GPSAR Digital News for September 1997

IN THIS ISSUE OF GPSAR NEWS


GREATER PHILADELPHIA SEARCH AND RESCUE GOES ON-LINE
We are please to announce another major accomplishment in the reorganization of Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue. Our web site is now open and the general public as well as search and rescue personnel will find information available that will be of help and interest to them. The project was embarked upon to increase GPSAR's exposure, enable us to share information and experience with the public and to give GPSAR members an avenue to keep current with all information on classes, special details, searches and our monthly "GPSAR News" newsletter in a special section called "Members Only." While the Chief deserves credit for compiling information for the site, the majority of the credit goes to Lieutenant Hopkins for all of his effort as web master. The web site is an ongoing project and your suggestions are appreciated. The space for the site is generously being donated by Navpoint Internet Services. Please feel free to review the web site and enjoy all it has to offer at: http://www.navpoint.com/~gpsar

GPSAR TO SPONSOR MANAGING SEARCH OPERATIONS TRAINING PROGRAM
At the request of numerous members and other organizations, GPSAR will be sponsoring the Manager of Search Operations (MSO) training program on. This 40 hour certified (by the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency) course will be at GPSAR's classroom training facility.

GPSAR MEMBER NEWS
Congratulations to the following GPSAR personnel that were involved in the search in Delaware on August 27, 1997, and in saving the life of Alzheimer's victim Jimmy Horner who was lost and dying having been found in critical condition. Mr. Horner surely would have died, if it were not for the efforts of these dedicated personnel and the search team. Due to the efforts of these personnel, Mr. Horner survived. Working with the Chief, the following personnel were at the mission and have been presented with the "Certificate of Commendation." by Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue: Assistant Chief Ludwig, District Chief T.J. Wallace and his canine partner, Captain Zollers and her equine partner, Sergeant Kratz and her equine partner, Sergeant Marshman and her equine partner, and members Cooperman, Hinkley, Hosgood and his canine partner, Mattox, Smirniotis, T. Smith and J. Tyler.

The following mutual aid personnel also received the "Certificate of Commendation" award from Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue: From Northeast Search and Tactical Rescue: Chief Winterstein, Officers Wheeler and Patrie and members Keefer, Mease and Moreland, from the Pennsylvania State Military Reserve: Lt. Col. Russell Redhouse, Jr., and from the Delaware Civil Air Patrol: Lt. Gasparo and Cadet Bancroft.

Congratulations go to Lieutenant Hopkins who was presented Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue's "Award of Merit". Lieutenant Hopkins has spent many hours over the last several months developing Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue's web site. This award was presented due to his dedication to the department.

Congratulations go to District Chief T.J. Wallace who has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the Search and Rescue Council of New Jersey.

NEW GPSAR T-SHIRTS
New T-Shirts for GPSAR personnel have been ordered and delivered. They are yellow with black printing. Our “emblem” is on the front (as is currently). The reverse of the shirt has been changed and now reads “Search And Rescue”. For any member that would like a shirt, they are: $11.00 per t-shirt for small, medium, large and extra large and, $12.50 per t-shirt for XXL. Any member interested may contact the Chief or Lt. Hopkins via e-mail or telephone.

POCKET IDENTIFICATION CARDS SENT TO ALL GPSAR MEMBERS
With the last issue of GPSAR News, pocket cards were sent to all personnel. The cards are to be carried when on-duty as all personnel are to utilize badge numbers when calling another member. On one side of the card is each members name, rank and badge number listed alphabetically by name. On the reverse side of the card is each members badge number, name and rank listed numerically by badge number. If any active member did not receive one of these cards, contact the Chief as there are a small number of them left. The next production of the cards will be in the beginning of 1998.

SOP's AND SOG's CURRENTLY BEING UPDATED AND DEVELOPED
The current Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's) are in the process of complete revision. New SOP's are being added along with some Standard Operating Guidelines (SOG's). It is hoped that they will be completed and distributed by years end. Thanks go out to the Mounted Unit for their efforts in the development of the SOG's and certification/testing procedures for the members of that unit.

