September 23, 2021 – Arkansas Search and Rescue Association

2022 ASARA State SAR Conference2022 ASARA State SAR Conference

September 23, 2021

Pictures from the 2022 ASARA State Conference

Original Conference Information

Updated March 16, 2022

The Arkansas Search and Rescue Association Board is excited to announce that we will be hosting the 2022 ASARA State Conference June 25-26, 2022 with pre-conference training on Thursday, June 23 and Friday, June 24. The conference will be hosted at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, AR.

Conference Cost and Information

Conference Cost:

Non-ASARA Member Teams: $35/day for conference day fee + any course/certification fees (see course details) + book(s) (if required) + meals + lodging
ASARA Member Teams (must be listed on team membership roster submitted with yearly application): $25/day for conference day fee + any course/certification fees (see course details) + book(s) (if required) + meals + lodging

Big News:

The Arkansas Search and Rescue Association has received a donation from an individual who is a very dedicated supporter of Arkansas’ Emergency Responders. This scholarship donation has been earmarked to pay the NASAR fees for attendees of the National Association of Search and Rescue courses held at our Conference this year. The courses covered by this scholarship donation are:

NASAR Intro to SAR GIS with SARTopo (SARTOPO)
NASAR Initial Actions (IA)
NASAR Wilderness First Aid (WFA)

The scholarship donation will cover 50 NASAR fees on a first come, first served basis. The scholarships will be automatically applied when your invoice is created until all 50 of the $30 NASAR fee scholarships have been allocated.

NOTE: The scholarships are for Arkansas residents.

NOTE: This scholarship only applies to the NASAR fees — this is not a substitute for your Conference Day Fee or any additional course fees.

Please Note: Class days, cost, and other details are subject to change!

Please Note: Extra items such as ASARA T-shirts and books will be available for purchase at the conference for additional fees.

Total cost for the Conference will vary depending on which classes you choose to attend, meal ticket, lodging, and any cost associated with optional extras such as ASARA T-shirt purchases.

Registration Deadline is Sunday, May 22 by 23:59.

Late Registrations will be available after May 22 with an additional $20 late registration fee and no guarantee of room availability.

Pre-Conference Course Information

NASAR Wilderness First Aid (WFA)

16 hours
Cost: $140 (2x $35 conference day fees + $40 class fee + $30 NASAR fee)
Days: Thursday, June 23 – Friday, June 24
Lead Instructor: Tom Burroughs
- E-mail: swiftwater rescue @ gmail . com (be sure to remove spaces)
Equipment, Supplies, and Class Materials:
- Wilderness First Aid book by Steve Donelan (Available from NASAR bookstore)
- There will be field sessions so dress accordingly
Course Description:

Our Wilderness First Aid (WFA) trains you to understand and avoid wilderness hazards and to do emergency care in the wilderness or anywhere, with whatever equipment you have or can improvise. It also prepares you for disaster situations, when emergency medical services and hospitals are overwhelmed or inaccessible. This course is designed to help you make logical and causal connections (not just memorize lists of signs, symptoms and treatment) so that you understand what you are doing. How do the body systems work? What can go wrong with them because of injury, environmental stress, or a medical condition? How can you tell what the problems are? What can you do to treat the problems and stabilize the patient when you are far from help?

There are no perquisites. For a comprehensive description check the NASAR Wilderness Emergency Care website at http://www.wildernessemergencycare.org/wfa-courses/

NASAR Introduction to SAR GIS with SARTopo Course

8 hours
Cost: $65 ($35 conference day fee + $30 NASAR fee)
Days: Thursday, June 23
Lead Instructor: Klay Rowbotham
- Phone: 479-970-6542
- E-mail: sar @ klayanderin . com (be sure to remove spaces)
Equipment, Supplies, and Class Materials:
- Highly Recommended: Laptop with external mouse highly recommended.
- Recommended: Lost Person Behavior: A search and rescue guide on where to look – for land, air and water (Book or “Lost Person Behavior” mobile app)
  - Book is available from dbs-sar.com, NASAR bookstore, Amazon, and other sources
  - Mobile app is available from Google Play Store or Apple Store
Course Description:

The NASAR Introduction to SAR GIS with SARTopo course will help show you how to get started using the on-line mapping tool SARTopo to help address the geo-spatial problems involved with a search and rescue incident. The class will cover from basic usage of SARTopo to using it to help create task assignments and manage a SAR incident. Attendees are highly encouraged to bring a laptop so they can follow along throughout the course. An external mouse is also highly recommended as well as a notepad and pen/pencil. It is also recommended to have a copy of the Lost Person Behavior book or smartphone app available for use during mock scenarios.

