March 18, 2002 SARnews Newsletter
=========================================================================
Here is Your www.dbs-SAR.com
Newsletter March 18, 2002 E-mail Bulletin
=========================================================================
Sponsored by www.SARCamp.com, SAR
professionals serving SAR professionals
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
*MyTopo Maps Feature
*The science behind an Avalanche
*Development of Disaster Management Standards
*Special Events Contingency Planning for Public Safety Agencies, IS-15
*GPS Selective Availability after September 11, 2001
*SARScene Magazine latest version available
*Coast Guard SAR Newsletter latest version available
*Cheating death in the wild: Olympic wrestler grateful
*USFA ANNOUNCES EXTENSION OF HELPLINE HOURS for firefighter grants
*National Memorial Service to Honor Fallen Firefighters moved
*Terrorism Training and Resources
*Amber Plan for missing children adopted in Pennsylvania
*Helicopter Crashes claims the lives of Marines involved in Search and
Rescue
*Alzheimer's victim lost at airport: Woman missing for 3 months after
failing to emerge from rest room
********************************************************************
MyTopo Map Feature
Ever tape four maps together to make a useful topo map?
Perhaps even eight maps to cover a trip? A new service by MyTopo allows
you to print your own customized 24" x 36" USGS topo map on waterproof
and durable tear resistant plastic. You can further customize the map by
deciding if you want UTM Gridlines and/or tick marks, and Lat-Long Gridlines
and/or tick marks. The maps arrive in the mail either rolled up or folded.
The cost of each map is $14.95 and you may preview the map you create over the
internet. This is a perfect solution for map problems, search simulations,
trips, or maybe even searches in common areas. Plus, you really should
have a big topo map on your wall with your home in the center (please tell me
someone else has done this)! View the site for more information or just to
look at the additional features.
http://www.mytopo.com/index.cfm?pid=dbs-sar
********************************************************************
The Science behind an avalanche
Laboratory studies of how snow crystals change shape under fluctuating
environmental conditions and computer analyses that match the patterns of
past avalanches with detailed meteorological data are helping scientists
uncover the secrets of avalanches.
http://www.sciencenews.org/20020302/bob14.asp
********************************************************************
NFPA Again: Seeking comments on disaster management
standards
The newest disaster management standards by the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA) are available for review and
comment. Suggestions or revisions for the NFPA's 1600 Standard on
Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs are
due by *June 28, 2002.* To see the status of NFPA 1600, visit the
Web site at http://www.nasttpo.org
and follow links to the NFPA
1600 status page. Revisions can be submitted on-line at
http://www.nfpa.org/codes/proposalsandcomments.asp
or download
Adobe PDF format forms and mail comments to: NFPA, 1 Batterymarch
Park, P.O. Box 9101, Quincy, MA 02269-9101. For questions, contact
either Lloyd Bokman, Ohio Emergency Management Agency; (614) 799-
3679; e-mail: lbokman@dps.state.oh.us; or Martha Curtis, NFPA
Staff Liaison; e-mail: mcurtis@nfpa.org.
********************************************************************
Special events contingency planning for public safety
agencies, IS-15
This new CD-ROM-based independent study course and accompanying job aid
manual are designed for a wide audience, encompassing the range of personnel
with a role to play in the development of a special event plan. Participants
include those who have a general awareness of their own roles but do not
have a previous detailed or extensive knowledge of special event planning.
For example, the audience might include relatively new emergency managers,
personnel from emergency operations organizations such as police, fire,
medical services, and public works, and representatives from other community
organizations both public and private for whom special event planning is not
a regular responsibility.
http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/is15.htm
********************************************************************
The definitive source of information on GPS and selective
availability
The Interagency GPS Executive Board (IGEB) was established by Presidential
directive in 1996 to manage the Global Positioning System (GPS) and its U.S.
Government augmentations as a national asset. The website maintains
information on selective availability and when satellites start having problems.
The information provided states selective availability has not been turned back
on. However, several GPS users report in certain selective parts of the
country (hint hint) the accuracy of GPS is significantly degraded.
The IGEB is a senior-level policy making body chaired jointly by the
Departments of Defense and Transportation. Its membership includes the
Departments of State, Commerce, Interior, Agriculture, and Justice, as well
as NASA and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Special Notice: http://www.igeb.gov/sa.shtml
http://www.igeb.gov/
********************************************************************
SARScene Magazine Winter 2002 Now Available on-line
The latest version of SARScene, the Canadian SAR secretariat's colorful
magazine, is now available on-line. This issue has articles on urban
search
and rescue, SAR prevention programs, information on the Canadian National
SAR conference in Halifax, and an article on the SAR conference that
occurred in Whitehorse, Yukon last year.
http://www.nss.gc.ca/sarscene/magazine/Current_issue_e.pdf
********************************************************************
US Coast Guard SAR newsletter available on-line
The latest issue of the Coast Guard's SAR newsletter is now available.
