The nugget., September 12, 2018, Page 7, Image 7

Wednesday, September 12, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
7
Search and rescue team to conduct ‘show and tell’ in Sisters
By Craig F. Eisenbeis
Correspondent
Russ Petersen from
Deschutes County Search and
Rescue (DSAR) will head
up a presentation scheduled
for next week as part of the
Sisters Trails Alliance (STA)
speaker series on local out-
door recreation and natural
resource issues.
Four years ago, the series
was launched by the late
Bjarne Holm, for whom
STA posthumously named
the series in 2016. Since
its inception, the purpose
of STA’s series has been to
enhance outdoor public rec-
reation opportunities in the
Sisters area and to educate
the public about outdoor rec-
reation and the natural world.
Provided that no actual
SAR emergency interferes
with the event, Petersen plans
to make the presentation with
Mark Tuttle, another DSAR
member.
According to Petersen,
“We will go over what the
Deschutes County Sheriff’s
Office Search and Rescue
teams are and what they do.
This includes air ops (use of
drones and helicopters), all-
terrain vehicle, dive, horse,
K9, medical, mountain
rescue, ski, snowmobile,
swiftwater, and tracking
teams. We will try to bring a
team member from the equine
team, medical, and some
others.”
Petersen, a retired engi-
neer and attorney, expressed
an interest in giving Sisters
listeners a taste of exactly
what local SAR efforts can
entail. Above all, he hopes to
encourage outdoor enthusi-
asts to take responsibility for
their own safety. As a signifi-
cant part of his presentation,
he plans to stress the impor-
tance of learning about and
carrying the Ten Essentials, a
key to safety and survival in
the wild.
He also had some impor-
tant advice for outdoor
recreationalists:
“Tell others where you
are going and when you will
return. Always charge cell
phones and carry a battery
pack to recharge in the field.
We do rescues and recoveries.
Try not to be either.”
But, if it comes down to
it, he wants you to be a res-
cue rather than a recovery;
and the way to survive and
achieve that is through prepa-
ration and common sense.
Regarding the upcoming
event, Catherine Hayden,
STA’s current board chair,
said, “I think that search
and rescue is something we
all take for granted until we
need them. I’m excited to
learn more about the organi-
zation and how we can help
keep ourselves safe in the
wilderness.”
Petersen, along with
Tuttle, who is a retired
research scientist and ski
patrol member, hope to
work with the Sisters Trails
Alliance to streamline future
operations, learn more, and
coordinate on common inter-
ests and goals. “We all need
to work on communication...”
he said.
Through sponsorship of
these public presentations,
STA is working to promote
outdoor public recreation and
education in Sisters Country.
The SAR event will be
held on Thursday, September
20, in the Sisters-Camp
Sherman Fire Station
Community Hall in down-
town Sisters at 301 S. Elm
St. Doors will open at 6 p.m.,
and the formal program will
begin at 7 p.m. The program
is free and open to the pub-
lic, but donations would be
appreciated. A $5 amount
has been suggested. Snacks
and refreshments will be
PHOTO PROVIDED
The Deschutes County SAR team in action. Their operations are the
subject of a Sisters Trails Alliance speaker series event in Sisters.
provided.
The Sisters Trails Alliance
is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3)
nonprofit community orga-
nization dedicated to the
planning, constructing and
maintenance of walking, hik-
ing, cycling, and equestrian
trails in Sisters Country. The
STA believes that trails are
an indispensable ingredi-
ent for the quality of life and
economic vibrancy in Sisters
Country. Volunteer help and
new members are always
welcome.
For more information
about STA or performing vol-
unteer work on trails or other
outdoor-related projects,
contact the organization at
541-719-8822. Additional
information can also be
found on their website at
www.sisterstrails.org or fol-
low STA on Facebook at
Sisters Trails Alliance.
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