Lieutenant Colonel Joe Abegg
United States Civil Air
Patrol (USCAP)
National Director, Emergency
Services
Lt Col Joe Abegg is the United States Civil Air
Patrol (USCAP) National Director, Emergency
Services. He has been doing SAR for 34 years and
is leading efforts to start a biannual National
SAR Competition in the US. He is the author of the
USCAP National Emergency Operation Plan and
he oversees the three USCAP Crisis Coordination
Centers located in Arkansas, Alabama, and Utah.
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Murray Ames
Campbell River Search & Rescue Society, B.C.
Has over 15 years as a volunteer with CRSAR and holds a SAR Manager and Rope Rescue Team Leader position. Works as an electrician
at the Campbell River Airport and as a firefighter. Has worked as a SAR Manager on about 200 SAR operations and as Project Manager
for 3 NIF programs.
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Mario Aubin
Chief Instructor, Nunavik Arctic Survival Training Center
Mario Aubin is Chief Instructor at Nunavik Arctic Survival Training Center. For twenty-six years, he served in the Canadian Forces leading
search and rescue expeditions and training senior Canadian Forces and RCMP officials in Arctic survival. He is an advanced scuba diver
and skydiver and member of the Nunarescue squad.
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Bob Ayres
Rescue Specialist Coordinator, Canadian Coast Guard –
Pacific
Bob works for the Canadian Coast Guard, Search and Rescue (SAR) and is responsible for the Pacific Region's Rescue Specialist program,
which trains selected personnel from Coast Guard vessels as Rescue Specialists. Bob began his career with the Coast Guard in 1982 and
has been involved with SAR training since 1989.
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Major Murali P V Bhaskaran
Royal Malaysian Air Force
Major Murali P V Bhaskaran is an Air Traffic Controller from the Royal Malaysian Air Force. He has been actively involved
in Search and Rescue since 1999 and has vast experience in bi-lateral exercises with Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei, Philippines
and Singapore. He was a Joint Operation Commander for the Tsunami Operation in 1994 in Subang Base, Kuala Lumpur under the World
Food Programme.
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Harry Blackmore
President, Newfoundland and Labrador SAR Association, SAR Volunteer Association of Canada and the Recreation Boating Council
A retired professional fire captain after 32 years in the fire service, Mr. Blackmore has been involved in search and rescue for the past
36 years. He is President of Newfoundland and Labrador SAR Association, SAR Volunteer Association of Canada and the Recreation Boating
Council. He received SAR Certificates of Achievement in 1999 and 2004.
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Steve Blake
President, Canadian Avalanche Association
and Canadian Avalanche Centre
Steve Blake is a fully certified Mountain Guide
and the Mountain Safety Specialist for Jasper
National Park. He has been in charge of public
safety for the park for the last five years, winning
awards for rescue work. Steve is also the
President of the Canadian Avalanche Association
and Canadian Avalanche Centre. Steve has a
B.SC. in Geography and Environmental Science
from Trent University and has worked at the
Justice Institute of BC as a Search and Rescue
Instructor Coordinator.
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Don Blakely
Vernon SAR
Mr. Blakely is a former infantry officer and a founding member of SARVAC. A lawyer by profession, he has 20 years experience in SAR
and is currently a SAR Manager with Vernon SAR. A founding member of Fort Nelson SAR and co-developer of B.C.'s Ground SAR Team Leader
Program, Mr. Blakely was B.C.'s 1999 SAR Volunteer of the Year. He was responsible for the creation of the National GSAR Liability
Insurance Program and participated in the development of B.C.'s GSAR training standards.
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Dr André-François Bourbeau
Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
Professor André-François Bourbeau has been
teaching at Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
since 1980 in the area of intervention through
outdoor adventure recreation. He founded the
institution’s Bachelor of outdoor recreation and
adventure tourism and currently serves as head
of his Outdoor Research and Expertise Laboratory.
His fields of research include risk management in
interventions in outdoor adventure recreation and
forest survival.
