To everyone, best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and thanks for your help and support over the last year. The National Committee received two very welcome presents last month. The first was the Police funding for the current year which was maintained at the level promised last year. We are extremely grateful for this; particularly so in view of the difficult financial cuts facing the Police in many areas. It allows the Committee to proceed with its planned budget. Matters put on hold pending confirmation are now getting underway again.

The second event was the formal approval of NZ Land SAR as a charity for tax purposes by the Department of Inland Revenue. This will help with sponsorship opportunities and improve the prospects for getting funding for specific projects. We are aiming to have compatible sets of rules for Districts and Local Area Committees and changes to Regional rules approved so that those groups wishing to take advantages of the tax benefits of such rules can do so.

After our first year of operation since incorporation, NZ Land SAR is settling down. The new structure is becoming more effective throughout the country. Some further settling in will be required as the Police go through their own restructuring but this seems to be survivable by the volunteers. There is still room for further volunteers to support the various activities and Sub Committee functions of the National Committee, so if you have something to offer please contact John Tristram so that we can fit you into the team.

We are now setting the objectives for the next five years and settling the details of the 1996-2000 Business Plan. if you have ideas please let us hear them. Perhaps there will be an odd wet day when you could jot down your thoughts down on paper and send them to the Field officer. The Business Plan is your plan, but will only reflect your ideas when you share them with us

Have a happy holiday

Roger Barrowclough
Chairman

At approximately 8.30pm on Sunday 10 September 1995 a house bus with eight occupants who included three male adults, three female adults and two young children, drove through the railings of the Mohaka River bridge on the Napier Taupo Road. Accident reconstruction would later show that the accident was caused by brake failure and that the bus had teetered on the concrete side of the bridge a number of times before it plunged into the steep ravine below. It struck the bank then tipped into the river. Examination of the bodies would later show that most received some injuries, but washed out of the bus and drowned in the river

The search area was one of the North Island’s major rivers with deep water, a swift current and difficult gorges to negotiate. From the crash site to the sea, the river divides into four parts; an upper section of 12 to 16 km which could be searched by teams on foot with assistance from rafts; a second section which could be searched by either raft or canoes; a third section which can be rafted by experienced rafters but this would not result in the river being searched - merely rafted; and a fourth section to the sea which could be searched by canoe. The total distance from the crash site to the sea is well over 100 km.

Foot teams could not check deep water because the river was dirty and river conditions precluded this type of operation without special equipment.

Search tactics on the first day were to make a full search of the two upper sections using:

1. Police Dive Squad from Wellington. They are experts and should be considered for any search of this type. Do not consider local divers who are proficient in the ocean, as a river search presents hazards which we should not be subjecting amateur divers to.
2. Jet Boats to support the Dive Squad. The river itself was not suitable for jet boat search and the two jet boats were used to support the divers.
3. Search Teams on foot, supported by rafters. In this manner the area immediately downstream of the crash site could be thoroughly searched with the rafters ferrying the teams across the river and around the tricky patches.
4. Canoes from the local canoe club to search the second section of river. Fortunately we had road access to get the canoes in and then out of the river
5. Field Base and communications
6. Helicopter at Field Base to collect bodies from the river and fly them to the roadheads. We hired local helicopter because RNZAF are not available for body recovery. Later in the day an aerial sweep from the crash site to the sea was made using the helicopter.

At the end of the first day, five bodies had been recovered and it was considered that the other three were in deep pools and could not be seen from the surface. The Police Dive Squad and its support of jet boats were used to check likely pools downstream to a distance of 12 km of the crash site. A further body was found in a pool on the second day and on the third day the Dive Squad completed its mission.

Search tactics were then employed to find the two remaining bodies. It was necessary to carefully choose the days and method of searching and to employ what we considered were the correct methods on days when river conditions were right for searching. We waited for a further three days and again flew the river from the crash site to the sea using helicopter and Police spotters. This search was unsuccessful but from the air, trout and dead animals in the river could be seen. Conditions were perfect for the air search.

A further week elapsed before the next part of the search, partly because river conditions were not good but also because we were waiting for the bodies to rise. Police SAR Squad members and rafters rafted the two upper sections on the river. Both searches were unsuccessful in locating any bodies and on the 23 September the search was called off.

The remaining bodies were located within the upper search area, the first several weeks later and the last almost two months after the accident.

At the debrief one of the rafters suggested that a cargo net, obtainable from the Port of Napier or a trucking firm should have been obtained on the night of the crash and placed 12-16 km downstream. This would have limited the search area.

The operation cost approximately $24,000. Not only the helicopter had to be hired but also the jet boats, canoes and professional rafters.

