E.S.C.A.P.E. 2015 - Highlights
ESCAPE 2015 was held at the Las Cruces Convention Center April 17-19, 2015.
A total of 158 volunteers from about 30 teams attended this year’s event! We had 29 great instructors on site refreshing our SAR skills and teaching us new ones over the three-day event. The weekend’s events left us with many newly Field Certified volunteers! We also had vendors this year! Including Military Surplus Outpost from Las Cruces and HDSSystems from Tucson, AZ.
Chris Boyer of NASAR joined us for the entire conference and spoke about this national organization at lunch on Saturday. That evening, Susannah Charleson, author of Scent of the Missing, shared her experiences with us.
During the General Meeting:
Many thanks to this year’s ESCAPE Track Leads:
Also the council would like to especially thank Barbara Zabriskie and Uli Blan for their help with the Silent Auction tables and the registration area.
We had so many wonderful sponsors this year; many not only assisted us financially but also donated items for the Silent Auction.
In addition, the following donated or solicited items for this year’s silent auction: Garcia's Kitchen (Albuquerque), Julienne Jewelry (Old Mesilla), Lowe's (Las Cruces), Matteo's, Nambe, Ol' Gringo Salsa (Las Cruces), Olive Garden (Las Cruces), Ruffwear, Southwest Airlines, Target (Las Cruces), Tractor Supply (Las Cruces), Eclectics Art Gallery (Santa Fe), REI (Albuquerque), Blackstone Hot Springs (T or C), Nexus Brewery (Albuquerque), DACSAR, New Mexico Working K9s, OMTRS, Socorro SAR, and Taos SAR.
A total of 158 volunteers from about 30 teams attended this year’s event! We had 29 great instructors on site refreshing our SAR skills and teaching us new ones over the three-day event. The weekend’s events left us with many newly Field Certified volunteers! We also had vendors this year! Including Military Surplus Outpost from Las Cruces and HDSSystems from Tucson, AZ.
Chris Boyer of NASAR joined us for the entire conference and spoke about this national organization at lunch on Saturday. That evening, Susannah Charleson, author of Scent of the Missing, shared her experiences with us.
During the General Meeting:
- The 2015 Ralph Dawdy Memorial Award was presented to Uli Blan, Organ Mountain Technical Rescue Squad.
- We also heard reports from NMSARC committees.
- Bob Rodgers updated us on 2014 SAR activities (90 incidents) and described the new Chief’s Award.
- Bob Baker reported on SAR Review Board activities.
- We also welcomed one new member to the NM SAR Council Board this year, Mary Walker of the Sandia Search Dogs Team.
Many thanks to this year’s ESCAPE Track Leads:
- Tony Gaier – Basic SAR (Field Certification) Track Lead
- Michaela Buenemann – Advanced SAR Track Lead
- Tom Russo – SAR Management Track Lead
- Nancy Chanover – Canine Track Lead
- Laura Mae Schwartz – Medical Track Lead
- Bob Cort and James Stockton – Technical Track Lead
- Vic Villalobos - 4 WD Track
- And all of those volunteers not mentioned who showed up and assisted throughout the event!
Also the council would like to especially thank Barbara Zabriskie and Uli Blan for their help with the Silent Auction tables and the registration area.
We had so many wonderful sponsors this year; many not only assisted us financially but also donated items for the Silent Auction.
- Titanium Level ($600 or more): Mechdyne Corporation; NASAR; and The Car Store, Inc.
- Trillium Level ($300 - $600): American Outdoor Products; Military Surplus Outpost; Ned Tutor Builders, Inc.; Organ Mountain Technical Rescue Squad; Pic Quik Stores, Inc.; and Santa Fe Search and Rescue
- Beryllium Level ($150-$300): Alpha 2 Business Solutions; Button Brand Vet Clinic, Inc.; Eagle Security; First New Mexico Bank-Las Cruces; Hotel Encantado; Integrity Auto; Wilson Binkley Advertising and Marketing, Wound Around Yoga.
In addition, the following donated or solicited items for this year’s silent auction: Garcia's Kitchen (Albuquerque), Julienne Jewelry (Old Mesilla), Lowe's (Las Cruces), Matteo's, Nambe, Ol' Gringo Salsa (Las Cruces), Olive Garden (Las Cruces), Ruffwear, Southwest Airlines, Target (Las Cruces), Tractor Supply (Las Cruces), Eclectics Art Gallery (Santa Fe), REI (Albuquerque), Blackstone Hot Springs (T or C), Nexus Brewery (Albuquerque), DACSAR, New Mexico Working K9s, OMTRS, Socorro SAR, and Taos SAR.
Emergency? Call 911 | New Mexico Search and Rescue Council | P.O. Box 3396 | Albuquerque, NM 87190 | [email protected]