SILENT CAUSE OF TRAFFIC DEATHS - FALLING ASLEEP
As search and rescue personnel, we sometimes must travel distances in order to get to missions or even training locations. Care should be taken (even more so on the return trip) to make sure that you are not exhausted, that you are mentally alert and have the strength to make the trip home safely. There have been unfortunate occasions in the past where search and rescue personnel throughout the country had driven a distance to a mission, spent many hours there and then attempted to drive home while severely exhausted, thereby, never making it home.

Drowsy driving is America's silent killer. And, while public education campaigns have raised awareness of the dangers of driving drunk, few realize that driving drowsy can be just as fatal. Sleepiness slows a driver's reaction time, decreases awareness and impairs judgement, just as drugs and alcohol do.

The National Safety Administration reports that 100,000 motor vehicle crashes each year are caused by drivers who fall asleep at the wheel, killing 1,500 people and injuring 71,000 more. Because reporting is inconsistent and little physical evidence remains to prove crash causes, experts agree these numbers are understated. A gallop poll found that 52% of Americans had driven while drowsy and that 31 % had, at some time, dozed off at the wheel.

When and why it happens -
According to Joan Goldberg of the National Sleep Foundation, America is sleep deprived. They cram more activities into each day, cheating themselves out of precious sleep time. Busy people may be playing beat the clock with their internal, or circadian, rhythms. While the circadian rhythms naturally boost energy during certain times of the day, they make people sleepy at other times. Most people feel sleepy during the afternoon between 2pm and 5pm, and between midnight and 7am. And, these are the hours when most drowsy driving crashes occur.

Who is most likely to doze off -
1. Young People: half of the victims of fatigue related crashes are under 25. Young people tend to stay up late, sleep too little and drive at night. In a North Carolina study, 55 percent of fall-asleep crashes involved people 25 years old or younger, 78 percent of those were males.

2. Highway Drivers: People tend to fall asleep on high speed, monotonous highways, especially at night. Studies on the Pennsylvania Turnpike estimate that 50 percent of fatal crashes are caused by drowsy drivers.

3. Truck Drivers: Truck drivers work long and unusual hours, and nearly one-third of all fatal truck crashes are caused by driver fatigue.

4. Night Shift Workers: Driving home from working the night shift is danger time for America's 25 million rotating shift workers. Studies suggest 20 to 30 percent of those with non-traditional work hours had a fatigue related driving mishap within the past year. Drivers who find themselves dozing and drifting on the road attempt to use tricks to stay awake - rolling down the window, chewing gum, drinking coffee, turning the radio up loud, even talking to themselves. But, those anti-drowsiness measures work only temporarily, at best, says the National Sleep Foundation's representative. “When you get truly sleepy, especially in a dark car at night, there is nothing you can do to keep yourself awake. Contrary to what most people believe, sleep is not voluntary.

Danger Signals (Even One Of These Symptoms Means You May Be In Danger Of Falling Asleep) -
1. Your eyes close or go out of focus by themselves.
2. You have trouble keeping your head up.
3. You can't stop yawning.
4. You have disconnected thoughts.
5. You don't remember the last few miles you've driven.
6. You drift between lanes, tailgate or miss traffic signs.
7. You keep jerking the car back into the lane.
8. You have drifted off the road and narrowly missed crashing.

Four Ways To Keep Alert Behind The Wheel -

Be Rested - Get enough sleep the night before your drive if it is pre-planned. Drive and arrive at times you are normally awake. Stop somewhere overnight rather than traveling straight through on a long trip.
Pick Your Time - Avoid driving during your body's down time if possible (mid-afternoon and midnight to 7:00am for most people), when sleep is almost irresistible.
Take A Break - Schedule breaks every two hours or 100 miles. Be sure to walk or get some other exercise before continuing your trip.
Pull Over - Whenever you feel sleepy, pull off the road, find a safe, well-lighted place and sleep. Even a 15 to 20 minute nap can be highly restorative.
Thanks to The Reacter Magazine for portions of the above article.

CHANGE IN AREA CODES
The telephone company is hard at work as usual and several areas will be getting new area codes within the next year. Ones that are in effect now that concern GPSAR members are New Jersey area code "908" which is now split with the new area code "732", and, the New Jersey area code "201" has been split with the new area code "973".