John Lovatt
Senior Sergeant
Napier

As many of you will probably know, a review of Police National Headquarters has been going on for some months (probably only weeks but it feels like months!). Amongst other things, the overall structure is being looked at as well as the function of individual sections and with it, of course, the inevitable funding cuts. What I am pleased to report though, is that NZ Land SAR Inc. did not suffer any cutback in the funding provided by NZ Police, and recently I handed John Tristram the necessary cheque for passing on to the Treasurer, Phil Rundle.

What is of concern in my office is that Rod Herd, who had been more than my capable deputy, has not been replaced and quite possibly may not be replaced in the future. This has meant a severe curtailment to the functions able to be carried out by my office, and it will probably be weeks (or months!) before the final form of these functions is eventually determined.

Because of other priorities, my contribution to this newsletter is somewhat shorter than I had originally planned. However, one area I do want to briefly mention, is that of Police

involvement in Search and Rescue. I have heard from more than one source around the country that local Police have spoken of the possibility of withdrawing from what is their responsibility for controlling and coordinating Search and Rescue and leaving it to the volunteers to run. The only reason I can possibly attribute this to, is the fact that it is not only National Headquarters that is feeling the financial pinch, but the Regions and Districts are being equally hard pushed. (I am sure many of the front line people will say "even more so"). Some civilian volunteers I have spoken to say that if the Police end up withdrawing from SAR functions, then they, the volunteers, will also withdraw their services.

Let me assure you that national policy dictates that Police must remain as committed as ever, although there is always the possibility that local police SAR organisation charts may end up with some slightly altered structures for financial or whatever reasons. However, if it is felt that this unduly lessens the response capability in any particular area of SAR, then this is a matter that should initially be taken up through the proper channels with the local District Commander. If unsure of this procedure, a quick unofficial call to John Tristram who can liaise with me, will hopefully wise you up!

My very best wishes for the forthcoming festive season, and thanks for all your efforts in contributing to land SAR in New Zealand.

ACR Training Seminar RNZ Police College 24/26 November 1995

Representatives from Ruapahu Alpine Rescue Organisation, Taranaki, West Coast, Christchurch, Dunedin, Mt Cook and Invercargill ACR teams met over this weekend for an abbreviated Managing Search Operations (MSO) course and a "think tank" on the future of ACR training.

The weekend was divided up into several sessions with approximately one day devoted to a much abbreviated MSO course run by Ross Gordon of Emergency Management Limited. The other sessions were devoted to identifying the areas in which future training was required, establishing the appropriate standards in each area and considering a timeframe the training should occur. The development that occurred during the MSO course was exciting to observe. To watch the questioning and debate flow around the room was one of the highlights

The working side of the weekend produced good results that gained the support of all teams. Entry skill standards for ACR members were discussed and accepted. Future training opportunities were identified as being

required in the technical rescue skills- avalanche, first aid, helicopter and management skills. The basis for a technical rescue skills standard was developed with a view to the ACR Instructors weekend to be run in October 1996 at Temple Basin. It was agreed that both Avalanche and First Aid skills require further input from the appropriate organisations. Avalanche skills will be discussed with the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council with a view to modifying existing courses to suit our requirements. First Aid skills are to be left until the Medical Working group within the Specialist Sub Committee led by Dick Price reports back. Helicopter skills are to be covered at a local level in view of the close liaison required with the local helicopter operator, but a National set of guidelines was identified and accepted. The area of management skills was discussed and it was decided a working group led by Graham Charles will report back in nine months time.

The weekend was a rewarding time spent with a very energetic group of people. The contributions were wide ranging and fully debated and some excellent consensus decisions were made regarding the future direction of ACR Teams and ACR training.

This is the first time that ACR training exercises at a National level that have used the services of a professional

facilitator. The response from the participants was excellent and fully justified the associated cost.

Murray Cullen
Chairman Specialist SubCommittee

I would like to print details of actual operations, (and many thanks to John Lovatt for his article) SAREX’S, gear information etc. In fact anything to do with Land SAR. To assist the potential Shakespeare’s and Wordsworth’s amongst us, here are a few of the details that could be covered.

• The Scenario or situation - what happened
• The reactions - the steps taken to overcome the problem
• The duration of the operation
• Weather and Topography
• Number of searchers and resources employed

• Any lessons or amusing incidents
• The outcome

If you take the above as a guide and slot in the details we have an article for the newsletter. Simple really and you will have earned my undying gratitude

The close off for copy for the February edition of "NZLSAR News" will be Tuesday 23 January 1996

And finally from me, all the very best for the Christmas festivities and the New Year. Take care in the outdoors, avoid becoming a "SAR customer" and have a great time.

John P Tristram
NZLSAR National Field Officer