September 14th 2008 -The 4th Annual Fallen Heroes Poker Run

Country Doctor Animal Clinic Open House

A Big Thank You goes out to all who made our Sept 11th Poker Run a

HUGE SUCCESS

The proceeds bought a much needed Junkin Basket and Backboard which has already gotten use!!!

March 6th, 2006 - Jim Thorpe School District Elementary School Presentations

The event was a great success. . Presenters Brian Winterstein , Steve Markovich, and  Dave Balmat with the help of  K-9 Lucas had fun teaching grades K to 6th what to do if they got lost in the woods. Amount of children attending 540 what a great success. Way to go guys.  

April 22nd, 2006- Search And Rescue Survival Demo

Presented At Boone Area Library 

By Ann Mead Ash

Boone area library was recently the site of a presentation by Blue Mountain Search and Rescue, a volunteer organization with headquarters in Andreas,Pa. Brian Winterstein,vice president and search manager .brought along five members of the Search and Rescue team,plus one four-legged representative  to address an audience of interested parents and children. Lucas, the trained search dog, immediately captured the interest of the children present, which caused Winterstein to warn,"No cookies for the dog, okay." Although Lucas was the center of attention, Winterstein quickly pointed out the reason for the gathering. "We're here to teach you what to do if you get lost in the woods,"he stated, "and we will begin with a slide show." The slides, which featured real photos of a young boy, named John, and his family on an RV trip, was narrated by Winterstein. While John's parents were busy making lunch and leveling the RV, John decides to take a walk. He knows that he shouldn't go alone, and he knows he should tell someone where he's going, but he forgets to do these things. He also forgets to use the mountain located  directly behind him as a landmark to turn back to. As he walked, he sees things that intrigue him. He follows a blue jay, inspects some moss and wanders away from the trail and into thick underbrush. As he realizes that he doesn't recognize his surroundings, he becomes uneasy and worried. He is alone and afraid. "Fear is the enemy." said Winterstein. "John panics  and runs, and when he does, he gets further away from the camper. When John panics, he is not careful. He could run over a cliff, stumble or get ever more lost. What he should do is stay by a tree, hug it, lean against it, become friends with it. He should pick one near a clearing so he can come out into the open if he hears a chopper." In the fictional story of the lost boy named John, it begins to rain, and John remembers he has a trash bag in his pocket. He takes it out and makes a hole for his face and puts it on. Winterstein and other members of the Search and Rescue team then taught the children present how to make a shelter out of a trash bag by making a hole in the bottom corner as big as the child's face. Then it can be put over the head with the face sticking out. "It only takes a few minutes to become very warm in the bag," Winterstein noted. "Always put a hole in the bag, first. It is an emergency rescue tool, only." Never hike without a trash bag - it can keep rain out and body heat in," he added. After making his own "trash bag shelter", John ends up spending a night in the forest. The night noises after frightening. Winterstein pointed out that some very small animals can make big noises, but most animals dont want to hurt humans. In fact, the smell of a human frightens them. "If you hear one that frightens you, shout at it, and they will usually go away," states Winterstein. While John is surviving the night alone in the forest, volunteers are coming from all walks of life to search for him. The sheriff sends a helicopter which will call his name over a loud speaker and tell him to go to an open area where he can be seen. A search commander organizes the search, and the searchers look everywhere. These people are experienced trackers who know how to look for footprints and other signs that a person who been in a particular area. Winterstein explained to the children how it can be frightening to hear someone calling your name in the night and to hear footsteps when you are alone in the forest. "The voice may even sound angry, but they will be happy to see you,' he assured the children. As part of the slide presentation, a recording is played of what it would sound like to hear someone calling a name in the forest at night. In the story of John, footprints that match his are found on the ground. The helicopter is sent to that area and spots him. The pilot radios back to the ground team, and they find him. He's safe,but exhausted,so they bring a litter to carry him back.His family is thrilled by the news,and they begin hugging and laughing with relief. Winterstein reviewed the smart moves that John made while he was lost. He carries a trash bag along with him. He wore warm clothes and kept the jacket with him. He didn't continue to panic and keep running, but stopped and thought about his situation. He took care of himself and made himself easy to find. Winterstein also reminded the audience of things John might have done, such as carring a whistle, using sticks or rocks to form the sign of a cross or an S.O.S. that could be seen from the air, or writing the letters in the dirt. "A whistle takes less energy to blow and is louder then a human voice. Three blows of a whistle means distress in an emergency,"Winterstein said. If you hear a chopper, get to a clearing. Wear bright colors when you go for a hike. You can make yourself appear big by lying down in a clearing in the shape of a cross. Or you can use a mirror for a pilot to spot. If you dont have a whistle along, you can make one using just the cap of an acorn," he added. Serveral members of Blue Mountain Search and Rescue demonstrated how to hold these caps so that they produce a piercing whistle. The cap should be held with the two thumbs over the opening in the shape of a V. The holder should then blow into the center of the V. Winterstein also showed parents how to "footprint" their children. This is simple to do using a piece of tinfoil laid on top of plush carpet.While wearing shoes, the child simply puts him or her foot down with some force against the foil, and then his or her name is written on the piece or foil. It is important to have one of these for each pair of shoes the child owns, so that the tracks can be easily identified," Winterstein stated. Lucas the search dog who was there with his handler, Dave Balmat, continued to command attention throghout the demonstration, although he is well trained and very well behaved. Balmat said he worked with the dog for 11 months to train him, noting that it can take up to two years to complete a dog's training. During a search, he noted, a dog like Lucas can cover 40 to 60 acres in 30 minutes to one and a half hours, depending on the terrain and the weather. ;You need one with the right temperament to do well,"he noted. Balmat demonstrated how Lucas alerts his trainer when he has found a missing person. First, Lucas is directed to search. When he finds someone, he returns, jumps on the handler, landing with both front paws on the handler's chest. The next command is to lead the handler back to the missing person he has found. During the demonstration, Lucas performed admirably in these tasks. His reward was an opportunity to play with a rubber ball suppiled by his handler. When Lucas is searching, Balmat pointed out, he wears bells and an orange vest. For night searchs, he has a special light on his back as well. At the conclusion of the program, Winterstein handed out pamphlets printed and destributed courtesy of The National Association for Search and Rescue entitled "Hug A Tree and Survive," Interested individuals who would like to learn more or schedule a demonstration can contact The Blue Mountain Search and Rescue at (610) 404-7422 or email webmaster@psarc.org.

November 1st, 2006- Certificate Of Commendation

A special thanks goes out to Michael McKiniry and Bill Felker. They recieved this award for the outstanding job they did on finding a subject and pulling him from the water saving his life.

Way to go guys.