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Tyler Brand
SAR Training Officer, Canadian Coast Guard – Pacific
Tyler Brand designs and conducts search and rescue training programs for the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary. He specializes
in small vessel operations and navigation for search and rescue. Tyler began his career in the Coast Guard's IRB program in 1987 and
has been training since 1997.
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Neil Brewer
Kent Harrison Search and Rescue
Neil Brewer has been a Search and Rescue volunteer with Kent Harrison Search and Rescue in Agassiz, British Columbia for the past 17
years and recently received the BC SAR 'volunteer of the year' award for 2007. He has been an active SAR manager for 14 years, dealing
with several hundred incidents. As well as multiple successful funding applications, including NIF, Neil also developed the business
plan for the British Columbia volunteer SAR service.
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National Commodore Steven Budar
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
Commodore Steven M. Budar assumed his duties as The National Commodore of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary on 1 November 2006. In his
22 year career he has served in every elected position in the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. He is Chairman and CEO of the
Coast Guard Auxiliary Association Inc., serves on the Board of the Coast Guard Foundation, and The Association for Rescue at Sea.
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Rick Button
Chief, Coordination Division, Office of Search and Rescue
United States Coast Guard, Washington D.C.
Mr. Rick Button is a 22-year veteran of the Coast Guard, having served on several ships throughout the United States. Mr. Button
currently serves as Chief, Coordination Division, Office of Search and Rescue, United States Coast Guard and as Secretary, United
States National SAR Committee.
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Kathy Calvert
Kathy Calvert began climbing at the age of 16 which was invaluable background for application into the Warden Service in 1974. She was
one of the first women warden in Canada and for some time and very remained active in mountain rescue until her retirement from the
Warden Service in 1999. She then pursued a career in writing culminating in the book Guardians of the Peaks - a history of mountain
rescue in Canada - in 2007. She is currently living with co-author and husband Dale Portman in Cochrane Alberta.
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Ian Canavan
Operations Training Manager,The Lifeboat College
Ian Canavan served as Ship’s Communication Officer during HMS Superb’s first arctic patrol and as Sonar Officer, later
First Lieutenant. Mr. Canavan joined the RNLI in 1997 and his first appointment was to Ireland, initially as Deputy, later
Training, Divisional Inspector. He took an RNLI team to Mozambique to conduct humanitarian relief in the wake of Cyclone
Eline. Mr. Canavan now serves as Operations Training Manager at The Lifeboat College.
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Fred Carey
CASARA
Area Air Deputy, South Coast, 10 years as a SAR Pilot/Navigator with CASARA - won the Air Volunteer of the Year Award for 2006. Applied
Science Technologist, interested in Aviation, Communiction and SAR technologies.
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Geoff Carrow
Parks Canada
Geoff Carrow has been a key element of the
Public Safety response on the West Coast trail
for the last six years. During those years he was
instrumental to moving the program forwards in
many ways including finding innovative ways to
warn hikers of Tsunami threats.
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Andrew Carryer
MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates (MDA)
Andrew Carryer is a Systems Engineer at MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates (MDA). Since 2002, he has worked in the area of unmanned
aircraft systems and is currently a member of the Transport Canada working group for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Starting in 2005, and
using a Search and Rescue scenario as its basis, he led the development of Canada's first student UAV design competition. The competition
was held at 5-Wing Goose Bay in May 2007. Mr. Carryer holds a MASc in Aerospace Engineering (Carleton University) and
BSc in Mechanical Engineering (Queen's University).
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Mary Clayton
Communications Director, Canadian Avalanche Centre
Mary Clayton is the Communications Director for the Canadian Avalanche Centre. Prior to coming to the CAC, she worked a television producer
for CBC Newsworld in Calgary. She has spent many years climbing and skiing and is very interested in improving public understanding of
winter mountain safety.
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Martin Colwell
Director, SAR
Technology Inc.
Martin Colwell is a search manager with
Lions Bay Search & Rescue and director of SAR
Technology Inc. He has written a number of
papers on search theory and is the developer of
‘Incident Commander Pro’, search management
software. He has also managed a large number
of major SAR incidents in British Columbia and
is working on new techniques to improve the
SAR response.
