SAR -Busy Week

This week has been a very busy week with riding the bike to and from work, to being called out to a search, training and a river rescue. I joined the county Search and Rescue (SAR) team in January, to be part of the dive team. I love to Scuba dive and I thought this would be a way to get more dives in. Well instead of just being part of the dive team, I jump into the unit with both feet, doing repelling, searches, and learning about the drug culture in the local area (good info for wandering around the local hills looking for lost people.

This week started on Tuesday with a call out for a lost little girl in town. I got in the car and raced (within the speed limit) to the location of her last sighting. I got no closer than about 5 blocks when the 10-22 (cancel) call came in. On Friday night was training. We learn to put up a quad high line for transporting people and equipment over gullies, rivers, etc. On Saturday, we used Friday's training to assist CARDA (California Rescue Dog Association) in their training dogs and we hooked up about a dozen dogs and trainers, then moved them across the creek and back. This was something that the dog team had to do together to be certified by CARDA. On Sunday, I got called out twice. I was relaxing around the house in some sweatpants when we had a call for four lost youths. I quickly changed pants and even before I got my shirt on, the 10-22 call came out. The kids were located. A while later, Lori was just starting dinner, where we had invited the Evelyn, Tracy and the kids over for dinner and a dip in the hot tub, when another call out came of a boy trapped on a rock in the river. I drove up the river and we were able to get a line to the boy and he put on a PFD (personal floatation device) w/ line attached, and helmet, and we pulled him across the river. I was informed that if he was injured that I would have been sent swimming across the river to set up a high line and get the boy across. Luckily, he was just a little cold. Then it continued today. I was at Dr. Cole's getting my treatment when the pager went off. I quickly threw on my clothes and ran out the office and proceeded up Highway 199 to a car over the side, with possible injuries. I got as far as Gasquet, when the 10-22 came in. Unfortunately the driver of the vehicle was 11-44 (DAS, expired.) The car was only slightly off the road and there was was no problem with the fire department being able to to extract the victim. With the weather being like summer, it might be quite busy around here. But then I did volunteer for the SAR. (You'd think after all those years in the Marines, I would have learned to not volunteer.)

Mother's Day

The mothers in my life. Thank you to you all for all the joy you have given me in my life. My mom (at right) who did most of my raising as my Dad was in the Corps and did tours overseas, to my daughter and daughter-in-laws (above w/ wife) who have given me joyous moments from giving birth to my grandchildern to the visits together, to my wife, the mother of my childern. What would life be if we didn't have all the joyous moments these women have brought, to offset the mundane life we have to do to provide for our families. Thank you all, and though I don't tell you often enough, I love all of you.

First Post

As my first post, I thought I'd give a little background on myself. I'm a father of 4, and grandfather of 11. I love all of them and their spouses. I work for the largest department in the state criminal justice system in the state, and have for 22 years. My interests are playing trombone in the local orchestra and the community big band, riding my bicycle (road & tandem w/ wife), scuba diving, and being part of the local search & rescue team. I spent 4 years in the Marine Corps, and another 5 in the Marine Corps Reserve. SEMPER FI. I started this blog figuring if my oldest grandson can have one, it can't be that hard to do. I hope that I don't bore you to death with my dribble as I post, but if i do, leave me a comment about what you would like me to talk about, and I'll try to accommodate you. Talk you you soon.