I believe the key to our continued success is our close relationship with the other services and organisations that provide support in various forms for Search and Rescue. The National Committee has been working hard in this area and excellent working relationships have been formed with Police, Department of Conservation, Civil Aviation Authority, Mountain Safety Council, Federated Mountain Clubs and their associated member organisations, Amateur Radio and many others. Our NFO has attended briefings on the Emergency Services Review and the development of the Police CARD system for the access and deployment of resources.

The restructuring of most of the government agencies is the area that is probably having the greatest effect on the way we operate. Staff numbers have reduced and the gap is being filled with vastly improved technology with the result that the speed at which things happen has been cranked up several notches. The new computer based systems now being introduced by the police are a good example of the technological changes taking place and NZLSAR is working to align its systems to ensure we can interface to these systems with a minimum disruption to the normal day to day operation.

Matching this increased level of response and performance has required an equivalent increase in performance of NZLSAR together with a more professional approach to the way we work. NZLSAR has a signed contract with Police that clearly identifies the standard of service we must provide and in the last couple of weeks I have forwarded a "Memorandum of Understanding" to the Civil Aviation Authority to formalise the services NZLSAR will provide for operations controlled by the National Rescue Coordination Centre (NRCC)

Some of our members have indicated concern at the new professional approach and possibly see it as a way of forming elite groups which may be a threat to using volunteers. In reality the situation is the reverse of this because most of our volunteers are too busy to do all the work on their own and there is a need to share it around. Indeed the National Committee is fully committed with issues relating to policy development and the well being of the organisation, so there are plenty of opportunities available for others to support the Committee in areas like the development of computer based systems to assist Advisers and Field Controllers, and undertaking research projects to improve our information base and enhance our search management techniques to match New Zealand conditions.

If you are interested in assisting with any of the above activities or there are systems already developed in your area that could be used throughout the country, please discuss your thoughts with your Regional or District Representative. They will be able to put you in contact with the Subcommittee that is undertaking the background planning for the National Committee and find the best place for you to slot in. Of course funding of some of this work may become an issue and this is another area to work through as we progress forward

Hopefully the above information will help members understand some of the reasons why we are moving to performance standards and a more

professional approach. In these rapidly changing times it is easy to get the feeling you are on a roller coaster with only limited control of the events as they unfold. Fortunately we have skilled people with plenty of enthusiasm at all levels of the organisation and it is this support that gives the Committee the confidence to move ahead. The future in this age of new technology looks bright and exciting for Advisers, Field Controller and Team Members alike

Well that about it for 1996. The year is coming to a close and the festive season ready to get underway. On behalf of the National Committee I would like to wish all of our members and their families a safe and happy Christmas. I hope you have a stress free holiday period with not too many interruptions for the inevitable SAR callouts. I am sure we can look forward to another busy, but interesting and rewarding 1997.

Regards to all.

Graham Thorp
Adviser Hawkes Bay
Chairman NZLSAR.

Photomaps are valuable when a small area has to be thoroughly searched. Virtually every blade of grass can be seen and it helps communications between searchers and base when either party can relate to a hedge, ditch etc, things that don’t appear on maps in great detail, if at all. The problem is that often, copies are not readily available, they may be mounted on a forest managers office wall or they are of such a large scale and the bits of paper are so big that they are unmanageable.

During a recent urbane search for a small child we had a comparatively large area to cover in a hurry and the City Council supplied some superb photomaps. Unfortunately these were too cumbersome for field usage and some areas by sods law naturally fell on more than one photo.

Solution - a cheap poloroid camera which is found in most Police Stations! We pinned the photomaps covering the area of probability on a wall and snapped each teams patch. Instant copies of small but clear pictures and much simpler than photocopying. The teams were straight onto the job. An alternative would have been to make the most of the "chopper" that was available and take our own aerial photographs.

