NZLSAR News

A wide range of issues have been addressed and good progress has been achieved on all fronts. The external audit undertaken by Dr. Anthony Jones has confirmed our direction and has identified a number of issues for the committee to follow up over the next year or so. The process of getting Tony around the country was a major operation conducted with military precision by John Tristram. All in all it went very smoothly and by the end of the exercise Tony had visited all regions, talked with all but one of the National Committee and met with a large number of members throughout the country. Our thanks must be extended to all those who assisted with travel and accommodation as without this support Tony’s visit could not have been as wide ranging and detailed.

At the time of writing we have just been advised of our funding levels from the Police and I am pleased to report that there has been an increase in funding of just under 20%. This is very welcome and will be of real assistance to our training programme. The funding issue is one that seems to become quite an emotional issue in some areas and is continually being addressed by the National Committee. Considering the very tight constraints on the funding dollar, it must be recognised that this funding doesn’t come easily and it will only continue if NZLSAR can demonstrate high levels of performance throughout the country.

The other significant event with national significance has been the introduction of the Police Review and its implications for SAR. Many hours of work have been spent preparing submissions to the Review panel at National level and the Committee is currently preparing for further discussions with the Police to identify issues that should be addressed in terms of the Review and SAR in general.

Many conflicting statements have been floated in the media and this has caused concern and confusion in areas around the country. This situation will probably continue for sometime but members of NZLSAR should not become too alarmed at unsubstantiated reports. If you have concerns contact John Tristram and he should be able to comment on the truth or not of any rumours that may be circulating.

Its good to see the continuing improvement of our teams throughout the country as they undertake Track & Clue Awareness and other courses. The exercise Gisborne members carried out in part of their rugged East Coast country and reported in the October NZLSAR News is an excellent example of how good planning and an understanding of the problem can achieve results, even after a person has been missing for several months. It also confirms that in most cases the skills are generally well known and understood, they just need to be channelled effectively to achieve the best results.

In the equipment sphere we have achieved the deployment of the first of the new VHF handheld transceivers. These are proving to be an excellent purchase and should fit in well with future developments as they come on stream. Following on the heels of the radios are a number of repeaters which will complement the radios and give extended coverage. The initiative to purchase this equipment has been generated by the members of the Communications Sub Committee and this is a good time to acknowledge the efforts of this group, as they do a lot of work behind the scenes. It is not until you see the finished product that you start to realise what they have achieved.

With the new millennium 12 months away and the possible results of all the Y2K problems we should be looking to consolidate our position in the coming year and achieving our goals as we head into the new century.

No doubt many of our members will be called upon for the usual range of problems that occur over the coming holiday period, so on behalf of the NFO and the National Committee I would like to wish everyone well for the Christmas break, have an enjoyable holiday and look forward to a bright and prosperous new year.

Graham Thorp
Chairman NZLSAR.

Four or five SARbods at a time, are taken to the front line, told they can walk up and down, but cannot step over it, or go around the sides. They then have exactly five minutes to note every "foreign" object they can see within the rectangle. Don't allow talking, pointing, or comparison of notes. The "Walk Through" course needs a slightly bigger bit of bush but there is no need to mark outer boundaries. A well defined track through the area is needed however, the length being based on a slow walk of about 5 or 6 minutes. 15 to 20 objects are placed along the route and should be kept within about 20 metres of the track. This time participants are taken through individually by an instructor who keeps a tally of the number of objects pointed out to him. No need to write them down. The instructor must adjust the pace to complete the course within the allotted time. Be sure to take your trainees back over the courses and show them where things are, before going home.

An interesting variation for smart alecs, is to walk people through a course after telling them they must memorise the objects seen. When they reach the end ask them to sketch a map of the area and mark the location of what has been observed. Remember the Generation Game?

Try it yourself!

The actual success rate achieved obviously depends on how difficult a particular exercise is, but when people fail to notice bright blue track pants hanging from a bush about 20 metres away and cannot see brightly coloured pins stuck in a branch within centimetres of their face, there is reason for concern and we are making a big effort to improve our skills. Average scores for the courses we have set up so far, are running at about 33 percent for first timers. Hopefully with practice this figure will improve!

