Training 4
Date: 2/12/2011
Type: MRA wilderness
Location: Off Willow springs road.
Weather: 60 degrees, clear
Objective: Evaluation by other MRA team for wilderness cert.
Advance team met with China Lake evaluators @ breakfast at 0600hrs to go over the days schedule. TMSAR set off to establish a base camp around 0800hrs. The first problem was a lost hiker. TMSAR set up the base camp and set forth the hasty team to evaluate the situation at the PLS. Hasty team radioed back the shoe print and set forth to track the hiker. The second team was dispatched to assist the hasty team and to provide containment of the area. The hasty team picked up a second set of track and found clues. Hasty team found the tow hikers and one of them was injured, EMT evaluated to situation and call in for the necessary equipment. Second team carried all equipment needed up the site and the victim was hauled down the hill. At the end of the scenario, all teams were debriefed and had something to eat. Next was the ELT search. Beacon was activated and teams set off on locating it. The evaluation ended around 2030hrs with no injuries.
Training 5
Date: 2/19/2011
Type: 4x4 snow
Location: Alpine
Weather: 30 degrees, light snow
Objective: Type 1 4x4-snow certification
Members met at 1230 in Alpine Forest. We aired down tires, and performed basic vehicle safety check. Checked radio communications and personnel basic survival gear including food and water. Members proceeded on snow covered paved and dirt roads and eventually climbed to 6700 ft in elevation in Alpine Forest. Along the way, members came across a motorist driving a Ford F-250 who had become stuck in a ravine along side Matterhorn Road. Members proceeded to recover the individual's vehicle and follow individual up Matterhorn. Individual became stuck three more times and members recovered vehicle each time until individual was at his final destination safely. During the multiple vehicle recovery efforts, members used tug'em straps and multiple vehicles daisy chained together with tug'em straps. Members also used winches to recover vehicle during the last recovery effort. During the ascent up to 6700ft, members traversed 6-10 inches of fresh snow on top of one to two feet of hard packed snow and ice. No Type 1 vehicles had any real difficulty reaching the 6700ft elevation point. After reaching the 6700ft elevation, members turned around and began the decent back to the base of Alpine Forest. All members returned home with no incidents.
Training 6
Date: 3/12/2011
Type: 4-7 hike
Location: Tehachapi
Weather: 46 degrees, light wind
Objective: 4-mile qualifying hike
All members are required to qualify on a 4-mile hike with full pack every year. Members arrived at the trailhead for the hike, all packs checked, footwear and clothing all check out for the weather conditions. Members were broken into two groups. Team 1 was to hike 7 miles point to point, and team two was to hike 2 miles in and 2 miles bake. Hike consists of type 2 terrain with an elevation change of 800 feet. Team 2 completed the hike in 1.5 hours and team 1 was done in less than 3 hours. Training was done by 1300hrs. with no injuries.
Training 7
Date: 3/19/2011
Type: Rappelling
Location: Kern River
Weather: 50 degrees, light rain
Objective: Refine Rappelling techniques
Members arrived at the site 1200hrs. The team was briefed on the skills needed for the training. Each member practiced the pickoff and each member took turns as the victim. Members also practiced knot passing with different rappelling devices. Members also practiced ascending with different devices. Members rappelled down a 160-foot rock face using the self belay technique. Training ended @ 1500hrs. with no injuries.
Training 8
Date: 4/9/2011
Type: Rappelling
Location: Kern River
Weather: 50 degrees
Objective: Teach basic rappelling to Explorers.
Today’s exercise was to introduce basic knot tying and rappelling to the Kern County Sheriff’s Explorers. The morning started at 0630hrs with TMSAR members setting up anchors for the different scenarios. When the explorers arrived, the first order was to instruct them on the safety plan for the day. All explorers got hands on instruction on the proper use of a hasty harness, rescue 8s and auto locks. After each explorer demonstrated, he/she could put and tie off the hasty harness properly and show the instructors the use of a rescue 8 on a flat level surface, only then could he/she could go to the first rappel station. The first rappel station: (consisted of four rappel spots with numerous anchor points, and lines) TMSAR had a safety/edge attendant/instructor, and a belay person for each explorer. The first station consisted of an 80-degree incline with a 50’ drop. Each explorer was given instruction by the edge attended in the proper voice commands and techniques for lower themselves to the bottom. Each explorer completed that station twice. The next station was basic knots (i.e. Overhand, figure eight, water knot, Prusik….) and types of rope, webbing and knot rules. At the end of that class, each explorer had the opportunity to rap islong with 90 degree incline and has changes from low to high angle within that 100’. TMSAR had: two, safety/edge atn, one safety person stationed half way down the hill (on rappel line) and one safety person at the bottom of the rappel. Each explorer completed the full course for basic rappelling and knot tying. All of the TMSAR members participated in instructing the explorers and it was a great opportunity to refresh there rope skills. Day ended @1500hrs
Training 9
Date: 4/23/2011
Type: High line ropes
Location: Tehachapi
Weather: 46 degrees
Objective: Refresh skills in one and two rope high line system.