Orientation to Light Structure Collapse

8 hours
Cost: $35 ($35 conference day fee)
Days: Thursday, June 23
Lead Instructor / Point of Contact: Robert Shepherd
- Phone: 501-681-4573
- E-mail: shepherdr @ wind stream . net (be sure to remove spaces)
Equipment, Supplies, and Class Materials:
- Job aid book (Available at conference check-in for $15.00)
- MUST HAVE:
  - Durable long pants
  - Long sleeve shirt
  - Sturdy work boots
  - Hard hat
  - Hearing protection
  - Eye protection
  - Leather work gloves
  - 16 oz+ framing hammer
  - 30 foot+ tape measure
  - Speed square
  - Carpenter’s pencil
  - Sharpie marker
Course Description:

This class is a basic introduction to the FEMA Type 3 Structural Collapse Incident and is derived from the NFPA 1670 Standards. Although this is an Orientation Level class, there is a significant “HANDS ON” portion included. In a disaster event—flood, tornado, earthquake—buildings of all sizes and qualities of construction will be impacted. We have all seen the damage to light wooden and metal structures—most of us have responded to this Kind/Type call. Heavy rescue units will be tied up responding to multi-story structures. Responding to the residential and light commercial areas will be our assignments. We need training and techniques beyond CERT (Type4). So, what NOW? We need an action plan that will allow us to use common materials and tools we already have and know how to use. This class is the starting point to answer this question.

Topics included:
1. Recognizing the Hazards and Challenges
2. Shoring and cribbing
3. PPE, Equipment, Supplies List
4. Cutting Steel
5. Lifting and moving debris
6. Others

NASAR Initial Actions (IA) Course

8 hours
Cost: $65 ($35 conference day fee + $30 NASAR fee)
Days: Friday, June 24
Lead Instructor: Klay Rowbotham
- Phone: 479-970-6542
- E-mail: sar @ klayanderin . com (be sure to remove spaces)
Equipment, Supplies, and Class Materials:
- Lost Person Behavior: A search and rescue guide on where to look – for land, air and water (Book or “Lost Person Behavior” mobile app)
  - Book is available from dbs-sar.com, NASAR bookstore, Amazon, and other sources
  - Mobile app is available from Google Play Store or Apple Store
- NASAR Initial Actions For Search & Rescue Missions Guide (Available from NASAR bookstore)
- Recommended: NASAR Response Pocket Guide (Available from NASAR bookstore)
- Pen or pencil
- Notepad
- Laptop (recommended)
- Map grid reader
Course Description:

Have you ever been one of the first personnel to arrive at a Missing Person (MP) call? If you haven’t your time will come. You will ask yourself these questions and many others— “What can I do right now with the resources I have on scene to help find this child?” “What information do I immediately need to obtain?” “Where is the Missing Person most likely located?” “What resources and how many do I need?” This is the class that will help you answer those questions.

Target Audience: LEOs, Firefighters, SAR Teams, and Park and Forestry staff.

Topics will include:

SIZE UP—what has happened? What do I need to do?
REFLEXIVE TASKING—this strategy provides you with tactical applications that very often find the MP fairly quickly or produce clues and leads that helps you determine where you need to look next. Perhaps, most importantly, it may help you eliminate some of the MPs risk of peril due to hazards in the area.
ESTABLISH CONFINEMENT—This search strategy is designed to help prevent the MP from traveling greater distances from the Last Know Point (LKP). Remember, if you don’t know the Direction of Travel (DOT) of the Missing Persons, the search area expands exponentially relative to the distance traveled(Example, if the MP goes one mile, the Search Area is 3.14 square miles; If 2 miles, the search area becomes about 12.5 square miles.
ATTRACTION—Using Light and Sound to lead the MP to your searchers. Highly effective tactic when applied correctly. Confusing and frustrating for everyone when poorly applied. Let’s get it right and go home sooner rather than later.

Rope Rescue Awareness

8 hours
Cost: $55 ($35 conference day fee + $20 class fee)
Days: Friday, June 24
Lead Instructor: Hare Mountain Rescue; Point of contact is David Sutter
- Phone: 479-739-3862
Equipment, Supplies, and Class Materials:
- Eye protection
- Gloves
- Boots
- Tubular webbing
- If you have a harness and climbing helmet or wildland fire helmet, please bring them.
Course Description:

Our Rope Rescue Awareness is a course for every emergency responder. We teach real world skills that will assist emergency responders to use rope to access, stabilize and evacuate the victim and themselves.
All equipment is provided by Hare Mountain Rescue although departments or teams are welcome to use the equipment provided by their respective teams. We teach basic knots and when and how to use them. We explain when and why to use ropes and rope systems. We use hands on training to share the skills needed to build an anchor, access the victim and secure the victim to a basket and safely remove the victim out of the danger zone.
All of our information is based off of real-world missions that we have been involved in. Together our team of instructors put in over 2000 hours of technical rescue training per year. We constantly update our courses to provide the best training with the most modern equipment, but we never forget our basics and the tried and true methods.
We feel that this course would be valuable to all FD, EMS, SAR, Game and Fish, Forestry and LEO responders. It is our hope that we will be given the chance to share what we have learned to assist others.
So that when the time comes, they can be safe and successful.