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Officer Alain Croteau
la Sûreté du Québec(SQ)
Alain Croteau has been with la Sûreté du Québec (SQ) for the past 13 years. Since 2000, he has been one of the five search and rescue
specialists for the 5,500 police officers of the SQ’s Emergency Services branch. Officer Croteau works in search and rescue management,
training and development.
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Debra Drozda-Dirks
BC Search Dog Association
Deborah Drozda-Dirks joined the RCMP in 2006 and began quarrying with the Police Dog Section, completing the RCMP Puppy Rearing Course
the same year. She joined the Chilliwack Search and Rescue Society (CSAR) in 2002 acting as the liaison officer between CSAR and the
Chilliwack RCMP. Ms. Drozda-Dirks, a member of the British Columbia Search Dog Association (BCSDA) since 2003, became chair of the
association in 2007.
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Malcom Dunderdale
President and Chairman, Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary (CCGA)
Mr. Dunderdale, the President and Chairman of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary (CCGA) National Board of Directors, has been with the
CCGA for 28 years. He has received four awards from the CCGA and one from the U.S. Coast Guard for his commitment to volunteers and
boating safety.
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Warrant Officer Brian Dunham
442 (T&R) Squadron
Warrant Officer Dunham has been a member of
the Canadian Forces for 38 years. As a Search
and Rescue Technician, Brian has been directly
involved in SAR since 1977. This involvement
has included operational SAR duties, Survival
Instructor, GSAR Management Instructor, SAR
Tech Instructor and CISD educator. He has also
spent a total of nine years as member of the
CASARA Liaison Office of 442 (T&R) Squadron
in Comox, BC.
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Inspector Dennis Erickson
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Inspector Dennis Erickson is the Officer in Charge of the Operational Readiness and Response Co-ordination Centre for the RCMP in
B.C. Responsibilities include Emergency Operations Planning, Exercise Co-ordination RCMP liaison to B.C.'s Provincial Emergency
Program, the province's 4700 SAR volunteers, Public Safety Canada and the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre.
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George Field
Deputy Director of Disaster Services, Kananaskis Improvement District
25 years as the Public Safety Specialist - Kananaskis Country. Examiner/Instructor for Association of Canadian Mountain
Guides, Canadian Avalanche Association, Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance, and ERI Canada. Training instructor to Parks and
Protected Areas for mountain rescue, helicopter sling rescue, and avalanche forecasting.
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Inspector Hugh Flower
SAR Coordinator, Tasman Police District, New Zealand
Inspector Hugh Flower is the Tasman Police District SAR Coordinator and has 37 years of service including traffic enforcement, running
major operations, general duties policing, commercial vehicle enforcement, prosecutions and the last 7 years as SAR Coordinator and
incident Management Team member.
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Andrew Freemantle
Director, Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Andrew Freemantle served in the British and Australian Armies for a total of 25 years, reaching the rank of Brigadier at the age of 43.
He served in many operational theatres, including a tour in South Vietnam with the Australian Army and a spell commanding a Special
Forces Boat Troop. Mr. Freemantle was awarded an MBE and Mentioned In Dispatches for operational service. He left the British Army
in 1990 to become General Manager and, then, Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service. He joined the RNLI as Director in 1998.
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Jack Frost
Mr. Frost has been involved in international aeronautical and maritime SAR for more than 30 years, and in land SAR for more than eight
years. He is a principal author of the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual and has also written a
number of SAR-related papers and articles.
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Jeff Haack
Search and Rescue Specialist,
BC Provincial Emergency Program
Mr. Haack is the Search and Rescue Specialist
with the Provincial Emergency Program of the
Province of BC. His day-to-day duties include
the coordination ground SAR program volunteers
by working in conjunction with non-profit
organizations and provincial and federal agencies
in planning, training and response activities.
Formerly a ground SAR volunteer and a past
manager of winter mountain safety programs,
Mr. Haack has a variety of training and experience.
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Pascal Haegeli
Canadian Avalanche Centre
Dr. Pascal Haegeli is the project managers for the ADFAR2 project of the Canadian Avalanche Centre. Dr. Haegeli has worked extensively
on different aspects of avalanche safety in collaboration with the CAA and commercial backcountry operators. He currently holds a post
doctoral fellowship at the School for Resource and Environmental Management of Simon Fraser University.
