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GROUND SAR

Junior Forest Wardens participate in Red Deer's SAR Day and mock search

THE CAR OF A 20-YEAR OLD FEMALE HAS BEEN FOUND, BUT SHE HAS NOT RETURNED FROM BIRD WATCHING. ALTHOUGH SHE TIED FLAGGING TO TREES TO FIND HER WAY OUT, IT APPEARS SHE HAS SPENT THE NIGHT IN THE WOODS.

After learning about safety in the woods and the Hug-a-Tree program, the Junior Forest Wardens, aged four to 17, some of their parents and group leaders, set off on a mock search for the missing 20-year old woman.

Split into teams of four children plus parents and an RDSAR mentor, each team was given a briefing and assigned a search area by the Jr. Warden overhead team. The RDSAR mentor gave each team an overview of clue identification, critical spacing (the distance one can see an object between two searchers) and radio training.

Approximately two and a half hours later when teams had found all but one clue, they heard a return whistle blast from the missing woman. A "live find" was made.

Ian and Jim Hunter explain tin foil footprints and track identification to the participants.

The Junior Forest Warden program is designed to develop awareness, appreciation and responsible use of the environment. With the safety program and mock search in which they participated, the Junior Forest Wardens are well on their way to obtaining their Woods Travel and Leadership badges.

This was the second such event and both the Junior Forest Wardens of Central Alberta and the Red Deer SAR team hope to continue with this presentation-style event that promotes safety in a fun and educational environment.

Led by instructor Pat Irwin and co-instructors Ian Hunter and Jim Hunter, more than 60 Junior Forest Wardens from Central Alberta joined members of the Red Deer Search and Rescue (RDSAR) team to participate in a Hug-a-Tree/Lost in the Woods program and a mock search for a missing person on May 1, 2005.

An instructor of the Hug-a-Tree/Lost in the Woods program for more than eight years, and a ground searcher for ten years, Ms. Irwin says it is a very worthwhile and viable program.

"The Junior Wardens told me it was 'fun,' 'fantastic' and wanted to know when they could do it again," she said. "And many of them said they skills they learned from Hug-a-Tree could be used in other activities."

Ms. Irwin, along with Ian and Jim, has taught this program to just under 900 grade three children in Central Alberta schools. Ian and Jim have been enthusiastically assisting her with the program in Red Deer for several years, with each of them taking a portion of the program to present.

"We all feel that it is an important safety program that can be used by any child not only in the woods but in the town/city as well," said Ms. Irwin.

Each child in the program receives a survival pack that includes an orange garbage bag, a granola bar, a whistle, a list of safety points and a homework sheet for the parents.

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