Mountain Views News     Logo: MVNews     Saturday, September 21, 2013

MVNews this week:  Page 3

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, September 21, 2013 

Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Log


The Sierra Madre Search and Rescue 
(SMSR) Team responded on eleven search 
and rescue calls in August. 

Heat Exhaustion and Dehydration, 
Chantry Flat: The 17th would prove to be 
a busy day with SMSR receiving a report 
at 1:39 p.m. of two hikers suffering from 
probable heat exhaustion and dehydration 
in the canyon near Sturtevant Falls. SMSR 
personnel along with paramedics from 
SMFD and LA County Fire responded to 
the location and found two individuals 
needing assistance. Both subjects were 
given IV fluids and medications to stabilize 
their condition. Rescuers determined 
that one subject could be taken out via 
wheeled litter and that the second subject 
would be extracted via helicopter hoist by 
LA County Sheriff’s Air Rescue-5. Both 
subjects were transported to local hospitals 
for further treatment. SMSR would like 
to thank the cabin owner who provided 
initial assistance to the subjects prior to the 
arrival of rescuers. The rescue was paged 
secure along with the rescue noted below 
at 4:20 p.m. 

Injured Hikers, Hermit Falls, Chantry Flat: 
While the rescue above was underway, 
SMSR was notified at 2:20 p.m. about 
an injured hiker at Hermit Falls. Field 
crews were able to obtain additional 
information about the nature the incident 
and determined that there were 2 injured 
hikers and that they were located near one 
of the cabins in the canyon. Although they 
were injured in separate accidents, their 
close proximity simplified the response. 
Rescuers worked to stabilize both hikers 
and provide initial treatment prior to 
transporting them via wheeled litters to the 
trailhead where they were transported to 
the hospital. Getting timely and accurate 
information is often a challenge in any 
emergency and is complicated in mountain 
rescues due to distances, accessibility, 
weather and other factors. The ability to 
respond to a dynamic situation is a key 
skill for all rescuers. 

Helitac Training, Chantry Flat: Training is 
a key part of being prepared to respond to 
any rescue situation and SMSR members 
spend considerable time training every 
month. One of the August trainings 
was focused on operating safely in and 
around the helicopters that are commonly 
used in our local mountains. As part of 
our work with the Los Angeles County 
Sheriff’s Department, we train with the Air 
Rescue-5 crew annually to maintain the 
highest levels of safety and effectiveness 
possible. Topics include general safety 
procedures and protocols, loading and 
unloading, hoist insertion and extraction, 
patient packaging, and aircraft familiarity. 
The training this year was particularly 
important since the Sheriff’s Department 
has replace the older Sikorsky H3 
helicopter with Eurocopter AS322 Super 
Pumas.

Interested in joining the Team? 

Sierra Madre Search and Rescue is 
currently looking for new members to join 
the Team. If you live within 20 minutes of 
Sierra Madre, are 25 years of age or older, 
and are an experienced outdoorsperson 
you may be a good candidate. Becoming 
a member of the Team requires a deep 
commitment, both in terms of time and 
money, but every Team member agrees 
that the rewards are well worth the price.

The training program lasts approximately 
15 months and entails weekly meetings 
covering a wide range of search and 
rescue disciplines. The training program 
culminates with a final exam including 
both written and hands-on practical 
demonstrations of key skills. Trainees go 
on to complete their Emergency Medical 
Technician certification shortly after the 
exam. 

If you think you have the outdoor 
experience and are willing to make the 
commitment, give us a call at (626) 
355-3411 (answer machine) or fill out a 
preliminary application and mail it to P.O. 
Box 24 Sierra Madre, CA 91025 You can 
also email the filled out pdf to recruiting@
smsr.org.

For over 60 years the all-volunteer Sierra 
Madre Search and Rescue team has been 
responding to calls for help in the local 
mountains and beyond. Funded entirely 
by private donations, SMSR provides a 
range of public programs on wilderness 
safety in addition to its search and rescue 
activities. The Team never charges for any 
of its services. 

For more information, including how to 
arrange a wilderness safety demonstration 
for your school or group, visit www.smsr.
org.


SIERRA MADRE POLICE BLOTTER

For the Period September 9-15, 2013

Wednesday September 11, 2013

At 9:15pm, officers responded to 00 block of Esperanza Avenue to investigate a report of a disturbance. 
As they arrived, the officers could hear the sounds of a verbal argument coming from the apartment. 
Officers interviewed the male and female occupants of the apartment and determined that the male 
had struck his female fiancé during an argument. The victim did not sustain any injury. The suspect 
(male, 53 years of age) was arrested for Domestic Battery. 

Thursday September 12, 2013

Between the hours of noon and 5:45pm, unknown suspects entered an apartment in the 500 block 
of West Sierra Madre Boulevard through an unlocked kitchen door. While inside, the suspect(s) 
ransacked two bedrooms and left with two silver candlestick holders and cash. 