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Bob Hansen
Pacific Rim National Park, Parks Canada
As the Human-Wildlife Conflict Specialist at
Pacific Rim National Reserve of Canada, Bob
Hansen continually deals with all the challenges
related to co-habiting with carnivores. He is also
leading a study to try and better understand
the behaviour of our coastal wolves, cougars
and bears.
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Glen Higgins
Protection Services, Government of Nunavut
Glen Higgins has lived and worked in Nunavut for 33 years. He has worked with Federal and Territorial Governments since 1977 in the
area of maintenance and protection of public facilities. In 2005, Mr. Higgins joined the Protection Services of the Government of
Nunavut, to take on responsibility for Emergency Management as well as support to local volunteer search and rescue
organizations.
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Anton Horvath
Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association
Anton Horvath honed his skills nationally and internationally by working in France and training in Bavaria. He has been an avalanche
forecaster for Whistler Backcomb for 15 years and has been involved with the Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association (CARDA) since
1986. In addition to being an operational rescue dog handler, he is currently an instructor and validator of CARDA courses.
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John C. Howe
Squamish Search and Rescue
John Howe is a professional forester based in
Squamish BC. He is a Search Manager, the
Training officer and the Mountain Rescue Section
Head for Squamish Search and Rescue. Mr. Howe
has been an active climber, ski mountaineer and
SAR volunteer for 20 years.
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Peter Howe
National Search and Rescue Secretariat
Peter Howe holds a Mechanical Engineering degree and was an officer in the Air Force for 33 years with flying and administrative
experience in transport and SAR roles. He came to the NSS in 2002 and recently took up the position of senior analyst for policy
and review.
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Clair Israelson
Canadian Avalanche Centre
Clair has been working in avalanche-related programs for the past 35 years. He represents Canada to the Avalanche Committee of the
International Commission for Alpine Rescue, and is team leader for the international best practices for avalanche accident prevention
project.
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Gina Johansen
British Columbia Seafood Alliance Fish Safe B.C.
Gina Johansen is the Fishing Industry Safety Coordinator for Fish Safe. The development of this fishing industry initiative brings a
sense of full circle for Gina as she is driven on by her own personal loss of her father and uncle in a capsizing on the Bravado in
1975.
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Janice Johnson
University of British Columbia
Janice Johnson is a Facilitator and Instructional Developer with the Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth at the University of
British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C. Prior to coming to UBC, she spent 12 years working with Snow Avalanche Safety Programs for the
BC Ministry of Transportation.
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Cyndie Jones
Emergency Program Exercise Coordinator
Provincial Emergency Program - Emergency Management BC
Miss Jones is the Emergency Program Exercise Coordinator for the Provincial Emergency Program - Emergency Management BC. Miss Jones
has been a SAR volunteer for 11 years and is a Search Manager with Ladysmith Search and Rescue and a member of the Civil Air Search
and Rescue Association. She was Project Manager for AdventureSmart, a NIF project on outdoor education.
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David Jones
Environment Canada
Environment Canada Warning Preparedness Meteorologist David Jones became interested in weather as a young skier on Grouse Mountain.
An interest in broadcast meteorology led Mr. Jones to the radio airwaves and eventually to become a weather anchor on local television.
He now acts as a liaison between the Meteorological Service of Canada, the media and emergency measures organizations.
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Alison Keighan, BSc, BTech
SAR Program Specialist
Canadian Coast Guard
In her 22 year career with the Coast Guard, Alison has coordinated SAR operations, designed aids to navigation systems, sailed on ships on all three coasts and assessed navigational and environmental impacts of projects in navigable waters. In her current role as SAR Program Specialist, she is committed to building inter-agency relationships as a means to improving response to emergencies.
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John Kelly
Operations Manager, Canadian Avalanche Centre
As the Operations Manager for the Canadian Avalanche Centre, John Kelly is well versed in delivering media messages on topics ranging
from avalanche warnings to funding for avalanche safety programs. Prior to working at the CAC he was a senior avalanche technician for
Parks Canada at Rogers Pass.