Breakout Session Information

Breakout Sessions on Saturday:

Management Track

08:30-10:00 “PLS/LKP & LPQ”
10:00-10:30 Break
10:30-12:00 “Alternative Power”
12:00-13:00 Lunch
13:00-14:30 “Field Communications”
14:30-15:00 Break
15:00-16:30 “PLB/ELT”
17:00-18:00 Dinner

Field Track #1

08:30-10:00 “Supporting Large Scale Incident”
10:00-10:30 Break
10:30-12:00 “Weather for Searchers”
12:00-13:00 Lunch
13:00-14:30 “WFA Refresher”
14:30-15:00 Break
15:00-16:30 “Field Communications”
17:00-18:00 Dinner

Field Track #2

08:30-10:00 “SAR Packs”
10:00-10:30 Break
10:30-12:00 “GPS”
12:00-13:00 Lunch
13:00-14:30 “Crime Scene Preservation”
14:30-15:00 Break
15:00-16:30 “Field Team Leader”
17:00-18:00 Dinner

Technical Track

08:30-10:00 “Mounted Classroom”
10:00-10:30 Break
10:30-12:00 “Mounted Field”
12:00-13:00 Lunch
13:00-14:30 “Structure Collapse Overview”
14:30-15:00 Break
15:00-16:30 “Wide Area Overview”
17:00-18:00 Dinner

Breakout Sessions on Sunday:

Field Track #1

08:30-10:00 “UAV for SAR Operations”
10:00-10:30 Break
10:30-12:30 “UTV/ATV SAR Operations”
12:30-? Lunch

Field Track #2

08:30-10:00 “K9”
10:00-10:30 Break
10:30-12:30 “Observation Skills and Equipment for SAR”
12:00-? Lunch

Technical Track #1

08:30-10:00 “Mountain Bikes for SAR”
10:00-10:30 Break
10:30-12:30 “Tree Stand Rescue”
12:30-? Lunch

Technical Track #2

08:30-12:30 “Boat Operations and Maintenance for SAR Responders”
12:30-? Lunch

Other Conference Features:

Thursday Evening: TBA
Friday Evening: Arkansas Search and Rescue Association General Membership Meeting and Election (Note: Must be a member of a current ASARA member team to attend)
Saturday Evening: Banquet with Guest Speaker, Awards, and Door Prizes

Lodging and Meals

On-campus lodging is available in Nutt Hall Wednesday, June 22 – Saturday, June 25: $25 per Night

Virtual Tour of a Nutt Hall Dorm Room – https://youtu.be/Wu-qpW6mn9s

Attendees will need to provide their own linens.
No alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or pets are allowed.
You may also secure your own lodging off-campus if you prefer.

Please Note: Couples that wish to lodge together will need to specify this on their registration form.

Please Note: The fees for meal tickets and lodging are in addition to the conference day fees and any other fees you may have.

Meal Tickets for Chambers Cafeteria are available:

Thursday through Saturday: $30 / day

Includes Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner for selected days

Sunday: $20

Includes Breakfast and Boxed Lunch only

Please Note:

No meals are available for the evening of Wednesday, June 22. You will be responsible for your own meal.
You can choose to get a Meal Ticket or eat around town on your own.
You may choose to pay cash at the door for individual meals at Chambers Cafeteria.
Morning Briefings with last minute announcements and schedule changes will be during breakfast in Chambers Cafeteria at 07:35 each morning.

Please Note: Class days, cost, and other details are subject to change!

Please Note: Extra items such as ASARA T-shirts and books will be available for purchase at the conference for additional fees.

Total Cost for the Conference will vary depending on which classes you choose to attend, meal ticket, lodging, and any cost associated with optional extras such as ASARA T-shirt purchases.

Registration Deadline is Sunday, May 22 by 23:59.

Late Registrations will be available after May 22 with an additional $20 late registration fee and no guarantee of room availability.

If your team enjoys having events such as our State Conference, please consider having your team join ASARA to help support our efforts. Please see the Membership page for information.

Please check back here or follow our Facebook Page for updates.