Arctic Tern

I have been a frequent visitor to the Rotorheads forum over the last few months (boredom, not enough work, no friends, etc) and it has occured to me that most of the SAR related threads are gripes and moans about individuals or companies. Indeed, I posted a genuine query recently about SAR trg which quickly switched to a mud-slinging session about Jigsaw and recent appointments. Sure, I know people like to vent their frustrations - but where do we go to hear about recent rescues or lessons learned?
Some years ago a bunch of mates used to run a site called SARworld (Moderator - this is not a plug, so bear with me).. Sadly this site ran down and the webname was snatched by a travel company. However, in its day it at least attracted a small band of loyal followers who used to post details of recent rescues, lessons learned, equipment trials, etc. Is there enough support for a new SAR forum focussed on positives rather than gripes?

CYHeli

There was some stuff on NVG and their use to keep Aussie pilots safer, but it turned into a CA$A gripe re their inaction, etc.

Hang in there, and if you see any thing worth noting on news web sites, put in a link, for example this one on the Victoria Police Airwing doing a winch rescue of 3 fisherman stranded whilst rock fishing.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117....html?from=rss

Good luck.

Heliport

Arctic Tern

If there's enough support, I'll discuss the possibility of a SAR sub-forum with Danny. But, how would you keep it focussed on 'positives rather than gripes'? And, human nature being what it is, how long would a 'positive only' forum last?

Maybe people prefer the mix of positive and negative - just like any Crew Room?

Our main SAR thread has >800 posts and >53,800 views to date: SAR OPS




Heliport

Arctic Tern

Heliport.
You are absolutely right - keeping things positive is an impossible act. Nonetheless, I'm sure we can tease-out some better stuff. Since leaving front line SAR I like to read about what the boys are up to (and I don't mean the cr*p fed to us by the media). I also want to know what equipment the guys are using - good or bad. I am acutely aware that SAR crews are normally too modest and professional to talk about the tremendous jobs they do, but often there are lessons to be learned.

[email protected]

AT, I agree but short of posting every Form R with a detailed breakdown of the jobs you would have to rely on front line crews posting details which they might be too modest or too embarassed to do (depending on how the job went). Certainly there is very little dissemination of information between Mil and civvy SAR operators and this might be a good forum to encourage that transfer of knowledge.

Arctic Tern

Crab
How about drumming up some support for the idea and seeing how it runs. There must be a few guys out there who are prepared to be candidly honest about their work.

cyclic

You may be a little guilty yourself.....

Arctic Tern

Surely not Cyclic. Well not on this recent thread. I do remember asking a few questions about a year ago to do with Jigsaw rearcrew...may have been a touch inflamatory

IrishSarBoy

A thread which doesn't end in mud slinging would be nice for change. There's so few SAR boys and girls out there that we do need an information exchange to allow us to learn from each other without the need to take parochial 'we know better attitudes'.

Arctic Tern

Maybe there's a need for a more formal SAR helicopter association with some proper support and recognition. I know we have things like BHAB, HAI, etc but none of these properly recognise the work done by SAR boys and girls. Let's face it, we are a strange breed.
The mountain rescue teams have a Council, Paramedics have an association, doctors and nurses have the Health Professions Council - what about a SAR Operators representative body. Who knows, this might even help with future 'pay and conditions' negotiations.
Of course there is the SAR Operators Group, but I seem to remember this is more to do with policy than ops, etc.
Hey, just imagine if we got something started - we could get Royal approval.

Heliport

Forgot to mention SAR: Ireland
139 posts and >13700 views to date.


Heliport

SARBallast

Certainly somewhere one could go to think on a new idea and expand one's knowledge would be great. The problem I see about it is that everyone has his/her way of doing it, and everyone deep down feel they do it well. It is very hard sometimes to take critisism, or percieved critisism. And the type that does SAR does it with their mind, heart and soul. SO perhaps an initial agreement to be productive and not slag each other off, as we might all be working together come 2012.

It would be hard to police, and the usual trolls are likely to appear, but if the people involved want to get one going I would support the idea. Perhaps a read only forum unless you prove you are in SAR, and thus have something legit to contribute. Again hard to police or control, anyone have any thoughts on keeping trols/trouble makers out?

idle stop

Thought Number One:
In good old days of SHFNI, when the scruff's bar used to resound to fife and drum until the wee hours, some wag produced a copy of the SAR Songbook. Between the covers were two pages, each labelled 'Intentionally Blank'.
Thought Number Two:
Duck the incomings!

IrishSarBoy

The reason you never saw sarboys in the bar was because we'd finished shift at ten in the morning. So yes, you could wait all day till happy hour to put your flying suit back on and then go to the bar, but to be honest we're all too misreable. (not).