Google Earth Community: InternetSAR.org: Search for Ron Boychuk

I have been asked by Ken to act as the liaison between the Boychuk Family and the other SAR groups for this mission. I have sent out initial emails introducing ourselves and what we are doing. On Monday I will contact the other SAR organizations to gather information for us to put together a briefing document for searchers to read before viewing the imagery.
I have been involved in Search and Rescue efforts for twenty years (my first air search mission was thirty years ago), and I have been involved in coordinating search’s (I was a CASARA Search Coordinator and I have completed the Canadian Forces Searchmaster course) similar to the Ron Boychuk search. I am very familiar with what the search team did and the planning that went into the search effort. I can tell you that during the search mission (and afterwards) a large number of tips and sightings would have been received and analyzed. I can assure you that the search team would have followed up on each viable sighting report until they were satisfied that it was not the missing aircraft.
For SAR Boychuk we must be disciplined and trust that the SAR teams have done their jobs and have done their jobs well. I have spotted from aircraft (fixed and rotary wing) in terrain that is similar to where Boychuk went missing and I can tell you it is a difficult thing to do. Doing a “valley shoot” well holding onto your seat in a Buffalo and still scanning out the window is no picnic.
I have also been involved in introducing new technology to the SAR community. I can tell you from past experience that SAR people are suspicious of new technology, new methodologies and new organizations coming forward. We have to prove our technology and our organization so that we can sit at the table when a new SAR mission is launched.
In order for us to move this effort forward I would ask the following things:
• I would ask for your patience and continued hard work while Ken and the team continue to put together the technology, methodologies that will make InternetSAR a success.
• I would ask for your patience while I contact and build a rapport with Ron’s family and the SAR teams that worked on the mission. From this I am confident we can gather more information and not duplicate effort or follow every newspaper story.
• I would ask that you not run off and start bombarding the family and the SAR organizations with questions, let them see InternetSAR as a professional organization that can help them in the SAR community. If you have a question you would like asked PM it to me and I would be more then willing to discuss it with you ( I have taken notes of the questions and thoughts in the earlier pages that need followup).
• I will ask you to be realistic, this is not an active search in all probability the “hot” leads that we discover will not be able to be followed up on until the spring (these are high elevations and prone to avalanches). I can also tell you that in British Columbia there are over 300 aircraft that are reported as still missing.
From this I believe there will be a time that we will be involved in the outset of a search mission and will be able to supply sightings for the active search team to followup on.

Thanks
Greg

Edited by gursel2 (12/29/07 12:46 PM)