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Sierra Madre

Mountain Views News Saturday, September 21, 2013

MVNews this week: Page 3

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?