HELPING CHILDREN AFTER A DISASTER
A catastrophe such as an earthquake, hurricane, tornado, fire or flood is frightening to children and adults alike. It is important to acknowledge the frightening parts of the disaster when talking with a child about it. Falsely minimizing the danger will not end a child's concerns. Several factors affect a child's response to a disaster.

The way children see and understand their parents response is very important. Children are aware of their parents worries most of the time but they are particularly sensitive during a crisis. Parents should admit their concerns to their children, and also stress their abilities to cope with the situation.

A child's reaction also depends on how much destruction he or she sees during and after the disaster. If a friend or family member has been killed or seriously injured, or if the child's school or home has been severely damaged, there is a greater chance that the child will experience difficulties.

A child's age affects how the child will respond to the disaster. For example, six-year-olds may show their concerns about a catastrophe by refusing to attend school, whereas adolescents may minimize their concerns but argue more with parents and show a decline in school performance. It is important to explain the events in words the child can understand.

Following a disaster, people may develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which is psychological damage that can result from experiencing, witnessing or participating in an overwhelmingly traumatic (frightening) event. Children with this disorder have repeated episodes in which they re-experience the traumatic event. Children often relive the trauma through repetitive play. In young children, distressing dreams of the traumatic event may change into nightmares of monsters, of rescuing others or of threats to self or others.

PTSD rarely appears during the trauma itself. Though its symptoms can occur soon after the event, the disorder often surfaces several months or even years later. Parents should be alert to these changes:
  • Refusal to return to school and "clinging" behavior, shadowing the mother or father around the house.
  • Persistent fears related to the catastrophe (such as fears about being permanently separated from parents).
  • Sleep disturbances such as nightmares, screaming during sleep and bedwetting, persisting several days after the event.
  • Loss of concentration and irritability.
  • Behavior problems - for example, misbehaving in school or at home in ways that are not typical for the child.
  • Physical complaints (stomachaches, headaches, dizziness) for which a physical cause cannot be found.
  • Withdrawal from family and friends, listlessness, decreased activity, preoccupation with the event of the disaster.
    Professional advice or treatment for children affected by a disaster, especially those who have witnessed destruction, injury or death, can help prevent or minimize PTSD. Parents who are concerned about their children can ask their pediatrician or family doctor to refer them to a specialist in these matter.
    Thanks to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry for portions of the above article.

    EFFECTIVE LYME VACCINE FOUND

    A new vaccine has proven to be 100 percent effective in protecting people under age 60 from Lyme disease, the tick-borne ailment that plagues outdoors persons such as search and rescue personnel.

    Clinical tests began in 1994 and involved more than 10,000 adults in five states where Lyme disease is found (within the area of GPSAR coverage).

    A company called Pasteur Merieux Connaught, based in Pennsylvania, is planning to seek FDA approval of the vaccine by the end of this year. Even after it does become available, however, SAR personnel should still check their bodies for ticks after a mission or training. Even though you may receive the vaccine you should still be careful.

    The vaccine, which would be marketed under the name ImuLyme, was made using genetic engineering to produce a protein that stimulates the body's immune responses. Three doses of the vaccine were shown to be 100 percent effective on men under 60 years of age and, all women, but only 67 percent effective on men 60 or older. Medical researchers do not yet know why the vaccine was less effective on men over the age of 60.

    The vaccine was administered in injections one month apart, with a third dose a year later. Those tested experienced redness, swelling and soreness at the site of the injection, the same side effects as any other intramuscular vaccine.

    Lyme disease is predominantly found on the East Coast. Some 98,000 cases have been reported to the Centers For Disease Control since 1982, including approximately 14,000 cases last year. Those most at risk include children, outdoor enthusiasts and workers, including of course, search and rescue personnel.

    QUOTE OF THE MONTH
    A human being is happiest and most successful when dedicated to a cause outside his own individual, selfish satisfaction. Benjamin Spock

    Notice GPSAR News is published monthly by Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue. Material published herein may be reproduced with credit by other non-profit organizations. Others should request reprint rights from GPSAR. Editorial content may be the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue. The right to edit or not publish submissions is retained by editor, dependant on available space and content of submission.