Tag Archives | Bush Search and Rescue (BSAR)

Barrington Tops OPEX.

This annual September search (OPEX) for the missing Cessna plane VH-MDX in Barrington Tops has become a major multi agency training exercise.  Also present were various SES, RFS and VRA units / personnel.

September Callout

For two days in late September Bush Search and Rescue (BSAR) assisted NSW Police in a search for a missing elderly man with dementia.  He had been missing for a number of days in urban bush land near Baulkham Hills.  As always, the areas BSAR searched were tracked (for later download) on our GPS receivers.  Unfortunately, his location is still unknown.

Web page

Web page hosting has generally moved on.  BSAR has used this opportunity to update its web page.  As usual, BSAR still has worthwhile content on GPS, distress beacons (PLB and EPIRB), the Police TREK program for free PLB loan, outback communications and bush safety.

See www.bsar.org.au

Community Involvement

On 7^th October BSAR will again be active in safety support for an outdoors event in the Blue Mountains.  Participants in the Hounslow Classic will do challenging ascents as they traverse the Grose Valley from Blackheath.

Among the many recent outdoors events where BSAR has offered safety support is OXFAM TrailWalker.  BSAR provided Safety Response Teams for this 48 hour event.

BSAR uses the outdoors skills of bushwalkers to provide a well-respected community service in remote area search and rescue.  In 1936 the ‘Search and Rescue Section’ of Bushwalking NSW was established.  It is now BSAR.

Guest Author: Keith Maxwell

Bushwalkers Wilderness Rescue Squad have today announced a change of squad name to Bush Search and Rescue (BSAR) NSW.

The name change reflects the skills, experience and resources available within this specialist squad of the Volunteer Rescue Association.

Squad President Keith Maxwell explains, “Over recent years, it’s become apparent that our previous name was not only a mouthful to say and remember, but didn’t accurately reflect the broader range of services that we offer to the Police and people of NSW in our capacity as volunteers.”

With a history that dates back to 1936 (then referred to as the Search & Rescue arm of the NSW Confederation of Bushwalking Clubs) Bush Search and Rescue NSW work closely with the NSW Police Force, specifically the Police Rescue Squad, to provide fit, experienced and highly competent personnel who specialise in the area of wilderness search and rescue.

“The truth is, we don’t only search for missing bushwalkers. Our more recent work has included canyoners, dementia patients, small children or tourists who’ve wandered off into bushland areas,” continues Maxwell.

Bush Search and Rescue’s skills include a high level of bushcraft and self-sufficiency in a wilderness setting, vertical rescue and roping techniques, wilderness first aid, land search techniques, remote communications and remote area transport.

“It is our hope that the adoption of this new name will see us referred to colloquially as ‘BSAR’ and is yet another indication of our ability to change and modernise, whilst fulfilling the needs of the public and the emergency services community.

For further information on Bush Search and Rescue (NSW) , please contact publicity@bsar.org.au or secretary@bsar.org.au.