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-o/g-opr/newsletter/newsletter.htm
********************************************************************
Cheating death in the wild: Olympic wrestling hero
grateful after surviving
nearly fatal snowmobile outing
An excellent comprehensive news story provided follow-up on the search effort
to locate Olympic Gold wrestler Rulon Gardner who suffered severe
hypothermia and frostbite while lost below Wagner Mountain. The articles
details the search effort, survival tactics, medical condition, rescue, and
human drama concerning the incident. Truly an inspiring newspaper article
to read, and it even has some humor tossed in.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/state/article/0,1299,DRMN_21_1022276,0
0.html
********************************************************************
USFA announces extension of technical assistance help
line hours
More than 8,500 Fire Departments Have Registered and Begun Filling Out Grant
Application
WASHINGTON - The Federal Emergency Management Agencys United States Fire
Administration (USFA) announced today that the hours of its toll-free
Helpline have been extended to include Sundays. In addition to the hours of
8 a.m. and 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday, fire department representatives
can also contact the Helpline on Sundays from 12 p.m. until 6 p.m. (EST).
The toll-free number is (866) 274-0960.
This expansion is in response to the overwhelming interest USFA has received
in the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. Some fire departments
experienced difficulties accessing the on-line application during the first
few days. USFA estimates that 90-95 percent of applicants have been able to
register without any problems, but the agency is concerned about the 5-10
percent who have had trouble. USFA has resolved some minor technical issues,
and is working with individual applicants to find solutions to each
registration problem
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/about/press/02-020.htm
********************************************************************
National memorial service to honor fallen firefighters
moved
Emmitsburg, MD - The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation today announced
that the Annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service honoring
firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2001 will be held in
Washington, DC, on Sunday, October 6, 2002, at the MCI Center.
"The unprecedented number of firefighters being honored this year will
necessitate our moving the memorial service from the site of the National
Fallen Firefighters Monument in Emmitsburg," stated Foundation Chairman Hal
Bruno. "The loss of every firefighter is a national tragedy, and this
year's
service will honor those who died at the World Trade Center along with those
who made the ultimate sacrifice across the country."
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/about/press/ffm030402.htm
********************************************************************
Terrorism Training and Resources
Training and preparedness are crucial activities in building capabilities to
respond to terrorism. FEMA has a wealth of training materials and
information to help communities prepare to deal with the consequences of
terrorism. This site provides information on how to access training
materials and web sites (both FEMA and others) and is organized by audience
type.
http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/ctrt.htm
********************************************************************
Amber plan now available
Pennsylvania's new Amber Plan utilizes the statewide emergency alert system
(normally used for sever weather warnings) to quickly alert the public about
non-family adductions of Children.
Gov. Schweiker said," The Amber Plan makes it possible for every citizen to
play a key role in
helping police locate and rescue abducted children, I
want would-be abductors to realize that here in Pennsylvania, there is no
place for them to hide."
The Amber Plan is named after 9-year-old Amber Hagerman of Arlington,
Texas, who was abducted while playing near her home and subsequently murdered.
After that incident, law enforcement officials and broadcasters jointly created
a regional Amber Plan.
A nationwide study of abducted children who were murdered indicate
that 44 percent of the children died within the first hour of abduction, 74
percent died within the first three hours of abduction and only 1 percent
survived more than a day.
http://www2.newsitem.com/ni/275818357977096.bsp
********************************************************************
Catholic Charities Agencies Anticipating and Responding
to
Emotional Needs Surfacing Months after September 11 Attacks
The article reports that increasing number of people are starting to suffer from
post-traumatic stress disorders and list several of the symptoms.
"Survivors guilt" is also starting to become a major problem.
http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/temp/0307-137.html
********************************************************************
Helicopter Crashes claims the lives of Marines involved
in Search and Rescue
The local paper gives the best details and most information of a tragic crashed
of a search and rescue Marine helicopter. The article reports how Lt.j.g.
Dean Milne of the Coast Guard watched a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter, Angel One,
searching the ocean 40-50 above the waves for a victim of a helicopter crash.
"All of a sudden, it made a big splash," Milne said. "It landed
in an
optimal crash position, flat on its belly, rotors still spinning. It sat
there 30 to 45 seconds, then the helicopter flipped over and sunk."
http://www.savannahnow.com/stories/031002/LOChelicoptercrash.shtml
********************************************************************
Alzheimer's victim lost at airport:
Woman missing for 3 months after failing to emerge from rest room
This tragic but interesting article reports on Margie Dabney who at 70 suffers
from Alzheimer's disease and was last seen in the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport
entering into the restroom. This is yet another tragic case of wandering
that remains unresolved.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/03/11/MN133852.DTL
********************************************************************
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
|
