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SAR PROFILES
Grief and Condolences: what I learned
by Constable Paul Olmstead
During my 26 years with the Edmonton Police Service I have dealt with
death and death notifications more than most. Specializing in search and
rescue, including body recovery, has also led to many incidents of this
nature.
I did what I was trained to do. Be considerate, tactful and respectful,
both of the deceased and the family.
Now after many years I found myself on the other side of the fence. I
was called to the hospital, met by my peers, spoken to by investigators
and eventually I returned to work.
I wish I had the words to describe these steps of what I saw and felt,
but they are still very personal and undefined.
It has been over a year since my wife and I suffered the death of our
19-year old son, Cody. The journey has been one with varied emotions and
life altering thoughts and feelings. Now in many ways the real support
and journey has just begun.
The entire issue of grief is one which makes many squirm, or allows others
to show their supportive nature. This part alone has been an eye opener
and as we all age, we will deal with this issue more and more.
We have been in contact with others who have lost children, specifically
a support group called Compassionate Friends. What I learned is
"less can be better." If I can share some of what I experienced,
perhaps it will make us all a bit more aware of how one truly feels after
suffering the death of a loved one.
- Be direct and do not use ambiguous words. Avoid terms such as 'passed
on,' or commentary such as 'it could have been worse' and others.
- Wait for the questions if they happen. Silence at this point is critical
to allow the bereaved to absorb what you said.
- Responses vary, and remember, you are dealing with a person in shock,
despite how reasonable or controlled they appear.
- Seek the assistance or location of family members (Victim Services
Unit, Chaplain etc).
As a friend, long term is the time when talking counts. The real test is
four months and beyond when society says, 'we have grieved. Move on.'
A bereaved person does not want to let go and does not want time to pass
as it represents the last time they saw, touched and spoke with the person
who has died. This is the time they need to talk. Listen.
Remember that what we say, do, or don't do, may have a profound and lasting
effect on someone who has lost a loved one (and in my case, a child).
Grief and bereavement are all about us in many cases and not the one who
has suffered the loss.
Saying the wrong thing, saying too much or avoidance is all about us, not
the bereaved.
Constable Olmstead serves with the Edmonton Police Service and works
in many of the response units from Search Management to Flight Operations.
In 2004, Const. Olmstead received the Outstanding SAR Achievement Award
from the National SAR Secretariat.
50 years of SAR:
the evolution of the Alberni Valley Rescue Squad
by Roy Buchanan
In 1955, an impromptu search for a missing hunter in the mountains of
central Vancouver Island provided the momentum to form the Alberni Valley
Rescue Squad.
Fifty years later, the squad is going strong with 49 volunteers who train
in wilderness, inland water and urban search and rescue.
Incorporated in August 1956 as the Alberni Valley Mountain Rescue Squad,
the group continues to provide SAR services to the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional
District, an area characterized by rugged, mountainous terrain.
 Charter
members raised funds to purchase equipment, including the army H-hut the
squad used as its first headquarters on land donated by the city. A used
4x4 pickup truck, acquired in 1971 and heavily modified, served as an
equipment platform and command centre for over 30 years. This truck also
provided emergency ambulance service to the valley during winter storms
in its early years.
With no provincial body overseeing land SAR operations in the 1950s and
1960s, the squad developed its own tactics and training standards and
worked closely with the RCMP.
 For
many years the squad was the only ground SAR group on Vancouver Island.
Called out approximately 20 times a year, the squad has conducted hundreds
of missions throughout the region, including rescues in mountains, on
rivers and lakes of the interior, and on rugged islands along the west
coast of Vancouver Island.
The 1964 tsunami was a major operation for the team. The members initiated
rescue operations immediately and worked with local authorities for days.
In the end, the squad was credited with saving many lives.
With the creation of the British Columbia Provincial Emergency Program
in the 1970s, the squad came under its jurisdiction and it became officially
known as the Alberni Valley Rescue Squad.
 Extensive
range of skills
In the early 1990s, the squad purchased a piece of land from the City
of Port Alberni and built a new office complete with a classroom, kitchen
and dining area as well as a communications centre.
A jet drive, 21-foot rigid hull Zodiac is used for river and lake operations
and the squad purchased a new command and equipment truck in 2005. Planned
purchases include two ATVs and a portable, inflatable rescue craft for
small rivers and remote lakes.
Not only does the squad participate in rescues, but it also frequently
provides safety personnel for community functions and presents the "Hug-a-Tree
to Survive" program in elementary schools.
The squad maintains a search management capability, a rope rescue team
and a tracking team. Many members have Swiftwater Safety, Avalanche Aware
and helicopter hover-exit training. Training is conducted weekly from
September until June.
Mr. Buchanan is a Search Manager with the Alberni Valley Rescue Squad.
Photos by Roy Buchanan
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