105-40-54.8W) He was transporting a rescued
snowmachiner at the time. He suffered a broken femur and is lucky to be
alive. Both parties ended up on the east side, in Gilpin County about
700 foot down.

He was with two other members, each with a rescued snowmachiner. One,
Frank Nieto( formerly of Grand County, now with Alpine), climbed down to
aid Don and the hypothermic patient. A snow trench type shelter was
built. The other member, Dirk Eichler, walked the two victims to safety
after he figured out where he was. We couldn't believe it when he called
in GPS that indicated their position off course above the Corona Road!!!
The 12 hour rescue involved two 700 foot uphauls in the worst weather
conditions imaginable, using the two abandoned snowmobiles for the
anchor.   http://www.rmrg.net/home/hutch/sledXanchor.jpg

Besides the lack of anything substantial for the anchor, one of the main
problems was navigating teams to the rescue point in whiteout and then
whiteout at night conditions. Radio communications were also a
nightmare - high winds garbled transmissions and radio batteries and
speaker mics froze up. Several members suffered varying degrees of
frostbite.

Rescuers from Grand, Alpine and Winter Park Ski Patrol as well as dozens
of local volunteers provided a fantastic group effort. It is my
understanding that teams from Gilpin Co., Summit Co. Rescue Group and RMRG
were enroute.
Thanks to all who helped out!

Greg Foley
Grand 806
 
***************************************************************************************
Idaho considers passing legislation to allow charging for Search and Rescue

The state of Idaho currently has legislation in the Senate Committee after passing the House.  The legislation allows charging people over the age of 18 up to $4000 if they disobey closed road signs and it then results in a search and rescue effort.  The newspaper articles goes on to give the viewpoint of one local sheriff.

http://ktvb.com/news/newstory.html?StoryID=11473
***************************************************************************************

You may opt out of the newsletter at anytime.  Your name and e-mail address
will not be rented or sold at any time.  We hope you enjoy this issue.  If
you have any ideas, articles, event announcements, SAR news, or just great
stories, please contact us at mailto:info@dbs-sar.com

If someone forwarded this newsletter and you wish to subscribe simply reply using the following mail link: mailto:subscribe@sarnews.com?Subject=subscribe

If you no longer wish to receive the newsletter simply reply using the following mail link:
mailto:unsubscribe@sarnews.com?Subject=unsubscribe You may also visit
http://www.dbs-sar.com/Newsletter/Opt_Out.htm

Home | SAR Research |Bookstore | Training Publications | Training Courses | Expert Witness | Consulting  | About dbS | Order Form | Contact UsCatalog Request |SAR Stories | What's New | Press Releases | Next Class | Find SAR Teams | SAR Links | SARsim 2001 | Urban Search |

Copyright © 2000-2011 by dbS Productions

Privacy Statement