Dave Saunders
Adviser Christchurch/Canterbury

On 30 September I dispatched to each Police District SAR Coordinator a number of copies of the Advisers List, with the request that they be distributed to each Land and Underground Adviser responsible to that Officer.

The history of the List is that for a number of years it was kept by the Police and "gazetted" while in latter years it was printed by them as a more simple document. It had often been criticised, probably a little unfairly, for the mistakes it contained, but I found to both my embarrassment and frustration the need for its updating. I suggested to the Police that as a list of volunteers, it should be kept by the volunteers and I can now see why they agreed with alacrity and handed the job onto me. My first thoughts were, as mentioned, that the information should come from the Advisers. After more consideration I decided that this was a list of people appointed by the Police and they should tell me who their official appointments are.

Accordingly at the begining of 1995 John Meads and I sent a joint letter to all SAR Coordinators with a list of the Advisers names and the details of those in their "patch". I also sent copies of a ‘"datasheet" which when filled in, would capture all the relevant information. Pretty simple I thought, all they had to do was check the provided list of names for relevancy, circulate the forms around to their people, sign them and send them back. And so it was for about 80 percent and to them I send a big thank you for your help. For the other 20 percent, getting it right became a nightmare and I finally decided to "print and be dammed" in the expectation that the next time round I would have from those who saw the errors, some extra help in driving the last bit of quality into it. Some people mentioned in the document have already contacted me with corrections and that’s fine, it has to be a dynamic document, open to change.

Where I have more difficulty is those who have written and said "so and so isn’t an Adviser, delete him" or "I am an Adviser so put my name on the list". My belief is that these are Police appointments and only they can instruct me who should be on or off. Next year I will again send out, probably in May to each Police SAR Coordinator the current information of the personnel in his area of responsibility and ask for corrections, deletions etc. Simultaneously I will send to each District SAR Committee a similar list. Working together I anticipate more accurate returns and a publication that I feel more comfortable with. Sorry for the grizzle but I would like to get it right.

John P Tristram
National Field Officer

The tenth annual Harris Trophy SAR Competition was held on 3 November, off the road into Lake Sumner in changeable weather. The course as usual was chosen so the supporters could observe much of the proceedings, as well as for the difficulties it presented to the participants. It was broken, scrub covered country and all of the 14 teams who took part, completed it in under three hours.

The start was signalled by the explosion of an old muzzle loader. One person from each 6 to 8 person team, sprints via an obstacle course to a set point, selects a bag and returns to their team with it. With the jovial but sadistic nature of the course setters/ this first part often requires traversing a swamp or some other "outdoor nasty" and is a highlight for the onlookers. In the bag is a radio, map, the grid reference of the patient and the number of the patient (in case there are more than one patient close together). This starting procedure gives no advantage to any team, it is a straight luck of the contents of the bag chosen. Upon returning to their team, the bag is opened, the whereabouts of the patient identified and off they go. The challenge is to navigate to a set location, find and treat the patient, radio in their injuries and condition and then build a stretcher and transport the patient to the finish line. All patient injuries are identical and are of a type that can be treated with a basic first aid certificate. As gear and equipment carried is also judged, patient care and transportation can be done to a high standard.

Competition was fierce, some teams had been practising for months and with the final times being so very close, a little luck in the draw was helpful. Third place went to the Police SAR Squad, second was Methven Gold and Methven Two in being first, took all before them. The day finished with a barbecue with nearly 200 contestants and supporters enjoying a meal together and retelling or being told of the days exploits.

This event is held on the Sunday of the weekend nearest to the 1st November and challenging teams from around the country are most welcome.

Neil Harris
Adviser Christchurch/Canterbury.