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Thomas Kerr
Fast Rescue Craft Simulation Program Officer, Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary
Thomas Kerr is the Fast Rescue Craft Simulation Program Officer for the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary. Over the last twelve
years he has accumulated experience in small vessel operations and SAR - from Inshore Rescue Boat and lifeboat stations to
small vessel operations in the Polar Regions. Mr. Kerr brings his specialization in marine SAR to the development and implementation
of the Pacific Region’s Fast Rescue Craft Simulator.
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Jim King
Communications Research Centre - Industry Canada
Jim King is a Director at Industry Canada's Communications Research Centre where he works on Canadian and international satellite
programs. Jim has over 25 years experience on Cospas-Sarsat, including 10 years at the Cospas-Sarsat Secretariat. He participated
in the development, launch and testing of the first Sarsat satellite in the early 1980s, and continues to work on the next generation
MEOSAR enhancement.
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Robert Koester
CEO, dbS Productions LLC and A Type 1 Incident Commander, Appalachian SAR Conference
A Type 1 Incident Commander with the
Appalachian SAR Conference, Robert Koester is
a lead instructor for the Virginia Department of
Emergency Management, for which he developed
the incident command for ground search and
rescue (SAR) course. Since 1993, he has served
as President of the Virginia SAR Council. Mr.
Koester is CEO of dbS Productions LLC, a SAR
research, training, and publications company.
Among his contributions to SAR is his original
research on the behavior of lost persons with
Alzheimer’s disease and over 15 other lost
person categories, as well as the creation of
the International Search and Rescue Incident
Database (ISRID).
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Ron Kroeker
National Search and
Rescue Secretariat
Ron Kroeker is currently leading the Northern
SAR Strategy Review at the National Search and
Rescue Secretariat. He has extensive experience
with the Canadian Armed Forces and the
Department of National Defence, having served
in both organizations as a military officer and
a public servant for over 37 years. In his most
recent assignments, he has been extensively
involved in strategic planning and policy
development.
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Danielle Labonté
Indian and Northern
Affairs Canada
Danielle Labonté is Director General, Strategic
Policy (Northern Affairs) at Indian and Northern
Affairs Canada and is responsible for leading
government-wide policy planning for the north.
Over the past twenty-five years, Ms. Labonté has
had a variety of policy development and program
delivery responsibilities with organizations that
include Fisheries and Oceans, Environment
Canada, and the Privy Council Office.
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Terri Lang
Environment Canada
Terri Lang has worked as a meteorologist for
Environment Canada since 1989 and has forecast
weather for Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan,
the Yukon Territory and British Columbia. She cocreated
the Volunteer Weather Watcher Network in
BC and this past year, worked with BC Province
Emergency Preparedness during the damaging
November-December winter storm cycle as a
Warning Preparedness Meteorologist.
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Captain Scott P. LaRochelle
US Coast Guard Chief of Search & Rescue
Captain LaRochelle , a 24 year CG veteran, has over 10 years of dedicated small boat operations experience. Most recently he commanded
Sector Lake Michigan, which oversees more small boat stations (19) than any CG Sector command. He has also directed small boat operations
in both the Atlantic and Gulf Coast regions.
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James Leslie
Rehabilitation Technologist
Hamilton Health Sciences Centre
Mr. Leslie trained as an Electronics Technologist working as a rehabilitation technologist in the areas of mobility, wheelchair
seating, alternative and augmentative communication and computer access. Currently, he manages Independence Technologies at
Hamilton Health Sciences, specializing in electronic aids to daily living. He is a professional associate of McMaster University,
School of Rehabilitation Science.
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Senior Sergeant Geoff Logan
Police Liaison Officer to the Rescue Coordination Centre in New Zealand
Senior Sergeant Geoff Logan commenced his work
with search and rescue in 1986 in the Wellington
District SAR squad. He has been a member of
the Rope Rescue Squad and the SAR Incident
Controller. As the National Coordinator: SAR/
DVI, he is the Police Liaison Officer to the Rescue
Coordination Centre in New Zealand.
