Brenna opened the meeting at 7pm. Paige conducted a financial report and discussed options for a fundraiser at McAlister’s this fall.
Equipment/Gear
Grant options and estimates for purchasing more dry suits for the swift water team were discussed. The 4-wheelers are in the process of getting worked on to see if they will run before we decide to sell them.
Training
Other
Updates to the membership application include a description of the 6 month probationary period and the following questions: how long are you going to be here, why you want to join the group, do you hold a valid drivers license.
A motion was made to adjourn the meeting and all were in favor.
In attendance: Brenna, Neil, Alan, Curt, Paige, Bob, and Lisa.
At 7pm Dan called the meeting to order. Paige conducted a finance report.
Equipment/Gear
Trailer logo replacement was discussed. The logos were replaced and looked good.
Mapping software was purchased and is working well.
The potential need for more swift water dry suits was discussed.
ACSSAR will be receiving 6 new WyoLink radios from EMA.
Training
A new member class was held in May and went well. Another class will be held within the upcoming months.
Tip Top SAR offered to provide helicopter training for our group. June 25th is the pending date for this training.
A Mock Search is scheduled on July 16th
Wilderness first Aid will take place on July 9th-10th
A reschedule date for the High Angle snowfield training is being planned.
Joel Hardin Professional Tracking Service class will be June 10-12
Meeting Topics
Upcoming meeting topics were discussed. The May general meeting topic will be on swift water rescue with an emphasis on ropes and safety.
General
The Dog Show was discussed. Volunteers to help work this fundraiser are still needed and encouraged to sign up. Visit the ACSSAR website and go to the Events Calander tab to sign up.
Other
Annie stepped down as the Mountain Bike Team lead. Matt Allshouse will take over as the lead person of this team.
Participating in the Freedom has a birthday celebration on July 4th was discussed. Participation in this event will be dependent on how many are available that weekend.
On July 3rd the 7200 Elevation Celebration in Centennial will take place from Noon-7pm. Proceeds will benefit Centennial Valley Fire Department and ACCSAR.
Due to conflicts the June Board meeting will be held on Tuesday June 14th at the new UL Building.
Policy Changes
The proposed policy changes had previously been available for comment by members. After being open for comment Matt made a motion to accept the new policy changes. The motion passed with unanimous approval.
New Members
The status of new members was discussed including those needing to take the new member class and individuals awaiting board approval.
A motion was made to adjourn the meeting and all were in favor.
In Attendance:
Dan Hutchison, Brenna Noll, Lisa Zezas, Neil Mathison, Mat Burkhart, Alan Sinicki, Matt Allshouse, Harold Magness, Bob Meyer, Paige Hellbaum.
Dan Hutchison called the meeting to order, Paige Hellbaum conducted a financial report, followed by a summary of April’s Board Meeting minutes given by Lisa Zezas. Dan then discussed the upcoming events including the following:
DOG SHOW– May 28th - 30th
This is one of our larger fundraisers of the year. A signup sheet was passed around, however anyone interested after the meeting may still sign up.
New Member Class – May 4th
This class is required to be placed on the active callout list. If you are a new member and are available please sign up for this class.
CPR and First Aid – May 16th & 18th
Man Tracking
In House – May 14th @ 9am
Lusk – June 10th - 12th
High Angle Snow Field –TBD
Mock Search - TBD
Dan also announced that there is an ICS Logistics and Support Team forming, any persons interested should see Chad Dinges for more details. Medical support volunteer opportunities are needed at the Goudy Grinder on May 22, see Annie for more details.
At 7:20pm Harold made a motion to adjourn, the motion received a second and all were in favor.
Following the meeting a training on Ropes and Knots was given. Several types of knots, rope types, and litter packaging were covered in the training.
At 7:00 p.m. Dan called the April Board meeting to order. Paige conducted a financial report of donations and expenses during the last month.
Equipment/Gear
The need and cost of replacing/installing logos on the SAR trailers was brought up. Brenna made a motion to replace the weathered logo on the IC Trailer, and install lettering on both sides of the small, enclosed SAR Trailer. Curt seconded the motion and all were in favor. The motion passed.
The next item of business was the need for mapping software. Curt made a motion to purchase Terrain Navigator Pro and Brenna seconded. All were in favor; the motion passed.
Due to the increasing group size at the regular monthly meetings the need for a projector was discussed. The potential for using the projector for First Aid/CPR classes as well as on searches/debrief was also brought up. Curt made a motion to purchase a Veiwsonic projector, carrying case, and HDMI cable; Brenna seconded and all were in favor. The motion passed.
Training
Upcoming trainings were discussed; the trainings are as follows:
A new member training is scheduled for Wednesday May 4th. The time and locate is TBA.
The spring mock search is being planned for mid-May.
The High Angle Snow Field training scheduled for April 17th was canceled due to weather and will be rescheduled.