Saturday September 14 , 2013

At approximately 2am, a vehicle travelling east in the 200 block of West Grandview Avenue ran off 
the roadway and collided with a power pole. The impact of the collision knocked the power pole 
off its foundation. The driver was observed driving away from the scene with fluids leaking from 
the vehicle. A resident obtained a license plate number on the vehicle and it was determined that 
the vehicle was registered to an address in Ontario. An investigative follow up visit to the Ontario 
location on Saturday morning failed to locate the vehicle or possible driver. Southern California 
Edison crews responded to the scene to repair the power pole. 


FALL COMPOST GIVEAWAY

Athens Services and the City of Sierra Madre 
will host the Fall Compost Giveaway event on 
Saturday, October 12, 2013. The event is from 
9:00am-12:00pm at Sierra Vista Park which is 
located at 611 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. All Sierra 
Madre residents are eligible to participate and 
no advanced reservation is necessary. 

Be sure to bring a sturdy container for the 
compost on the day of the event. Shovels will be 
provided at the event to fill your containers. To 
ensure all participants receive their fair share, 
there is a 30 gallon per household limit the first 
hour of the event. After 10:00am, participants 
will be able to receive an unlimited amount of 
compost while supplies last. Athens 

Services plans to donate 20 tons of compost!

The organic compost is comprised of leaves, yard 
trimmings and paper litter mixed with wood 
chips, food waste and other organic materials 
at the Athens Services Recycling and Material 
Recovery Facility. The compost is a nutrient rich 
soil amendment and fertilizer. 

The Energy, Environment, & Natural Resources 
Commission will be on-site providing 
information. The Compost Giveaway is a 
drive through event located in the Sierra Vista 
Park parking lot near the sand volley ball and 
basketball court. For more information please 
contact the Community Services Office at 626-
355-5278.

JOIN THE SIERRA MADRE 
GARDEN CLUB 

Monday, Oct. 14

 Halloween is coming and it’s 
time for TRICK OR TREAT. 
Gardeners love to share and the 
October 14th Garden Club’s program 
is an opportunity for members 
and guests to share gardening 
tips. Gardening TRICKS 
or (tips) will be rewarded with 
TREATS.

 Come to the meeting and share 
your tips for conserving water, 
saving energy and money, composting, 
mulching, pruning or 
dealing with pests. Tell us about 
your favorite tools and supplies, 
successes and problems with 
specific plants, trees, shrubs, or 
your favorite gardening website. 
Garden Club members will facilitate 
the program.

 Everyone is invited. Dinner 
begins at 6:30 P.M.; followed by 
the program at 7:15 P.M. Catered 
dinner is $10; reservations must 
be made by October 10th at 626-
836-4945. There is no charge for 
attending only the program.

 Location: Hart Park House Memorial 
Park, 222 W. Sierra Madre 
Blvd., Sierra Madre. For information 
call the reservation number 
or visit www.smgarden.org

A HISTORICAL LANDMARK HOME TOUR

The Sierra Madre Historical Preservation Society will be hosting a 
“Landmark Home Open House” at the Norris Home (1885) on Sunday, 
September 29, 2013. If you are not already a member, you still have 
time to join the Historical Society and be able to make a reservation for 
the Norris Home Tour. This is a beautiful home whose original owners 
played a tremendous part in the history of Sierra Madre. It is well worth 
the effort to attend this tour. 

 You can get in touch with our Membership Chair: Maggie Ellis at: (626) 
355-7074 or email: maggieellis04@msn.com

Members need to contact Leslie Ziff at (626) 836-3469 or email: lbziff@
roadrunner.com for all reservations. Those attending MUST have 
reservations – and we are limited to only 40 – so, what are you waiting 
for?

FRIENDS OF THE SIERRA MADRE LIBRARY BEST 
USED BOOK SALE

 Don’t forget the next Friends of 
the Sierra Madre Library’s Best 
Used Book Sale is being held in 
the basement and back parking lot 
of the library on Friday, October 
4, 2013 from 3:00-7:00 p.m. and 
Saturday, October 5, 2013 from 
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. In addition 
to books with a Halloween theme, 
the sale will offer a collection of 
Southern California trail books 
and nature trail guides for those 
planning local hikes this fall. And 
if you’re already starting to plan 
for the fall and winter holidays, 
we have featured shelves of some 
of our craft books and cookbooks 
on sale for half price. The tables 
in the basement will be displaying 
newer fiction, including some 
2013 titles, and coffee table books 
on a wide variety of subjects. On 
the parking lot we have several 
tables of paperbacks at twenty-five 
cents each or 5/$1.00 and a large 
collection of teacher materials and 
units ready to use in the classroom 
all on sale for $1.00 each. All 
children’s bargain books are five 
for a dollar. 

 These sales offer high quality, 
slightly used books that are 
culled from our library shelves 
or donated, books that you’ll be 
proud to place in your own library 
or to give to friends and family. 
Proceeds from the Best Used 
Book Sales will be donated to the 
library to support program and 
equipment needs. Sierra Madre 
Public Library 440 W. Sierra 
Madre Blvd. 

We’d like to hear from you! 

What’s on YOUR Mind?

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