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Chris Long
Washington State SAR Coordinator
Chris Long has been the Washington State SAR Coordinator for fifteen years and has also served three terms on the NASAR board of
directors. He is a Lt. Col. (retired) US Army with 22 years experience in command and operations.
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Lieutenant Colonel Grant MacDonald
Canadian Forces
Lieutenant Colonel Grant MacDonald is a Canadian Forces Air Navigator
with nearly 5,000 hours of flying experience. During more than 27 years in
the Canadian Forces he has served on three primary SAR Squadrons. Most
recently, Lieutenant-Colonel MacDonald served as the SAR Advisor to the
Commander of Canada Command. He currently serves as the business
planner for the Chief of the Air Staff in Ottawa.
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Bob Manson
Coordinator SAR Training, Justice Institute of British Columbia
Bob Manson is a coordinator of search and rescue training at the Justice Institute of BC and has been an active SAR volunteer for 14
years. He instructs SAR Management, rope rescue and GSAR and coordinates Mountain Rescue, Organized Avalanche Response, Swiftwater
and other training for the SAR volunteers in the Province of BC.
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Sebastien Marcoux
Public Safety Coordinator, Pacific Rim National Park, Parks Canada
A Park Warden since 1994, Sebastien Marcoux is
currently the Public Safety Coordinator at Pacific
Rim National Park Reserve, a park with a big
focus in water safety.
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Jim McAllister
Provincial Emergency Program of BC
Jim McAllister has over 25 years as a ground
SAR volunteer in search management, rope
rescue and swift water rescue plus extensive
experience in emergency management. As the
Manager of Training and Volunteer Programs
with the Provincial Emergency Program of BC,
Mr. McAllister oversees the Public Safety Lifeline
volunteer services, including SAR.
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Anne McCarthy
Environment Canada
Anne McCarthy works in Service Development and Dissemination sections of Environment Canada. She has over 25 years of experience in
weather services. Her current work includes bringing Tsunami warnings to Weatheradio and Service Development for forestry and public
decision makers.
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Brian Min
Nunavik Arctic Survival Training Centre
Brian Min manages business and economic development for Nunavik Arctic Survival Training Centre. He has participated in expeditions
across Nunavik and Nunavut.
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Sergeant Paul Moquin
Canadian Forces
Sergeant Paul Moquin is a Canadian Forces Search and Rescue Technician with 10 years in the trade and 17 years in the forces. He was
stationed at 19 Wing Comox, 442 Squadron from 1999 to 2004 flying on the CH-113 Labrador, CH-149 Cormorant and the CC-115 Buffalo. He
is now stationed at 4 Wing Cold Lake , 417 Combat Support Squadron flying on the CH-146 Griffon. Prior to becoming a SAR Tech he
volunteered with the 4 Wing Ground Search team as well as the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, Unit 60 in Comox.
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Carol Namur
Sauvetage Canada Rescue
Awarded the Canadian Governor General Caring Canadian award this year, Carol Namur is a regular contributor to Sarscene, the
cofounder and current PDG of the Volunteer Group Sauvetage Canada Rescue, the Provincial Volunteer Coordinator for the Surete du
Quebec SAR volunteer management program as well as is an Emergency Measure Consultant by profession. She has been involved in SAR
dog training for 25 years.
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Kimberley Nemrava
Director of the BC Coastal Region, Canadian Red Cross
Kimberley Nemrava is the Director of the BC Coastal Region, Canadian Red
Cross and has held positions in Disaster Management, First Aid and Public
Affairs in her 20 years with the organization. She worked over a decade
with the Canadian Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary in small boat
operations on the BC coast.
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Mike O'Shea
CEO, Irish Rope Access & Safety Consultants and Work at Height Training
Mike O'Shea is the CEO of both Irish Rope Access & Safety Consultants and Work at Height Training. He spent 15 years working with
mountain rescue teams before becoming a volunteer with the Irish Coast Guard 10 years ago. Mike is also a level 3 Rope Access
Technician and sits on a multitude of national safety committees including the National Standards Authority of Ireland.