The 1995/96 statistics show under the heading of "Resources used during land SAR operations" that "non Police" (in other words, you the volunteers) put in 22,000 hours for a cost of a little over the $8000 mark - which equates to about 36 cents per hour. Perhaps not quite as good, some might say, as the 15 cents an hour of a few years ago, but when you take inflation into account to say nothing of the way work commitments for people have changed in recent years, all I can say on behalf of the Police and the Government is a great big "Thank You"

All the very best wishes to you and your families for Christmas and the New Year

John Meads
Coordinator: SAR/RCC
Police National Headquarters

The NZLSAR Committee met on Saturday 9 November. Two members, Mike Sheridan and Terry Sweetman as Regional Representatives from Regions 4 and 5 Canterbury/West Coast respectively, were in attendance for the first time. Inspector Tony McLeod stood in for John Meads, who was in Australia attending a SAR conference was also there for the first time. The items discussed included:-

• Identity Cards for SAR personnel. This has been a large and rather complex task. To whom or for what SAR role should they be issued, for a set period or indefinitely, with the Police and NZLSAR logos on or not, lost card procedures and what will the costs be and where do we get the money to produce them. Ross Berry who has done much of the development work and identified the problems, has been tasked to come back to the next meeting with a final sample for approval.
• NFO Contract. This was seen by the Committee as urgent as the present contract expires at the end of February.
• Internet. NZLSAR is now joining the big world of information and looking to put the SAR manual and other information on the Internet. The organisation has an email address and is keen on building a comprehensive "address book" of similarly equipped people. The address is tristram.nzlsar@xtra.co.nz Feel free to drop me a line, its good to hear from people and I need the practice.
• The VHF Strategy and Equipment papers are available upon request. These give the reasons for the changes to the ES Band and give a list of preferred equipment to buy for those groups contemplating purchasing their own radios.
• Charitable Status attainment, GST Registration. There are a number of issues surrounding these two topics. Also guidance has been requested on the procedure for joint payment by the NZLSAR Committee and some other group. On the Friday evening a meeting with the Auditor was arranged to try and iron out these problems. From the notes taken, the Committee has tasked the NFO to write a procedure/guidelines paper for these items.
• SAREX Training. With the Police reorganisation enlarging some Districts, the General Instructions which require each District to hold an annual SAREX, if taken literally are not sensible. This and what SAREX’s should be achieving were discussed.
• PolSAR Radio Distribution. The Committee resolved that the Chairman write to the Commissioner of Police to expedite the distribution of the radios.
• Annual SAR Statistics. Tony on behalf of the Police, tabled the annual SAR statistics. This is in a booklet form and you can ask your SAR Sergeant for a look or write to the NFO for a copy. A point raised was that for each operation the Police submit to HQ a form called a P130. This gathers all the bureaucratic information required to produce the annual statistics. On the back of this form is a section for the Adviser to make comment. How many Advisers know this and how many fill it in? If you are an Adviser and involved in an operation, ask to see the form, make comment if you think warranted and sign it.
• 1997 Meeting Timetable. With a change of date to the meeting in the middle of the year by moving it forward a week, the suggested timetable was approved. The first Committee meeting is on the 15 March, the AGM and Committee meeting will be held on the 16 August and the last meeting for the year will be held on the 8 November. Also, due to the escalating cost of the facilities at the Airport, the NFO has been charged with investigating alternative venues. Despite having SAR meetings at the airport for probably twenty plus years, and notwithstanding it being incredibly convenient to walk off the plane and into a meeting and then journey home straight afterwards, the Committee felt the prices are now unreasonable.

John P Tristram
National Field Officer.

Since early 1995 NZLSAR has been involved with this review. Class i and ii Land Search and Rescue is seen as a Police emergency function and our contribution receives a very positive statement on page 48 of the Report. NZLSAR has corresponded with the review team and attended two briefing sessions as their work progressed. Here is a overview of the greater picture as seen by Inspector Tony McLeod as Police Emergency Management Coordinator

Over the past few years there have been a variety of inquiries and reports into the ability of New Zealand to respond to emergencies and disasters. These have culminated in 1995 with the Report Of The Emergency Services Review Task Force chaired by Sir Somerford Teagle, and the commissioning in June 1995 of Mr Ian McLean to undertake a review of disaster recovery capability, particularly relating to the private sector. In March 1996 the Controller and Auditor-General reported to Parliament on "Funding the Restoration of Essential Community Services Following Natural Disasters."

