Four members of TriState Search and Rescue team, Steve Schmidt, Dave Benkin, Maryln Adams and Mark Webb, attended the American Mantrailing Academy Basic Mantracking class in Bellmore, IN. TSSAR team members spent Friday night at the Bellmore Fire Department. Saturday morning the mantracking class began under the leadership John Holcomb and Tony Keith, Master Trainers for the AMA.

The day the track for the team there had been snow but by the time the mantrackers were on the track much of the snow had melted away leaving sometimes vague signs to follow. To compound their difficulties, two hunters and four Beagles were rabbit hunting and running across the footprints.

To ensure the mantrackers had followed the trail playing cards were sequentially placed on the track and the team had to collect them. The also drew a map to show the location of where they found these cards. Three and a half hours from the time they started the mantracking team emerged from the woods and fields with the entire deck of cards and a map showing the location in which they were found. Victory!

At the conclusion of the day all participants rendezvoused at the beach at Racoon State Park for an awards presentation and a demonstration of Police K9 Patrol Dogs working with the bite sleeve. The weather cooperated by not raining but it was an overcast and cold day for an entire day in the outdoors. The Basic Mantracking class will be followed up by an advanced class in the near future.

-Maryln

TSSAR Received a emergency call for help from Ritchie Co. West Virginia Communications Center on Friday Nov. 13, 2009 for a missing 2 year old. At that time the local officials and fire departments were conducting a search and were requesting K-9's to help assist them in their efforts. TSSAR was able to take down information and distribute it to the many local K-9 teams that TSSAR works with. With the system now in motion, members of Search and Rescue teams across Ohio and  West Virginia were notified of a search and the details. Because of the efforts of many Search and Rescue teams and the local Police and Fire, the child was found safe. 

This is a good example of everyone working together to get a job done. TSSAR received the call for help, but the team is more than 5 hours away from the scene. The logical and smart thing to do was to contact other Search and Rescue groups closer to assist with the Search. This saves time and energy, both very important in the world of SAR. The end result was a quick response by the local resource to assist in the search efforts. 

This as an example of how the system should work. Teams should be communicating with each other and realize that it is never just one individual or group but the entire system that makes everything work.

 Great Job!

 A link to a local Newspaper:   http://newsandsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/523672.html?showlayout=0