Remember that these figures are from people who are really concentrating and for a very short period of time. Is anyone game to suggest a success rating for a team of four who have been battling the elements for several hours? This can be a very humbling experience for those of us who like to think we are clue savvy, but it is a challenge and has proven popular with the troops. Try it!

Dave Saunders
Adviser Canterbury District

My arrival in Auckland was on a wet and dark morning in July. Roscoe Tait collected me after Customs had cleaned my climbing boots. I do not think that they liked Welsh mud. After a short tour of Auckland we drove down to Hamilton to meet Barry Were and then continued down to Sika Lodge to attend a Track and Clue Awareness course run by Ross Gordon. The last time I had seen Ross was in the States where we argued about Search Management. It was still raining. The flight from the States had been long so I fled to bed at an early hour and slept with a clear conscience. Sometime in the dark hours of the night John and Pat T. arrived.

In the morning it was still raining. Despite the weather, the participants demonstrated a tremendous enthusiasm for the material that was being presented. I was alarmed to experience the soggy bounce of the saturated pumice road outside the Lodge. In the afternoon the rain continued but John and Pat took me for a short walk in the bush - more like dripping jungle. I expected a Troll to jump out from behind a tree.

We left Sika Lodge on Sunday morning to make our way to Turangi by devious routes and scenic places. John, Pat and I stayed with Roger and Marg Bates. I had not seen Roger since the early 60s when he was at Plas y Brenin (North Wales). The sun did come out during the day. From Turangi we drove south on State Highway 1 to Wellington. Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe were looking temptingly magnificent.

In Wellington John kept me busy in the Office reading papers and making notes for the Audit Report. It seemed like a case of nine to five with hardly a break for frivolities, but the work progressed and I had the pleasure of meeting more people involved in SAR. There was a strong additional pleasure in learning how another country worked for SAR.

On Friday 17th John and I flew down to Christchurch where we joined up again with Barry Were and Roscoe Tait. They were presenting a SAR Advisers Standards Workshop. By way of a diversion a group of us went out for a pint or two and a meal. The first Pub we went to only served beer in delicate little glasses. What is more, they gave you a clean glass with each order. We nearly got thrown out when I asked for a proper PINT. The Barman did not like my response to his statement that they only served half pints. The question was posed - Is this a women’s pub?

It was another effective course and I did manage to see just a little of Christchurch and the northern rim of the old crater. Early on Monday morning I was dropped at Christchurch Station to catch the train to Dunedin. I have a perverse delight in train travel. It is so much more elegant than aeroplanes or should be. The weather improved steadily as we travelled south.

I was collected by Roger Barrowclough. The last time Roger and I had been together was in 1982 or 3 in Natal, South Africa. We were both speaking at a mountain rescue conference. Roger, a lawyer, is a responsible, upstanding member of the community, so I was led to believe. There were many people to meet and much discussion to be had on all aspects of SAR in Dunedin but Roger had the decency to take me out for an afternoon walk. Ivan McLachlan accompanied us to look after Roger. It was a beautiful afternoon of sunshine and a cool breeze as we wandered over Flagstaff.

From Dunedin I was taken up to Queenstown so see more of the country and meet more people involved in SAR. It rained all the way to Queenstown. From the aspect of the Audit it was a most useful visit, but one has to relax occasionally. I had asked Roger to show me the original bungy jump site on the Kawarau Gorge. I had given specific instructions that if I showed any inclination to try a bungy jump then Roger was to rush me away. Instead he found out that a bungy jump was free for people over 60 and I was three days past my 60th birthday. All was lost and with magnificent insanity I did a bungy jump. It was absolutely magical though it required a great deal of Roger’s medicine (whisky) to bring me back to earth. The visit to Queenstown was completed with a flight over the mountains and around Mt. Aspiring. What wonderful mountains, once one gets above the tree line.

The return to Wellington on Friday 24th was uneventful apart, from nearly getting on the wrong flight at Christchurch. We visited a Search Team Leaders course being run by Ross Gordon and attended the AGM of Region 3 in Palmerston North.

