TOVSAR

Top of Virginia Search and Rescue

info@TOVSAR.org

Members Complete Training

Congratulations to the following TOVSAR members who have completed training levels:

On February 26 2006 three members completed state training in Managing Land Search Operations, one member completed Field Team Member training and one completed Field Team Leader training.

On August 13 five members renewed their Field Team Leader certification and two renewed their Field Team Member certification.

On July 16 Lisa Christ and Mark Fincham both completed the Emergency Vehicle Operations Course.

On April 9-10 Mark Gleason and Art Leeper completed Rope Rescue I, a 16 hour class on high-angle rope rescue, given by the Virginia Division of Fire Programs' Heavy and Tactical Rescue Division.

On March 19 Mark Gleason completed the 72-hour Wilderness First Responder course.

On Feb. 27, Mark Gleason and Temple Lee completed Field Team Leader training, and Tucker Palmetier and Alan Williams completed Field Team Member training.

On Feb. 5, 2005 four new members completed Call-out Qualified training along with five members of local Sheriffs' offices, three members of another SAR team and two prospective members. The new members are: Bryan Fleming, Jessica Funk, Beth Lucas, and Alan Williams.

On Dec. 19 Art Leeper completed the 72-hour Wilderness First Responder course. 

On Dec. 11 two members completed Emergency Vehicle Operator Course (EVOC) in Warren County. Mindy Berg Allman and Rick Christ are now certified to operate class 2 and class 3 emergency vehicles.

In November new member Heidi Forrest completed MLSO training in Vienna.

In October new member Alan Williams completed MLSO training at Shenandoah National Park.

On Sept. 18 three TOVSAR members completed training and are now Student Instructors for VDEM's Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) classes. Randall Burleson, Rick Christ and Terry Davis join Steve Ritter as TOVSAR's contribution to training SAR personnel statewide.

On July 11 2 new members completed TOVSAR's Call-out Qualified training and are now eligible to respond to searches with the team. They are: Tucker Palmetier and Melissa Brill. Tucker is a volunteer with Front Royal Fire/Rescue and Melissa volunteers with Gainesboro Fire.

In June, FTM/FTS Mindy Berg Allman became a certified EMT-B. Mindy is also a volunteer with the Front Royal Rescue Squad.

In April, Captain Steve Smith successfully completed Leadership I and III training at the National Fire Academy.

April 4 2004: Bill Penfield has successfully completed Practical Search Operations certification after a 50-hour class over two weekends. This is the follow-up course to "Managing Land Search Operations" and Bill becomes the fourth member of our team to be certified at this level of search management or above.

Also on April 4, Bloodhound Handler Laurie Swain and her puppy Draco successfully completed American Bloodhound Club's Mantrailing Certification. In addition, Laurie has been named to the instructor's staff at Virginia Bloodhound Search and Rescue, the training organization for law enforcement and SAR bloodhounds in Virginia.

In another training on April 3-4, team Captain Steve Smith successfully completed the NFPA "Leadership II" certification after a 12-hour course.

Feb. 28 2004: Brian Atkins, Mindy Berg-Allman, and Steven Ritter successfully completed Field Team Signcutter certification after a 50-hour class over two weekends. Mark Fincham successfully completed Field Team Member certification after a 50-hour class over two weekends.

We now have the following response capability:

Bloodhounds: 2 operational teams

Cadaver: 1 operational team

Field Team Member: 10

Field Team Leader: 6

Field Team Signcutter: 10

Managing Land Search Operations, PSO or Incident Command: 8

February 15: Marcus Lemasters successfully completed Managing Land Search Operations certification after a 50-hour class over two weekends.

Dec. 7, 2003: Seven new and prospective members have completed a seven-hour "Call-out Qualified" training class held by TOVSAR.

Nov. 21: Mindy Berg-Allman has just completed Field Team Member certification after a 50-hour class over two weekends.

Oct. 27: New member Terry Davis (BH) has just returned from spending three weeks in Switzerland where he trained the Swiss National Police in bloodhound mantracking.

Oct. 26: Dick Bittner (FTM) and Rick Christ (FTM/FTL) have completed Rope Rescue II, a 32 hour class on rigging techniques and high-angle rope rescue, given by the Virginia Division of Fire Programs' Heavy and Tactical Rescue Division.

Oct. 12: Randall Burleson (FTM/FTL) has completed VDEM's Field Team Signcutter (FTS) Class, a 50 hour class on clue detection and analysis. Randall becomes TOVSAR's seventh certified FTS.