The Arkansas Search and Rescue Association Board held their 2023 ASARA State Conference May 18-21, 2023 at Arkansas Tech University.

The conference offered a NASAR Initial Actions (IA) Course, Patient Extrication Field Exercise, NASAR Urban Search Management Course (USM), Orientation to Light Structure Collapse, and Lost Person Behavior Course (LPB).

The conference offered information and training sessions on search and rescue scenarios such as lost/missing persons search with more specific training into lost person behavior, initial actions for search and rescue missions and how to stabilize buildings using shoring techniques.

Opening ceremonies for this year’s State conference began at 8 a.m. Saturday morning, May 20th with the following presentations made throughout the day.

Saturday, May 20th

* ESF 9 Orientation – ADEM/ESF 9 Coordinator

* K-9 (title pending) – Arkansas Alliance of Bloodhound Search Specialist

* Shore-based Rescue – Pope Co OEM SAR

* ASARA Task Force – Robert Shepard & James Mason

* CART Overview – Justin Drittler

* K-9s for Search Managers – Arkansas Alliance of Bloodhound Search Specialist

* Virtual Search Planning Overview – Fred Mullen / Klay Rowbotham

* Family Liaison – Morgan Nick Foundation

* Tree Stand Rescue Demo – Frank Theising

* SARTopo Best Practices – Klay Rowbotham / Fred Mullen

* Wilderness First Aid Skills (must have current WFA cert) – Chris Charles

* Field Team Leader – Dave Sutter

* Botkinburg Search – Brian Tatum, AG&F

* Saturday Evening Banquet with Guest Speaker and Door Prizes

Sunday, May 21st

* Management and Field Operations Skills Development

* Management Skills Development

* Field Operations Skills Development

The following agencies were represented and participated in the 2023 Arkansas Search and Rescue Association State Conference.

Arkansas

Sebastian County Search and Rescue

Benton County Search and Rescue

Yell County OEM

Galla Rock Volunteer Fire Department

Pope County Search and Rescue

Sharp County Search and Rescue.

Van Buren County Search and Rescue

Madison County Search and Rescue

Saint Paul Volunteer Fire Department

Bohannan Mountain Fire Department

North Township Constable

Johnson County Search and Rescue

Grant County Search and Rescue

Crawford County OEM

Oklahoma

OKCM Search and Rescue

Oklahoma Highway Patrol

Iowa

An Independent Civilian

Huge thanks to the crew from Air Evac flying in to speak on setting up a landing zone.

The attached photos and the following video were captured during the conference.

To learn more about the Arkansas Search and Rescue Association (ASARA) or to receive updates on Facebook, click the following link. https://www.facebook.com/ASARAinfo?mibextid=LQQJ4d

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