Tracking training will be held May 14th
CPR/FA/AED Training will be held May 9th/11th or 16th/18th (will be determined based on instructor availability)
A Joel Hardin Professional Tracking class is scheduled for June 10-12.
EMR, WEMT, WFA options for the group were discussed and it was decided that WFA would be the best option at this time. Dates and times are to be determined.
General Meeting training topics were discussed. More hands on training options were discussed as well as the upcoming meeting topics.
General
The Dog Show scheduled for May 29-30th was discussed, the contract looked over, and approved. A sign-up sheet will be available at the April General Meeting.
Medical volunteer opportunities were discussed. These opportunities include:
Goudy Grinder: Sunday May 22Time: 8:00-5:00
Stone Temple 8:Saturday September 10Time: 8:00-5:00
Other
Goals for 2016 were discussed. Goals include specialty group standards, fundraising/grants, equipment inventory, establishing a support team, and officer position documentation.
New Board Member/Officer information and the status of new applicants/those awaiting approval were addressed.
Brenna made a motion to adjourn, the motion was seconded, and all were in favor.
In attendance:
Lisa Zezas, Neil Mathison, Brenna Noll, Alan Sinicki, Dan Hutchison, Matt Burkhart, Paige Hellbaum, Bob Meyer, Harold Magness, Curt Braisted, Matt Allshouse.
Dan called the March monthly meeting to order, Dane read the minutes from the March board meeting, and Paige conducted a financial report. Dan then discussed upcoming events which included CPR and first aid recertifications in April, a new member class in April, in-house man tracking training April 2 at 9:00 AM, tracking training in Lusk June 10-12, and wilderness first aid for some time in the summer.
Chad was looking to set up an Incident Command System (ICS) logistics and support team for anyone interested. Elections were then discussed. All present candidates were introduced and the roles of each position were discussed. Ballots had been handed out to each eligible member as they arrived at the meeting. Harold moved to adjourn that portion of the meeting and a break was taken. Detective Meyer and Deputy Schlager then led a class on crime scene awareness and management.
Tyler and Dane counted the ballots and announced the coming year's officers and board members: Dan Hutchinson as president, Matt Burkhart as vice president, Paige Hellbaum as treasurer, and Lisa Zezas as secretary. The board members elected were Brenna Noll (2 year term), Kurt Braisted (1 year term), Neil Mathison (2 year term), and Alan Sinicki (1 year term).
Cy from Laramie Fire then led a class on drone technology and application.
The 2016 elections were held at the March 29th meeting.
Congratulations to the 2016 ACSSAR Officers and Board!
The 2016 results are as follows:
President: Dan Hutchison
Vice President: Matt Burkhart
Treasurer: Paige Hellbaum
Training: Yvette Widman
Secretary: Lisa Zezas
Board Members:
(1yr) Alan Sinicki
(1yr) Kurt Braisted
(2yr) Neil Mathison
(2yr) Brenna Noll
Here's to another great year with ACSSAR!
And thank you to Dane Purmalis and Chris Armstrong for the past years service!
Dan called the March board meeting to order and Paige conducted a financial report. The logo on the IC trailer is still in need of replacement and we are waiting to hear back from a business on a quote. Dan will look into going with an alternative company. More toner is needed for the trailer's printer and will be ordered in the future.
Upcoming events and training include a new member class, a spring mock search, CPR training (the dates of which are all to be determined), high angle training on Thursday, March 24, tracking training on the morning of April 2 (weather dependent), high angle snow field training on Sunday, April 17, and Joel Hardin Professional Tracking Services training June 10-12. ACSSAR was invited to and will be at the UW resource fair on Friday, May 25. Medical volunteers are being sought for two upcoming events: the Gowdy Grinder on Sunday, May 22 from 8:00-5:00 (food will be provided), and the Stone Temple 8 on Saturday, September 10 from 8:00-5:00 (more details to come).
The meeting topic for March is crime scene awareness. A presentation on drone technology will possibly follow and elections will take place at the end of the meeting.
The layout of the election ballot form was reviewed, distribution of absentee ballots was discussed, and what qualifications needed for members to vote were gone over as well. Member removal letters were finalized and Dan adjourned the meeting.
In attendance: Dan Hutchinson, Dane Purmalis, Paige Hellbaum, Chris Armstrong, Brenna Noll, Bob Meyer, Neil Mathison, and Harold Magness
Wintertime recreation in the Laramie area is something special whether skiing, hiking, snowshoeing or snowmobiling! Being prepared for your adventure is key to a fun rewarding outing. The weather is nearly unpredictable in the high elevations and can change fast. Every season there are numerous accounts of individuals and groups getting lost, running out of fuel or injured while recreating. Please take a moment before each ride and outfit yourself properly for the ride.
