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<big><big>'''Welcome New and Prospective Members!'''</big></big>
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The following is a list of five pages of info regarding the
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basics of we at PCSAR operate. Hard copy is available and found in
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the membership binder which is at the regular meetings.
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We're very glad you want to be part of Pincher Creek Search and Rescue.
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== Page 1 ==
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This page provides our package of information for people who want to or have just joined Search and Rescue in the Pincher Creek area.
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NEW MEMBERS
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A paper copy of this information can be found in
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Please read this information package. In it you will find
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the personnel binder which is at the [[calendar|regular meetings]].
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* Welcome and basic information
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You can print out copies for yourself or new packages for others
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* Fitness and Well Being Policy
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from [[New Member Package|the individual documents]].
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* Public Relations Policy
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* Personnel Record
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* Resource Checklist
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* Expense Invoice
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Whether you've already decided to join, or just want to check us out,
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Fill out the Personnel Record and the Resource Checklist and
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please come out to our next regular training night. These are the first Tuesday of every month at 19:00 (7pm) at the Pincher Creek fire hall.
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return them to Dave Scott, Membership Co-ordinator. Or, file them in
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the membership binder in the alphabetical section according to your
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last name.
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== Recruitment brochure ==
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The binder is usually available at all meetings for you to enter
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any changes to your personal information as well as your recent
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participation. Participation involves any SAR event, whether a
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meeting, course, mock search, actual search, barbeque, etc. Fill it
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in with the date of the activity on your Personnel Record sheet.
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Keeping this current is YOUR responsibility. That info is then
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entered into the main database which generates all kinds of
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material for us.
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The first thing you may encounter is our recruitment brochure.
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The Expense Invoice is what you will return to the treasurer for
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You can print it out from [[Media:PCSAR Doc-108 Recruitment Brochure.pdf|this PDF link]].
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financial re-imbursement after an actual search. These forms are
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available from the Command Post overhead team when you leave a
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search or attend the search debriefing. Remember to ask for
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one.
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[[Image:PCSAR Doc-108 Recruitment Brochure.pdf|page=1|900px]]
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== Page 2 ==
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[[Image:PCSAR Doc-108 Recruitment Brochure.pdf|page=2|900px]]
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Welcome to Pincher Creek SAR.
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== Overview ==
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Meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month. The
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executive meets at 6:00 pm and the general meeting and training
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session is held at 7:00 pm. You are welcome to attend both.
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[[Image:PCSAR Doc-113 New Member Package.pdf|page=1|1000px]]
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Attendance sheets (Personnel Record) are kept by Dave Scott.
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Please complete the one in this package. This is kept up to date BY
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YOU so that we know what your current training is and the
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experience that you have. This information is used to put your name
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on the call out sheet in the proper category of "emergency",
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"resource", etc. For every meeting, search call-out, or other SAR
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activity that you attend, enter it and the date of that
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participation on your page so that we can keep the records of your
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involvement current. It is your responsibility to do this. These
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records of involvement (without your name attached) also become
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part of the ongoing statistics of "man hours" volunteered in SAR.
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The more of these represented, the more we are valued and the
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easier it is to secure funding from the province.
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== Basic information ==
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The ready pack is the most essential part of all our equipment.
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Following is a list of the basics that should be included in your
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pack. Of course, variations are made according to the individuals
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training and needs;
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[[Image:PCSAR Doc-113 New Member Package.pdf|page=2|1000px]]
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* Compass (maps provided)
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* First aid kit (personal)
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* Matches and butane lighter
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* Candle
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* Headlamp and spare battery
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* Flashlight and spare battery
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** (Two sources of light is a must, three is preferred!)
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* Pen, pencil, and note pad
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* Repair kit - duct tape, wire, fishing line, etc.
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* Knife
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* Whistle
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* Binoculars
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* Water bottle - full
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* Emergency bivouac (shelter)
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* Emergency food
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* power bars candies etc.
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* Weather gear - clothing (rain coat, hat, winter cloths, etc.)
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* Disposable camera (optional)
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* Zip lock baggies
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[[Image:PCSAR Doc-113 New Member Package.pdf|page=3|1000px]]
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This is just a basic list. You can add and subtract as you see
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necessary, just keep in mind that you may need to carry this a long
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way so watch the weight! *Be prepared to stay out for 24 hours and
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remember that the weather can change!
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[[Image:PCSAR Doc-113 New Member Package.pdf|page=4|1000px]]
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Call outs are what we prepare for. Generally, the way that it
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happens is: A "tasking agency" ( the RCMP, fire department, etc.)
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will contact us and the callout sheets are used to contact members
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according to the type of search required (example; snowmobiles,
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horses, foot search, etc.); volunteers are also needed in a number
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of logistical support functions. These calls can come at any time
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and usually give you about 1 hour notice, so try to have your ready
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pack and "stuff" prepared at all times. This mainly means keeping
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track of what you are carrying and change it according to the
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season we are in (example: snow mitts versus sun screen). One more
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thing to keep in mind when you are called out is that
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CONFIDENTIALITY IS A MUST right from the initial callout. When
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working with the RCMP you are on their team and you will become
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privy to information that you must not share as it may hinder their
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investigation. When called, be prepared to know very little. You
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will be told where we are all meeting, where you are headed
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(general), and possibly a bit about the situation (example: child
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missing). At the meeting place, we typically have a briefing. Here
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you will find out where we are going and what we will be required
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to do.