On the Monday morning I was collected by Ross Gordon for a few days of varied activities not too much related to the Audit. There had been talk of flying into Boyds, wherever that is, from Taihape. When the pilot described the conditions as boisterous I was more than happy not to fly in one of those small things. We walked up to Rangiwahia Hut in the Ruahine Ranges to spend the night at the edge of the tussock country. There was a glorious sunset next to Taranaki and a wonderful sunrise on Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe. We moved up to Taupo to fester in a hot pool before drinking some beer. We went for a trip in a boat on Lake Taupo. Fortunately it was mercifully flat, if over full due to the recent persistent rains. Fishing we did and caught a couple of monster trout which were fabulous eating. We even did a little clay pigeon shooting off the back, that is the stern of the boat. The photographs seem to suggest that we had to shoot the fish to subdue it. More people to meet, more discussion to be had and more sights to see. There was so much water coming over the Huka Falls that they looked like an over-steep rapid rather than a true waterfall.

On Friday 31st I was dropped back with Roger and Marg Bates in Turangi. John and Pat T. were coming up for the weekend. We had hopes of a walk to the crater rim on Ruapehu. There were wonderful descriptions of what I should have seen but it was all a very consistent grey with snow, sleet and rain. Whatever, it was fun to be out. From Turangi, John, Pat and I drove down to Taihape and across to Napier to stay with Graham Thorp. I was able to present the preliminary draft and comments from the Audit report.

We returned to Lower Hutt on Monday 3rd August. It required another day and a half to complete the Audit Report. Once completed I was able to do some sight seeing around Wellington. A fresh gale added zest to the walk about.

The time had arrived to start the homeward journey. I caught the train in Wellington for the trip to Hamilton. It was wet and still raining. Unfortunately a derailment meant that we could not descend the Spiral. Due to effective planning John and I arrived in Hamilton at the same time, he at the airport and me at the station. In Hamilton I stayed with Barry Were and his family. I observed a Field Controllers Workshop and took a short lunch-time cruise on the Waikato.

I departed New Zealand on Sunday 9th August and sorry I was to be going away. What John and Pat had told me proved to be true. It is a wondrous country with superb hospitality. I must admit that I have yet to be convinced that the jungle (bush) is great walking. It is too enclosed for me and one tree looks much like another. I am more at home in open spaces. Just possibly, there is something to be said for Roger’s comment that I had the trip all wrong. I should have spent one day in the north and all the rest of the time in the south.

I found NZ Land SAR to be in good health with vigorous debates and a steady eye on the future. The country is fortunate to have such an Organisation. To all who gave me hospitality, to all who endured my questions and comments, to those that led me astray my grateful thanks. I think (hope) that I have written all the appropriate letters of thanks. It was truly a magnificent trip. By the way, I shall be back, if I am allowed, for another bungy jump.

Dr Anthony Jones
MBE, Bsc, PhD.
Bangor. Wales

And then I remembered, remembered the hand made, hand printed card that had come in the mail last year. It was a simple square of cardboard with a child’s drawing of five people sitting under a fern bivouac. Printed in a child’s shaky hand were the words.... THANK YOU FOR FINDING US. LOVE KATE. (Katie was five at the time she was found).

Then I realised why I do it.

John Walsh
Adviser
Auckland District

UP/DOWN CHANNEL BUTTONS (3) are used to change to a channel as shown in the frequency locations chart. The channel number and channel description will show in the display.

• PTT (push to talk)(2) Press this before you are about to send your message and release to receive. The red transit light (8) will light while you are transmitting.

• PROGRAMMABLE BUTTONS (4) are used for the following:
• Mute over-ride

When this button is pressed and held down the mute is over ridden and noise will radiate from the speaker. This function is used to listen for very weak stations which will not open or hold open the mute. A BUSY sign will show in the display.

When this button is pressed for more than one second a KEY symbol will be displayed in the display and the keyboard will be locked i.e. front panel push buttons will not function when pressed.

To unlock press and hold P0 button for more than one second and the KEY symbol will disappear.

P1 high/low power.

Press this button to change the transmit power setting. Press once and LOW will be displayed in the display press again and the LOW disappears.

The ICOM F3 has two banks of sixteen channels. The first bank has the channels required for NZLSAR. The second bank can be programmed by your local ICOM agent to whatever other channels you require.

Press this button once swap to the other bank; press again to swap back.