High angle team arrived at the training spot @ 0600hrs. Team geared up and proceeded to tie off anchors. This was a short line system, only about 30’ long. We needed to evaluate the different types of line systems both one line and two lines. Training lasted until 1230hrs
Training 10
Date: 4/29/- 5/1/2011
Type: 4x4
Location: Dove springs
Weather: 32- 70 degrees
Objective: Certification for ATV’s and county 4x4vehicles.
Members of the advanced team arrived at 1730hrs on 4/29 to set up base camp. That evening the training team set forth the agenda for the next day. All other members arrived @ base camp on 4/30 @ 0800hrs. The morning certification was a type 2 4x4 course, All members took turns driving the county vehicles on the course. All members also took part in the type 3 ATV course. Starting at 1300hrs, we had a lost ATV rider scenario set up for the members. Base was set up with radios, computer, and maps table. IC set up his team leaders and gave everyone there orders. This comprised of, two ATV teams and one medical team in a country truck. ATV teams set off in a grid search pattern; the medical team, staged in a central location. It took about 1.5 hours to find the missing quad, a field IC was then set up at the site. A two-person team investigated the abandoned quad and looked for clues and track. Once the track was identified, the tracking team started to follow it, the victim was found within 30 minutes. Medical team was called in at that point to evaluate his condition, and the rope team started setting up the extraction. Victim was placed into stokes, and lowered down to the staging area using belay lines. The scenario was completed be 1700hrs. Teams were debriefed and everyone had dinner. The next day at 0900hrs members when on a 56-mile type 2 ATV certification ride. The ride lasted until 1300hrs when all members returned to base camp. Camp was then broken down and training ended at 1800hrs on 5/1.
Training 11
Date: 5/14/2011
Type: Forensics anthropology and decomp.
Location: Tehachapi
Weather: 65 degrees
Objective: 8 hour class.
The instructor for this class is from San Diego and is an expert in the field. The Glenville SAR unit joined TMSAR for this class, which started at 0800hrs. Unfortunately, I cannot go into any kind of detail about the class. Class ended at 1500hrs.
Training 12
Date: 5/21/2011
Type: Explorer competition
Location: Water Canyon
Weather: 55 degrees, clear light wind
Objective: Evaluate explorers on search and medical.
Advance team arrived on site on 5/20 to set up camp and training scenarios. The rest of the team arrived the morning of the 21, at 0800hrs the medical scenario began. The scenario was: lost hiker on a trail, down a steep grade had no water for two days and was injured. The hiker was spotted by Air-5. Each team had to go in evaluate the victim and call for the needed resources on the radio. Teams were graded by two evaluators on communications, medical knowledge, and team work. Each team was given 15 minutes to complete the task. All teams completed the scenarios by 1300hrs Training ended 5/21 @1400hrs.
Training 13
Date: 5/28/2011
Type: Tech. rock
Location: Off Willow Springs road
Weather: 48 degrees, clear, wind 25 to35 knots
Objective: Refine tech. rock rope rescue.
Training stated @ 0600hrs with the team scouting for a suitable site for the scenario. Hasty team practiced stokes packaging, use of wedge and cam anchors. Converting rope haul systems from 3-1 to 4-1 to 5-1. Training ended at 1200hrs
Training 14
Date: 6/11/2011
Type: Basic skills
Location: Mountain park
Weather: 56 degrees, clear
Objective: Basic skills test
All members arrived to the test location at 1030hrs. Members demonstrated to ability to tie a hasty harness, basic knots and basic anchors. All members spent 5 hours during this test.