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Capt. Anthony Patterson
President, Virtual Marine Technology Inc.
Capt. Anthony Patterson is the former Director of the Centre for Marine Simulation and current President of VMT Inc.
Capt. Patterson served with the Canadian Coast Guard for 20 years in a variety of positions. He was responsible for the Canadian
SAR research program and served as the officer responsible for maritime SAR off the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador.
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Navy Lieutenant Marek Piotrowski
Polish Navy
Navy Lieutenant Marek Piotrowski, is active in the subject of marine search and rescue. He has a Master of Scinece in hydrohgraphic
surveys and navigation from the Naval university of Gdynia, Poland and completed four years study in the Naval University of Gdynia.
Currently Lt Piotrowski works on board the Polish Navy survey-hydrographic vessel ORP 'Heweliusz'.
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Dale Portman
Dale Portman spent 28 years as a park warden, 12 of them, a dog handler. He started with snow research in Glacier National Park and
was involved in mountain rescue throughout his career. He has written two books on his experiences and is married to Kathy
Calvert.
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Colin Powell
University of Wales Institute
Colin Powell is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, UK. He contributes to a wide range of undergraduate
and post graduate health and safety related programmes. He specializes in the areas of risk perception and behavioural change. Colin
is currently undertaking research into voluntary risk taking in outdoor adventure activities.
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Major Steve Reid
Canadian Forces
Major Reid has over 3000 flight hours, including 180 operational SAR missions, flying both the Labrador and Cormorant helicopters on
the East coast. In Feb 2005, in response to SAR Sandy Beach, Maj Reid (and crews) received the Chief of the Air Staff Commendation
and Mynarski Award for the most outstanding rescue of the year. He is currently SAR advisor to the Chief of the Air Staff.
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Debbie Robertson
Taupo SAR Group, New Zealand
Debbie Robertson is Chairman of the Taupo
SAR Group and Regional Representative. A
keen interest in outdoor pursuits and hiking led her to utilizing these skills as a Mountain Safety
Instructor,and Civil Defence. A twenty year
involvement in SAR as a volunteer including
positions of team member to field Operation
Manager.
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Darren Salisbury
Parks Canada
From May to September, Darren Salisbury spends
most of his time living in the Broken Group.
His work focuses on education and prevention.
After six years, Darren can see that his effort
is paying off.
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David Shepherd
Royal National Lifeboat Institute
In September 2006, Mr. Shepherd was appointed the Staff Officer Training at RNLI headquarters. From 1997 to 2006, he was responsible
for the delivery of operational training to volunteer crews for 42 lifeboat stations. He was a Royal Navy Submariner from 1977 to
1997.
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Charley Shimanski
Vice President and Education Director of the Mountain Rescue Association
Charley Shimanski is the Vice President and Education Director of
the Mountain Rescue Association, an organization of rescue teams
throughout the United States and Canada. He has received the Best
Overall Presentation award at the last two International Technical Rescue
Symposium conferences at which he presented. A recognized speaker,
Mr. Shimanski has lectured for the last 15 years.
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Adamie Sivuarapik
Senior Navigation and Survival Instructor, Nunavik Arctic Survival Training Center
Adamie Sivuarapik is a senior navigation and survival instructor at Nunavik Arctic Survival Training Center. An experienced outdoorsman,
he has built igloos and traveled across the Arctic in the harshest conditions. He is a corporal in the Canadian Rangers, captain of
the Puvirnituq rescue boat, and surface supply tech for one of Canada’s northernmost scuba diving teams.
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Carole Smith
National Search
and Rescue Secretariat
Carole Smith is on staff at the National Search
and Rescue (SAR) Secretariat, working with
ground and inland water programs. She also
serves as the secretary to the Ground SAR Council
of Canada. Ms. Smith has been an active SAR
volunteer for eight years, helping at the local
level in operations, training, and administration.
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Richard Smith
Emergency Response Institute Canada Inc.
