Pennsylvania Search and Rescue Council

ANNUAL GENERAL MINUTES AND COMMITTEE REPORTS

DECEMBER 2, 1995

HARRISBURG COMMUNITY COLLEGE HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA

QUORUM 

Fifteen organizations represented by delegates were, present, minimum quorum to conduct business is seven organizations.

ATTENDANCE:

See attachment #1 Committee meetings and reports began at 9:30.

BUSINESS MEETING SECRETARY'S REPORT:

A motion was made by Tom Hirchak seconded by Andy Appel no discussion, all in favor to accept the September 30, 1995 minutes as published.

TREASURER'S REPORT:

Treasurer not present, no report given.

PRESIDENT'S REPORT:

Peter McCabe reviewed changes in PSARC since 1991 which was included in the SAR NET.

REGIONAL REPORTS:

NORTH: No report

CENTRAL: Ken Snyder would like any groups that have slides of 'our team in actions" to make a PSARC slide program. EAST: No report

WEST: No report

OLD BUSINESS

Committees were requested to provide reports on for the annual meeting. Following committees presented reports:

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION/BI-LAWS COMMITTEE:

See report attachment #2

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE:

Steve Houck is working on a draft of FCC rules to help us understand how rulings well pertain to the work we do in search and rescue.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE:

See report attachment #3 Please send in your 1996 resource form. Team does must be paid by the end of March, amount of dues is $25.00. Bi-Laws state that teams not paid will go off the roster on May 31st.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE:

Chair not present, no report.

OPERATIONS COMMITTEE

Peter McCabe spoke of the need for centralized SAR search statistics for Pennsylvania. h is critical for substantiating the need for SAR programs. Virginia currently has such acs available. Carol Prosseda should receive all reports of SAR activities. An easy to complete form will be circulated in the near future The work with EPLO and MRC program with PEMA is still in process.

PREPLAN COMMITTEE:

See report attachment  #4

STANDARDS COMMITTEE

Most standards finalized in 1995, several areas still pending final approval.

EQUINE STANDARDS: Still pending CANINE STANDARDS: Finalized

TRAINING COMMITTEE:

Jim Howley passed out certificates of participation for those who attended the September drill a McCalls Dam. If you missed this drill please plan to attend a future drill, s was informative and lots of fun. Training has been quiet during the winter months. ASARC will have a winter simulation drill Shenandoah National Park dates are not firm at this time, keep in torch with Peter for any information. Rescue 40 SRRT will be having "Candidate weekend' anyone interested in information should give Ron their name and address. Huntingdon County Sheriff's Posse has winter classes in rope I & II. Martha has many classes scheduled for the spring, details will be given at a later date.

NEW BUSINESS

MISSION REPORT'S & CRITIQUES:

Ron Wisbith reported on a missing woman found in a car two weeks after she was reported missing. Skid marks led to finding the vehicle, Rescue 40 SRRT was not called. Autopsy showed woman was alive for several hours after accident. Also a hunter found a stabbed body; search team was called to assist in looking for other bodies. None were found.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE TELLER REPORT: (Andy Appel, Allen Gerhard, Terry Dewitt)

Peter McCabe advised the body of an error in ballot distribution, no plain envelope was included to keep the ballot anonymous. There were no objections to have the teller committee open the ballots in an anonymous manner. Jim Hill raised a question that he had not seen nor had the opportunity to turn in a ballot for his team. Bi-laws committee stated that ballots will be verified against the delegate list and that any oars not balloted may vote on a piece of plain paper prior to having the votes tallied. Delegates voting by paper were Bobbie Snyder-Mid Atlantic Dogs, Terry Dewitt-Evergreen, Jim Hill-Mifflin County SAR, Rose Keller-Huntingdon Sheriffis Posse SAR, Don SclenSMERG. There were no comments, questions or objections from the floor. Teams which submitted paper ballots were: MT Valley, DCNR, Upper Delaware Nordic, Thronhurst OPSR, MSAR, Mountaineer, Palisades, East Penn, KSAR, WEST, Whitedeer, Rescue 40 SRRT, SMERG, PA Tactical K-9 SAP, Chester Co. North East Tactictal P_'-Ju.x STRIKE Northeast SAR and one blank ballot which was discarded. The total of all ballots was u.

NEWLY ELECTED OFFICERS: Nelson Haas-President, Martha Ackroyd Geary-Vice President, Roseann Keller-Secretary, Steve Houck-Treasurer, Dr. Keith Conover-Director (Western Region), Jay Cooke and Tom Hirchak were tied for Director.

Roy Keiser made a motion to let Tom in office and appoint Jay to fill Nelson's vacated director position. Not seconded. The president decides in the event of a tie.

Nelson Haas was not present to assume role of president (due to a search mission the day of the meeting) Martha Ackroyd, Vice President - as acting president appointed Jay to have the elected director position and Tom the appointed position. Tom's director position will expire in one year.

Certificates of appreciation

were passed out by Peter McCabe to the officers and directors. Special certificates of thanks were dedicated to Greg Sassaman, who has been treasurer of the Sar council since its inception and Ken Boyles for all his work in the SAR community and for special work with PEMA. Greg and Ken were not present to accept the certificates which will be mailed to them in the near future.

Future seminars/ drills:

Terry Dewitt spoke of setting up possible convention type seminars where the sar council would get in speakers.

Civil Air Patrol gave a letter to the president regarding a mission where a PSARC team set of an ELT locator. CAP is willing to educate teams to avoid this happening in the future.

Irv Lichtenstein brought in a form for teams to complete in order to be listed with the 1996 Pennsylvania Firemen's Academy.

NEW TEAMS:

Lehigh Valley K-9 Search & Rescue from New Tripoli PA was voted on as a new member. With all proper paper work received a motion b accept the team as a new member was made by Terry Dewitt seconded by Andy Appel, all in favor. These were also several members from Mid Atlantic Regional Search and Rescue who attended the meeting sad am interested is joining the council.

OTHER NEW BUSINESS:

A discussion took place on the TSARC Team Roster with Member Accreditation Form' This form is a voluntary form which teams can hot their members names and SAR credentials to be included with the loam resource form. A motion made by Tom Hirchak to detach the form from the resource list, seconded by Mike Dindness The discussion centered on that information is confidential. Andy Appel stated that the information requested on the form dnes not violate any laws. This is currently being done in Virginia SAR Using this form will lead credibility b the SAR community. by Lichtenstein  brought up points and comparisons of disclosing this information similar to employment or education records and does not feel that teams should be required to give their participants names or SAR background. many good points were made such as, how will the SAR council use the information and the quantity of paperwork it will entail. Peter McCabe also checked with Dr. Keith Conover who said it is ok to ask fnr now with medical credentials. There were 5 delegates m favor of detaching "not using" the form and 10 not in favor of detaching. Motion does not pass, the SAR council will aks that teams fill in the form on a voluntary basis.

Motion to adjoiurn  at 1:35 by Ron Wisbith seconded by Aady Appel all in favor.

Respectfully submitted, Rosann Keller, Secretary