Training 15
Date: 6/18/2011
Type: Basic skills
Location: Tehachapi
Weather: 50 degrees, clear
Objective: Basic skills test make up for missing members
All members arrived to the test location at 0700hrs. Members demonstrated to ability to tie a hasty harness, basic knots and basic anchors. All members spent 6 hours during this test.
Training 16
Date: 6/25/2011
Type: Base camp
Location: Tehachapi
Weather: 60 degrees, clear
Objective: Skills at base camp
Members arrived at to training location at 0700hrs. All members assisted in setting up the command trailer and helped with radio communications. Training ended at 1200hrs
Training 17
Date: 7/4/2011
Type: Base camp
Location: Tehachapi
Weather: 65 degrees, clear
Objective: Skills at base camp
Members arrived at to training location at 0600hrs. All members assisted in setting up the command trailer and helped with radio communications. Training ended at 1200hrs
Training 18
Date: 7/9/2011
Type: Rappel
Location: Mountain park
Weather: 62 degrees, clear, winds 5 knots
Objective: Low angle stokes recovery.
Members arrived at the training location @ 0700hrs. All members geared up and prepared for the training. Members where broken up into teams of two and given a location to set up anchors. Once each team had anchors set, they set lowering system for the stokes. All training was completed by 1500hrs.
Training 19
Date: 7/23-24/2011
Type: ATV
Location: Kennedy Meadows
Weather: 78 degrees, clear
Objective: ATV certification
We left Tehachapi at 0730 and arrived at camp at 1130. We camped NW of Bonita Meadows off of 22S41. We unloaded the quads and rode approximately 6 miles up to the top of Sherman Peak Total miles Sat was about 13. We traversed type 1 terrain for most of the trail. Everyone showed proper technique and proved they could handle type 1 terrain and equipment according the guidelines for quad team certification. The next morning, we rode about 8 miles past Danner Meadows until we came across several downed trees. We drove around a couple of them along paths which required type 1 terrain and equipment, but then had to turn around due to time... we had to meet back at Kennedy Meadows around noon. Total quad miles for the weekend was about 100 miles.
Training 20
Date: 8/13/2011
Type: High line system
Location: Mountain park
Weather: 81 degrees, clear
Objective: Set up highline recovery system.
Team members arrived at Mountain Park at 0700hrs. Members set up a two-rope system with a tag line. The highline system was 300 feet long over a small canyon, 40’ drop in elevation. Members took turns traveling down the system. Each member helped setup and take down of the system. Training ended 1600hrs.
Training 21
Date: 8/20/2011
Type: Base camp
Location: Tehachapi
Weather: 63 degrees, clear
Objective: Skills at base camp
Members arrived at to training location at 0530hrs. All members assisted in setting up the command trailer and helped with radio communications. Members where broken into teams of two and set off on an simulated urban search. Training ended at 1200hrs
Training 22
Date: 8/27/2011
Type: MRA wilderness
Location: Off Willow springs road.
Weather: 86 degrees, clear
Objective: Evaluation by other MRA team for wilderness cert.
Members meet @ the sub-station at 0700hrs, all equipment need for the training was checked at that time. Members arrived at base camp 0830hrs. Incident commander assigned team leaders and base operational personal. Scenario was handed to the IC; at that point, he briefed the team leaders and base camp. Teams set forth to find the downed aircraft with the ELT sniffers, bearings were given by base camp and readings were set back to base. By 1200hrs the downed aircraft was located and all teams were set back to base. After a brief lunch, teams set off on the tracking of a missing hiker. Three tracking teams were set off; one at the last location of the hiker, and two as flanking teams. First team found tracks and radio back the type of print; two other teams were assigned GPS cords. To cut tracks. Victim was located and EMT was dispatched to that site. EMT radio back condition of the victim to base and medical personal was dispatched. Training ended @ 1530
Training 23
Date: 9/3/2011
Type: GPS/Maps
Location: Tehachapi
Weather: 80 degrees, clear
Objective: GPS and map skills.
Members arrived @ training location at 0700hrs. This was a refresher on the use of GPS navigation tools and map reading. All members found way points on the maps and found there GPS coordinates in the field. Training ended at 1230hrs.