Richard Smith has spent over 30 years in ground search and rescue as well as emergency and disaster management. During his 23 years
with the RCMP, he was involved in ground search and rescue at all levels and was an active member of Rocky Mountain House Volunteer
Search and Rescue and Nordegg Volunteer Fire Service. He teaches extensively for ERI Canada and has received numerous awards
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Grant Statham
Parks Canada
Grant Statham is Parks Canada's Mountain Risk Specialist, and an internationally certified mountain guide. Statham works with Parks
Canada's public safety program, developing and implementing public safety policy initiatives for the Mountain National Parks. In 2005
he received the Public Service Award of Excellence for his work in avalanche prevention.
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Paul Steward
Cobham Tracking &
Locating (CLT) Limited
Paul Steward is the Program Director – Search
and Rescue Products at Cobham Tracking &
Locating (CLT) Limited. As such, he is responsible
for the development of CTL’s search and
rescue product lines. Mr. Steward joined CTL
Limited after concluding a 24-year career in
the United States Coast Guard (USCG). Before
retiring, he was the United States International
Cospas-Sarsat Liaison Officer and the USCG’s
International Search and Rescue Coordinator.
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Ian Tomm
Canadian Avalanche Association
Ian Tomm is the Operations Manager of the CAA, based in Revelstoke, B.C. He was the project manager for the NSS NIF Online Learning
Project, which developed a very successful comprehensive online avalanche. He is interested in how research and technology are
integrated into best practices for training, education and frontline avalanche work.
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Commodore Everette (Ev) L. Tucker, Jr.
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
Ev Tucker is the Director, USCG Auxiliary International Affairs, responsible for the Caribbean Initiative and relations with the
Canadian Coast Guard and Auxiliary, and Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons. After graduation from the University of Texas, he served
30 years in the US Army Corps of Engineers. Upon retirement, he was extensively involved in analysis of combat operations during
Desert Storm. Ev has been involved in maritime safety and SAR since 1974 and served on the Executive Council, International Maritime
Rescue Federation, 2003 - 2007 and as National Commodore, USCGAUX, 1997 - 2000.
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John Twizell
Chairman, Hamilton SAR Group, New Zealand
John Twizell is Chairman of the Hamilton SAR Group, New Zealand, and one of its founding members. He is a Search Manager and NZLandSAR
Advisor, involved with SAR for seventeen years. He takes pride in the Group's achievements, reputation and positive culture and is keen
to share lessons learned with others.
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Dave Walker
Coordinator/Trainer, Hamilton Police Service (Ontario) Volunteer Search and Rescue Dogs
Dave Walker is a supervisor with Correctional Services in Ontario for over 26 years. He is also employed as the trainer for the Hamilton
Police Service Canine Unit and volunteers as a SAR Canine Handler/Trainer for the Hamilton Police Search and Rescue Unit. He is recognized
as an internationally certified police canine instructor and judge under the United States Police Canine Association. Dave has over 25
years experience in the selection, training, and deployment of prison, police, and SAR canine.
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Roland Webb
Coquitlam SAR
Roland Webb is a Search Team Leader/Instructor with Coquitlam Search & Rescue. With SAR teams and as a paramedic with the BC Ambulance
Service, Roland has been involved in operations in various areas of British Columbia. An instructor on various topics, Roland is part
of the team responsible for training the members of Coquitlam SAR.
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S/Sgt. Dave Wood
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Police Dog Service Provincial Program Manager/Supervisor
Pacific Region (British Columbia & Yukon Territory)
S/Sgt Wood has over 19 years as a police dog handler and is responsible for the Police Dog Program in the Pacific Region with
functional supervision of 80 dog handlers. He is responsible for training, validations and operational competency for the Canadian
Avalanche Rescue Association and British Columbia Search Dog Association. S/Sgt Wood is an instructor in police dog tactics.
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Chris Young
Instructor, State of California Office of Emergency Services
Chris Young has been active in SAR and managed searches since 1981 and serves as chairman of the [San Francisco] Bay Area Search and
Rescue Council. Chris is an Instructor for the State of California Office of Emergency Services MLPI course and has also written,
published and presented search management papers at NASAR conferences, William Syrotuck Symposiums and throughout the US.
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