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Training is scheduled throughout the year with the regular
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monthly meeting being primarily a training session of some nature.
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Russell Bruder is our training co-ordinator and usually gives us
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about 2 months notice of any special course training. The training
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announcements will be passed on to you by your monthly fan-out
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contact person and are also now available on our website
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pcsar.webhop.org. Once at the website find your way to, and click
 +
on, “wiki” then, “Calendar”. Usually a
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contact number will accompany that info so you can register for the
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course. But the best source of information will come through
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meeting attendance.
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Participation is what makes this group work. We realize that not
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everyone can attend everything but we feel it is important to make
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an effort to keep up to date with what is happening in the group.
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If you have any questions, feel free to call our board members,
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listed on the website above.
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== Training for New Members ==
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Once again, we would like to welcome you to Pincher Creek SAR.
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{{:Training/New Members}}
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By belonging to this group, you will be providing a service to the
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== Fitness and Well-Being Policy ==
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community that is extremely valuable. In the event of a search,
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most people do not realize how important the volunteers are.
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[[Image:PCSAR Doc-114 Fitness and Well-Being Policy.pdf|page=1|1000px]]
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== Page 3 ==
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== Media Policy ==
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===How To Contribute===
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Pincher Creek SAR is very appreciative of the ways you support
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the organization. We try to make it easy for you to contribute to
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the degree that you feel comfortable. This document is a summary of
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the ways you can be involved in Pincher SAR. The details are in the
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policies adopted by the organization. You can get a copy of those
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policies by asking any board member. To maintain your basic
 +
membership (associate membership), you must be involved in one
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activity of any nature, in support of Pincher SAR at least once a
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year. That could be a meeting, a search, a training exercise, a
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course, a task or anything else like that. General meetings are
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held the first Tuesday of every month at 19:00 (7:00 pm) for a few
 +
minutes before the training. To be able to vote at general
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meetings, you need to have attended two general meetings in the
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last 12 months. Voting membership is approved, usually
 +
automatically, by the board. Elections for the board are held in
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October. Any voting member can run and is highly encouraged. To be
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called for a search, you need to maintain your SAR Fundamentals
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certification. The certification course is held over 2 weekends
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once a year. You can also attend a course outside of Pincher Creek.
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To maintain your certification, you need to participate in two
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searches or mock searches every year. In order to be called about
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training activities or be called for a search you must keep your
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contact information up to date with the Membership Coordinator.
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Your contact, as well as other types of information, is in the
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Membership binder which is available at meetings. Always keep that
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info up to date. If you don't have an answering system, you may
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miss some messages. Regular monthly information is commonly
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circulated via email. Be sure to include that address if you have
 +
one. There are many things we do to keep the organization able to
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do its work in the field. If you feel interested in any of these
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areas, your help will be appreciated. Let any board member know,
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and they can help you get involved.
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[[Image:PCSAR Doc-115 Media Policy.pdf|page=1|1000px]]
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* Emergency phoning
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* Non-emergency phoning, informing our members
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* Board meetings
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* Working at the command post
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* Secretarial work
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* Treasurer's work
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* Auditing books
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* Fund Raising
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* Organizing or helping with training
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* Teaching our members in some subject area
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* Teaching prevention in schools
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* Organizing social activities
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* Coordinating care and purchase of equipment
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* Preparing plans for various emergency scenarios
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== Public Relations Policy ==
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==Page 4==
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[[Image:PCSAR Doc-116 Public Relations Policy.pdf|page=1|1000px]]
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=== FITNESS AND WELL BEING POLICY ===
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In a search who is most important?
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* 1 - You
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* 2 - Your Team
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* 3 - Potential Survivor
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== Expense Form ==
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Things you must consider before becoming involved in a search:
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You can print the pdf expense form [[Media:Doc-068-invoice.pdf|here]].
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# Today, am I physically capable of going into the field and searching? You do not want to jeopardize your own safety or your teams' safety. If there is any doubt, do not go into the field.
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# Today, am I mentally capable to be a searcher? If your mind is clogged with something else (trouble at work, home, run down by sickness, or lack of sleep), do you think you could effectively search? Do you thing you could effectively work the IC?
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== Criminal Record Check Request form ==
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"Your team is only as strong as its weakest member"
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You can print the pdf form to request a Criminal Record Check Request from one of these links
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* [[Media:Members:Doc-123-criminal-record-check-request-signed.pdf|already signed]]
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* [[Media:Members:Doc-123-criminal-record-check-request.pdf|not yet signed]] ([[PCSAR Doc-123 Criminal Record Check Request|Doc-123]])
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If the date on the pre-signed form is more than 6 months old, it might not be accepted.
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=== MEDIA POLICY ===
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Better to print out the unsigned form and get it signed
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by a member of the board, the membership committee or the Administrator
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before you take it to the RCMP.
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== Personnel Record ==
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Things to remember:
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You can print the pdf personnel record form
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# Be aware of your environment. You do not always know who is around you (media, family, and friends of potential survivor).
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[[Media:PCSAR Doc-112 Personnel Record.pdf|here]].
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# Voices carry farther thank you think, and when using a radio remember that everyone is listening.
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== Recruitment Tactics Questionnaire ==
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# No one speaks to the media, unless instructed by the SAR Manager or a RCMP Officer.
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{{:PCSAR Doc-128 Recruitment Tactics Questionnaire/Form}}
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# There will be a media liaison setup by the SAR Management group.
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== Policy ==
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# You may be asked by SAR Management to help the media, and there will be instructions on what to do.
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The formal membership policy is available [[Policies/Membership|here]].
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# Be careful whom you talk to, an innocent question by someone could turn into a harmful quote in the local paper, television, or on the radio.
 +
 
