Our Values

Commitment

We give 100% effort to the task at hand and complete it to the best of our ability.

Initiative

We do not wait to be asked and in our decisions and actions we are accountable.

Comradeship

The member is the group and the group is the member.

Humour

We see the humour in all adversity that we may face.

Humility

None of us shall see him or herself above the needs of the group.

Mission Statement

Hamilton SAR Group provides highly competent and operationally focused teams
that are well led, trained and equipped.

Committee

Michael Bland

Chairman

Matt Hassard

Operations Coordinator

E snapperassasin@xtra.co.nz

Gin Peck

New Member Coordinator

E ninandnim@xtra.co.nz

Dave Pitchford

Police Rep

Barry Were

YSAR Liaison

Russell Lamb

Administrator

Gilbert Southworth

Treasurer

Jake Crosby

Comms & Media

Last Months Meeting

• Tracking competition presentation.
• Pack contents discussion.

This Months Meeting

• 7:30pm, Monday 19th November.
• Member feedback discussion.
• Knot tying and rope work refresher.

Monthly Training

This month's training will be Thursday the 29th of November on the East side of Hamilton. The exact location will be decided soon. We will be covering aspects of GPS use in the field.

Reminders

Availability

• If you are going away: Contact Gin with the dates you are unavailable.
• If you are unable to attend a training: Contact Matt.
• If you are unable to attend a meeting: Contact Gin or a committee member.

Pager Test Message

Reminder for all those members with pagers. The first of every month a test message is sent out to ensure your pager is operational, if you do not receive this message you should contact Matt.

Personal Details

Contact Russell if there are any changes to your contact details so the callout list is updated.

Waitawheta Hut bookings New

Waitawheta Hut now has a booking system like other large huts around country. You have to book and pay before arrival. DoC Booking page

LandSAR Searchlight New

The latest LandSAR Searchlight newsletter is available online now. LandSAR website

Callouts

• Thursday 8th November. An elderly woman who has a wandatrac pendant, unfortunately the pendant was found left in her home. She was found in the afternoon by her caregiver and returned home safely.

Volunteer Hours

In the past 3 months Hamilton members have contributed a total of 2128 hours to SAR. Much of this is in training and admin. These figures are required from us by LandSAR nationally for their statistics, planning and funding.

Waikato SAREX

The Waikato SAREX will be March 9th and 10th next year. Please note this date and keep it free, the expectation is that everyone should be able to attend.

For Sale

• Backcountry ration packs – with breakfast, lunch, dinner and extras pack (tea, coffee, chocolate etc.). They are a bargain at $20. Remember – these are sold to our group at this special rate on the understanding that they will only be used during SAREXs or SAR Operations.
• Hamilton SAR cloth badge, $6.00 contact Russell
• Whistles – Bright and Loud, $12 contact Barry

Discounts for Members

• R&R Sport – 25% Ask for Wayne Addison.
• Trek 'n' Travel – 20%
• Bivouac Outdoor – 20%
• Macpac Hamilton – up to 30%
• Torpedo 7 – 10% Email Barry for discount code.
• Kathmandu – Free summit club membership
• Mountain Designs – 25% off Mountain Designs Products, 20% off others

Member Feedback New

Thanks to all those who've used the feedback form. Some issues have been raised the committee has taken these on board. As only a few members have submitted feedback, we need to know how the group as a whole feels before we can proceed to make decisions based on the feedback.

Please take the time to answer two questions for us; What does the Hamilton SAR group do Well? and What could the Hamilton SAR group improve and How?

You can do this online at hsar.org.nz/feedback/new/ or on paper at the Monday meeting.

Please read Michael's "From the Chair" section below for more.

Please remember that we, the committee, don’t hold all the answers so please provide solutions where you can. We encourage all members take part as we want a good range of responses.

From the Chair New

Your views are important

Hamilton Search and Rescue perform an important service to the people in anaround Hamilton and the Waikato. Fundamentally, our role is to support Police with a competent and capable volunteer workforce that provides a response to people inneed of search and rescue.

The administration of the group is charged to an elected committee composed ofactive search and rescue members. It is this representation that adds expertise whilst understanding the dynamics of the general members, hence representatives.The committee has a number of formal obligations it is expected to complete; working with the national bodies, managing funds and resources, ensuring effectivetraining and reporting and monitoring functions.

Alongside these formal obligations the committee is then by definition obliged tobring the group together into a socially homogenous functioning unit, where the rolesand functions of the members (particularly in search and rescue situations) is known and understood by everyone. This function is perhaps the most challenging for anycommittee when met with the diversity that we have within our SAR membership.To that aim, over the past 6 months I have charged the committee to become more engaged in strategic planning that places the group on a secure foundation onwhich we can future proof both membership and its function. Significant to that is the engagement and interface of the group with the committee. You will note our focusaround more transparent communications is part of this plan.

Recently, we have canvassed your opinion with a brief on-line survey, to date the response has been quite light in numbers. Thank you to those of you that have contributed. Following Monday’s Committee Meeting we are seeking your opinionagain, we do need as many as possible of you to tell us; what are we (the Hamilton SAR group) doing well? And, what could we (the group) do better?

In considering these two simple (but quite complex) questions, I present you withthis challenge: Be free and open with your statements but where you advise usof things we ‘could do better’ include the solutions that you see would support improvements. We have a diverse membership from very experienced members to very new members and we want to hear from you all. As the committee supports the group in sustaining the reputation built over many years it needs to understand the impressions of the group from a large proportion of its membership base. Thatway we (the Committee) can consider how we may provide opportunities to facilitate new initiatives which will ensure our purpose of providing a safe, strong, competent volunteer workforce.

Remembering, that the solutions are within all of us and that means active contributions and support from the entire membership not just the committee. On behalf of the committee I look forward to hearing from you and taking a solution-focussed approach to meeting our obligations.

Many thanks
Michael