Dan called the February monthly meeting to order, Dane read the minutes from the February board meeting, and Paige conducted a financial report. Dan then discussed upcoming events, which included CPR and first aid recertification on March 1-2, a 50 hour EMR class still to be scheduled, a new member class for March or April, high angle snowfield training on April 17, and swift water rescue training in Saratoga on May 6-8.
The March election process was reviewed. The different positions and their roles were discussed, and Matt introduced each running candidate. Brenna then discussed changes to policy and bylaws. This included a candidacy program for new members, clarification of different officers' duties, member removal policy, and changes to the pack list.
Harold moved to adjourn, Vicki seconded, and all were in favor. A break was taken, and Chad then led a class on the Incident Command System.
February's board meeting began with a review of equipment and gear. The logo on the side of the IC trailer is peeling off and needs replacing. Quotes are being obtained on a replacement. Solutions for storing the growing amount of SAR gear were discussed. This might be solved by a shed being placed at the SAR building. It was decided to delay who would be placed on the callout phone number list until after the next election. The March elections, and who would like to run again, were discussed. Paige then conducted a financial report and fundraising ideas were reviewed.
Upcoming training and events included a SAR Management class put on by Kirk Wagner in March, a spring mock search to take place probably in April, a new member orientation on February 17th, snowmobile training for hopefully the first weekend in March, and a joint-SAR and S.O. high angle snowfield class on April 17th at Medicine Bow Peak that will include snowmobiles and the snow cat. Upcoming meeting topics included Incident Command System training in February and Crime Scene Awareness, Elections, and possibly Drone Demo in March. Other classes included a class by Jim Waters on on cell phone location technology and a large list of training classes from Park County Search and Rescue to get ideas from.
Inactive member notification letters were finalized. Kurt moved to send the letters out, Brenna seconded, and all were in favor. Member participation and roster cleanup were further discussed.
Policy changes included discussion on whether the position of Vice President should be changed to Equipment Officer, and when patches, shirts, and other equipment should be issued to new members. New written policy was briefly reviewed. Matt moved to adjourn the meeting, Kurt seconded, and all were in favor.
In attendance: Dane Purmalis, Kurt Braisted, Dan Hutchinson, Brenna Noll, Chris Armstrong, Neil Mathison, Harold Magness, Josh Hurt, Lisa Zezas, Matt Allshouse, Paige Hellbaum, and Matt Burkhart
The meeting began with a call to order by Dan. Dane read the minutes from January's board meeting. Paige then conducted a financial report. Dan discussed upcoming events, which included the SnoWest gathering in Laramie from February 5-8, CPR and first aid recertification to take place in February, the new member class also scheduled for February, and officer and board elections in March. Changes to the paging system were also discussed.
After action reviews were conducted on three rescues: The Thanksgiving callout involving lost hunters near Sybille Canyon, the January 3 callout for an injured skier on Centennial Ridge, and the January 16-19 callout for missing snowmobilers in the Snowies.
Board members and officers then introduced themselves to the group, followed by introductions from everyone present. Harold moved to adjourn the meeting, Charles seconded, and all were in favor. Myron Allen then led a lecture on avalanches.
The meeting began with a discussion on the team's direction for 2016. To enhance communication, Dan proposed having the board meeting notes sent out on the ACSSAR email list instead of just being posted on the team website. The 2016 elections, and who would run again, were discussed. Matt and Paige volunteered to head the committee to organize the upcoming election. It was announced that there would be a meeting with the Sheriff and Lieutenant in the near future to discuss the team and it's continuing direction. Paige then conducted a financial report. The fundraising letter and when to send it out was discussed. Because of the late send-out in 2015, it was decided to send it out at roughly the same time of year in 2016.
Equipment was then discussed. There was consideration to buy several more longer radio antennas because of their better performance. Matt moved to buy 5 more, Brenna seconded, and all were in favor. Dan wanted to finalize who was call-out number list. A laptop was bought for the incident command trailer. Matt and Brenna volunteered to look into mapping software. A date and time were decided on to install a power compositor in the trailer. The black snowmobile was experiencing problems during the last rescue so it will be taken in to be looked at.
Upcoming training was then gone over. Snowmobile training will be put on by the Sheriff's Office and will occur in late January. The required crime scene management class is to be rescheduled for probably March. The topic of January's regular meeting will be Avalanches.
General business included discussing preparations for the SnoWest snowmobiling forum gathering on February 5-7. It was concluded that no special preparations were needed other than to be ready. It was decided that follow-up with Neil on a fire district MOU question could wait until February. Matt would assist with this. Individual member participation and roster cleanup was examined. Training reimbursement requests were then examined and decided upon. The holiday dinner was talked about and will occur at 6:30 on Friday, January 22. ACSSAR hats (black) and beanies (orange) were ordered as well.
In attendance: Dane Purmalis, Dan Hutchinson, Matt Allshouse, Chris Armstrong, Page Hellbaum, Brenna Noll, Bob Meyer, Neil Matheson, Kurt Braisted, and Harold.