Training 24
Date: 9/10/2011
Type: MRA Test
Location: Tehachapi
Weather: 87 degrees, clear humid
Objective: MAR wilderness test
The morning started with members meeting at the sub-station @0600hrs and checking in. After all members were safety checked, we proceeded to caravan to the test site (off highway 178). The MRA evaluators (from four different counties)briefed our team, and then our team set up base camp. We were handed, two sets of problems simultaneously, our IC decided to solve both at the same time. Hasty team took control of the missing hiker and team 1, 2 took the down aircraft. Hasty team took no time on finding a shoe print off the floor mat of the hiker’s car and found track immediately. Tracking was slow going because of the foot traffic over the hikers print. Meanwhile team 1,2 where trying to establish a ELT signal and bearing. Base sent the teams in opposite directions to see if they could acquire a beacon signal. After more than an hour, base realized that team 1s ELT searcher was not working properly so base sent a person to reprogram it. Once that unit was working, team 1 acquired a strong signal, and base was able to triangulate the signal. Team 1 moved into position and had to hike 4 miles in to find the beacon. There were 2 crash victims, one at the site and the other had left on foot. Air 5 helicopter rescue was on standby and was able to extract the two victims and the rescue team 1. At the same time: the hasty team located the lost hiker and call in for a medical evacuation. A stokes team was dispatched from base camp and hike up the trail four miles to assist the hasty team with the evacuation. When those two problems were solved, our team did a basic grid search for aircraft parts. Testing ended at 1600hrs and all of the evaluators debriefed our team. Our team passed this test. Day ended at 1900hrs with no injuries.
Training: # 25
Date: 10/22/11
Type: Wilderness
Location: Hwy 178 & Walker Pass (PCT)
Weather: 72 degrees / clear
Objective: Summit Morris Peak
Team members met at the sub-station at 0700 and arrived at the trailhead at 0800.After checking members gear and finalizing our route, we started the ascent to Morris Peak via the PCT. During the hike, members were utilizing their map reading / GPS and footprint (track) ID skills. The hike was 9.31 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 2000 ft; the hike was completed in 4.1 hrs with a 30 min lunch on the peak. Training was completed by 1300 hrs with no injuries reported.
Training: # 26
Date: 11/6/11
Type: Wilderness
Location: Owens Peak Trail Head (parking area)
Weather: 40 degrees / light rain / windy
Objective: Summit Jenkins Peak
Team members left the sub-station at 0700 and arrived at the trailhead around 0830, where they met up with 2 China Lake team members. After doing a safety and gear check and finalizing our route, we started our ascent of Mount Jenkins via a class 2 route. During the hike, members were utilizing their path finding, GPS and map reading skills. The hike was 6.2 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 2500 ft. When we started our hike, the weather was light rain and windy; as we gained in elevation the rain turned to blowing snow, temporary 31, wind gust of 35 mph. We crossed over the PCT at an elevation of 7100 ft with 3 to 5 inches of snow starting to build up on the trail. At this time, we re-evaluated the weather and decided to continue on to the peak. At 7800 ft we encountered the class 3 section of the trail that leads to the summit; there was 5 to 7 inches of snow built up with ice starting to form; the temp was 30, snowing, wind gusts 40mph, wind chill 14 degrees. Even though we were only 120 ft from the summit, we decided that for safety reasons we would not continue. After taking a short break, we started back down the mountain via the same path we used during our ascent. Training was completed by 1600 hrs with no injuries reported.
Training: # 27
Date: 12/10/11
Type: CPR/First aid
Location: Golden hills
Weather: 35 degrees clear
Objective: Recertification
Starting at 0800 hours. all members and prospective members attended. We had three qualified instructors to demonstrate the proper CPR. All in attendance viewed a Red Cross video on CPR/AED/First Aid and hands on training. Two types of mannequins where used, Adult and infant. Members had to demonstrate the proper way in administering the different compressions between an adult and infant. Learned how to use an AED, showed proper first aid bandaging, and showed knowledge of overheating and hypothermia. Day ended when all members had passed the practical test.
Training: # 28
Date: 12/17/11
Type: Wilderness
Location: Mount Pinos (parking area)
Weather: 32 degrees / windy
Objective: Pinos, Sawmill and Grouse peak
Team members met at the sub-station at 0700 and arrived at the base camp at 0830.After checking members gear and finalizing our route, we started the ascent to Mt. Pinos peak. During the hike, members were utilizing their map reading / GPS and footprint (track) ID skills. After the Mt. Pinos, members proceeded to Sawmill and Grouse peak. At some point on the trail, the snow was about 2 feet deep. The hike was 10.2 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 1500 ft; the hike was completed. Training completed by 1730 hrs with no injuries reported.