On Feb. 9, 2015, Rotary’s speaker was Mr. Philip Howe of the Greater Fundy Ground Search and Rescue.
Philip indicated the search work works closely with local police and is much like police work, though there is a difficulty with provincial groups attracting new members. There is very little funding available, and each volunteer tasked with outfitting themselves to be part of a search team. Each group is heavily reliant on any form of government grants to acquire equipment and training.
Philip described a typical search scenario; lost and panic sets in. Panic leads to poor decisions with the fear of embarrassment, a leading contributor to waiting too long when help or assistance is needed...
Greater Fundy Ground Search and Rescue is a registered charity directed by their volunteer membership. They receive support from the New Brunswick Department of Public Safety and the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization. There exist ten teams located throughout New Brunswick, and each is under Mutual Aide agreements for assistance if so required. Generally, the search groups are activated at the request of the police. The service aids lost hunters, elderly, children, snowmobilers, hikers, berry pickers and the despondent, among others.
A search is a rapid-response operation of which that history has shown the need to assist within the first 24 hours of being lost. Fifty percent of all people in need of assistance cannot make it past the first day of being lost.
Philip shared that capable search teams learn the habits of who they are looking for to develop strategies and clues on where to look. This information is used to create a search area and increases the probability of success. Philip reviewed search methods and described the meticulous process when searching trails, paths.
Training plays a crucial role in operational readiness. Two projects of interest he noted were Project Life Saver, and a process Philips is developing to register trip/outing plans to assist responders should assistance be required.
Rotarian Sandra Moon thanked Philip for his interesting talk on the Greater Fundy Ground Search and Rescue mission. She presented him with a token of the Club’s appreciation for his talk.