Cabinet has directed an officials group (made up of representatives from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Treasury, State Services and Internal Affairs) to work through the various reports and make recommendations to Government concerning the future of emergency management.

In December 1995 Cabinet "agreed in principle to the need for coordination of emergency services policy, purchase and audit functions." There followed a period of intense consultation with key stakeholders (Police, New Zealand Defence Forces, Civil Defence, Fire Service, Ambulance Board and Local Government New Zealand) which resulted, in September 1996, in Cabinet accepting a number of principles to be the basis of an overarching emergency management framework and responsibility for certain activities as core business of Government. Cabinet then directed Internal Affairs in conjunction with the Officials Committee to report back by February 1997 for decision on a variety of matters relating to a proposed Ministry (including functions and location) to replace the Ministry of Civil Defence and a transition plan for the move from one to the other. Internal Affairs was further directed to consult with local government and first tier emergency service providers on the development of an Emergency Management Group model as the means of implementing the agreed principles at the local level.

The agreed principles are:

• all hazards
• comprehensive emergency management
• integrated emergency management systems
• structures underpinned with technical information and expertise
• recognition and involvement of volunteer organisations
• declarations made at most appropriate level of government by elected representatives
• individual and community responsibility and self-reliance
• owner of property responsible for its reconstruction
• routine events and emergencies best handled at local level wherever possible

The "all hazards approach" requires the active identification of all hazards, whether natural or human caused, existing now or in the future, having or potentially having a disruptive impact on the community. Concern is with the actual or potential impact of an emergency event, not the cause.

Comprehensive Emergency Management is the term used to refer to the internationally accepted view that emergency management involves four phases:

The principle of Integrated Emergency Management at the local level reflects the need for a partnership of local agencies to share resources, information, skills and technology. It allows the management of emergencies of any size and cause through integration between services (horizontal integration) and between levels of government (vertical integration). In this context "emergency" may be defined as "events having physical, social or economic impact causing significant disruption for the community and which as a result requires coordination of delivery of routine first tier services." Individual emergency services will still deal with routine incidents and accidents.

The proposed Ministry (or some other government entity) may provide overarching strategic policy advice to Government, oversee and coordinate sector purchase arrangements and auditing and have a limited operational role to coordinate second tier resources with additional national powers and resources if required for third tier disasters.

Considerable work still has to be done to finalise the concept of Emergency Management Groups. In some ways these will be a formalised and combined version of existing committees (such as Emergency Services Coordinating Committees, First Impact Committees, Hazardous Substances Technical Liaison Committees etc). Questions that need to be answered are:

• what will the physical boundaries of the EMGs be? (clusters of Territorial Local Authorities; existing boundaries of other agencies?)
• what will their membership be and how will members be held accountable?
• what is their role?
• how will they be serviced and funded?
• who will chair them and who will an EMG be ultimately responsible to?

It is intended to address these issues at a briefing for senior officials from the Emergency Services and elected representatives of TLAs in Wellington on 12 December 1996 followed by local workshops around the country early in the New Year and a report with recommendations to Government by mid-1997.

Implications for Police/SAR

How will the EMG geographic boundaries fit with the Police Structures Project?

These matters are consistent with the COP philosophy of Police being accountable to their communities.

Who will be "in charge" at incidents?

Will it change from the current informal agreements?

These matters will be addressed in general at the meeting on 12 December 1996 (to which all Region and District Commanders will be invited, along with some Police National Headquarters staff) and in detail at the workshops held throughout the country in early 1997.

Tony McLeod
Emergency Management Coordinator
Police National Headquarters