Pennsylvania Search and Rescue Council

MINUTES OF REGULAR SPRING QUARTER MEETING

March 31, 1990

The regular Spring quarter meeting of the Pennsylvania Search and Rescue Council was convened at 1024 hours on Saturday, March 31, 1990 at the State Fire Academy. Dr. Keith Connover agreed to take minutes at the remaining meetings of PSARC this year.

The minutes of the previous meeting were approved as published. The Treasurer's report was read into the record and is on file. Dues reminders will be mailed to those who have not yet paid their 1990 dues.

The Legislative Committee's report was read by President Lichtenstein on behalf of Chairman Ron Wisbith. Conversations are continuing with the staff of Representative veon concerning the proposed bill and a meeting is again to be attempted. The proposed dates are during the last week in April or the second week in May. Discussion followed. The actions taken by members of the Council, specifically the DER, and other organizations (PEMA, State Fire Academy), etc.         have reduced the projected budget impact of the bill to almost nil. One major cost factor, training, has been essentially reduced to zero as the Fire Academy accepts the initial training courses formerly taught by the DER as Academy local level courses. When instructors are qualified to teach Managing Search Operations, Search First Responder, and Grid Search I and II, these courses will be available at the local level through county and regional fire academies. Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue, in conjunction with Penn State, MCFTA, and MCCC, recently completed the first offering of MSO at the local level under State Fire Academy auspices. Other activities, such as data collection, resource surveys, planning, are already under way.

Dr. Keith Connover reported that the wilderness EMT program had moved from the pilot stage to a regular program with offerings in March and November each year. Discussions of the effects of medical command practices across the state followed. It was noted that ASTM F30 standards call for BLS personnel to be supervised by a command physician. This physician should be based in their "home" area and his (or the "home" regional EMS council's) standing orders should prevail. Liaison with PaEHSC will be restablished through Dr. Connover.

Members were reminded to monitor the actions of ASTM F30 (EMS) and F32 (Search and Rescue), particularly since the volunteer community has limited participation due to resource constraints.

Training was discussed and the following open sessions were noted:

NCRC Cave Rescue Orientation: Allentown, April 21,22 (Rick Fogel 412-793-5104)     W. Va.,               May 12,13 Lewistown June, 19,20 Lewistown Aug., 23,24

Potomac 50K Walk      Wash., DC April 27-29 (SMRG/ASRC)

A multi-agency simulation will be held on October 28, 1990 under PSARC auspices.               The tentative schedule is for Saturday, the 27th to be travel day with a briefing that night.      The simulation is to commence not later than 0800 on Sunday and end approximately 2 hours before sundown to allow for debriefing and packing up in daylight. A site in the south central tier will be selected in the near future. Participants must indicate their attendance NOT LATER THAN October 1 by contacting GPSR.

An ad hoc committee was formed to negotiate with the various aeromedical transportation units that maintain 800 telephone numbers to provide referral (not dispatch) services based upon the PSARC resource survey to local responsible authorities in need of SAR resources and/or planning assistance. Actual dispatch will remain each member organization's responsibility. This will insure that the chain of authority is directly from the LRA to the SAR unit responding to the call.               An agreement should be available for discussion and ratification by the next meeting.

The Council adjourned until the next regular meeting, June 30, 1990.