 +
We are professional volunteers, so we must act professional.
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Saying or doing something stupid or silly in the relative security
 +
(term used loosely) of base camp can go very wrong!
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 +
== Page 5 ==
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 +
=== Public Relations Policy ===
 +
 
 +
Pincher Creek SAR adopted August 2001
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 +
 
 +
Our Search and Rescue
 +
group deals with situations where people's lives can hang in the
 +
balance.
 +
 
 +
The group must strive for the very best relationship with
 +
the public and the organizations with which it deals. We cannot
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afford to have individuals or organizations hesitate to call upon
 +
us or to work with us in resolving an emergency.
 +
 
 +
For this reason,
 +
we do not take sides on any controversy in the community. Our SAR
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group holds no opinion on matters outside of Search and Rescue and
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the Civil Emergency Response. We welcome members regardless of
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their apparent alignment to any faction or clique; we judge them
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solely on their contributions to the Search and Rescue effort.
 +
 
 +
Our
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group is judged not only by its formal organizational face, but by
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the actions of its members. Whenever we wear the Search and Rescue
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name, whether on a coat or hat or on our vehicle, whenever we say
 +
we are Search and Rescue volunteers, we are associating ourselves
 +
with Search and Rescue and our actions will reflect on the SAR
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group. At these times we should
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* be prepared to help out in any emergency within the limits of our training and ability,
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* be respectful of others, and,
 +
* if offering an opinion, clearly distinguish when we are reflecting the policies of the SAR group and when we are expressing our own views.
 +
 
 +
When we work or
 +
train for emergencies, we inevitably build relationships with
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people in positions of authority. As SAR volunteers we respect the
 +
privilege of having these relationships and only request special
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treatment when needed to deal with emergencies, training and
 +
education.
 +
 
 +
As volunteers, we put a lot of time, effort, and soul
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into Search and Rescue. It is often tempting to seek out the
 +
appreciation of the community by making it clear how much we
 +
individually have contributed -- by saying in effect "look at me,
 +
look at what I have done." However, it is largely impossible to put
 +
ourselves forward without some people seeing it as self-promoting.
 +
So this we are asked to give up for the benefit of the SAR group.
 +
 
 +
At times we will feel under appreciated. The thanks we receive,
 +
although welcome will be infrequent and from some sources
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altogether missing. This too we are asked to suffer quietly.
 +
 
 +
We
 +
give up the desire for special recognition and treat our role in
 +
Search and Rescue with reverence. We willingly do so in order to
 +
have the very best relationship with the public and other
 +
organizations with which we work and on which we rely in an
 +
emergency.
 +
 
 +
These things we do, that others may live.
 +
 
 +
== Additional pages ==
 +
 
 +
In addition to these pages, a Personnel Record sheet, Resource
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Checklist, and Expense Form are in the hardcopy package.

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