september 2008 Issue

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Good Works

Rescue Team Seeks APEGGA Volunteers

BY GAIL HELGASON
Freelance Writer

Looking for a little excitement to fill your spare time? Does helping people in distress get your heart pumping? Well, this could be the volunteer job for you.

A Calgary-area team designed to respond to disasters at home and abroad is looking for professional help from the APEGGA membership. Canada Task Force 2 is a search-and-rescue team for heavy urban response, and right now it’s actively seeking forensic structural engineers, says task force leader Coby Duerr.

CAN-TF2, as it’s called for short, seeks 50 to 60 volunteers in total in 2008. Volunteers must live within a four-hour radius of the Multi Agency Training Centre in Calgary.

The task force plans to expand to 120 members in 2009, says Mr. Duerr.

CAN-TF2 began with assistance from the Calgary Fire Department’s heavy rescue team. Then in 2007, the fire department partnered with STARS Air Ambulance to further develop its strengths. The goal is to support a “sustainable deployment team able to respond locally, provincially, nationally and internationally when an emergency occurs,” says material from the task force.

“Task force teams are trained to complete a quick and thorough triage assessment of a damaged structure,” says the information. “Within Alberta, the STARS helicopter is an integral part of the team — providing a bird’s-eye view of the disaster site, executing reconnaissance with team leaders and the rapid transport of search personnel and equipment.”

Team members are trained in a number of areas, among them incident command, communications, logistics, dealing with hazardous wastes, and canine search and rescue.

More Info

Coby Deurr
coby@cantf2.com

www.cantf2.com

GOOD WORKS

MATH COUNTS APEGGA President-Elect Jim Beckett, P.Eng., at left, was at the annual Edmonton Junior High Math Contest banquet and awards program in May to distribute gold medals and trophies to 55 junior high students with the highest scores in 2008. The annual contest, organized by teachers from Edmonton Public Schools and Edmonton Catholic Schools, celebrated its 30th year. Also in the photo are students from Vernon Barford School who received the highest team score trophy and Robert Wong, right, a teacher and contest organizer.

WOMEN’S CLUB EXECUTIVE The Edmonton APEGGA Women’s Club has announced its executive for 2008-2009. Back row from left are Sonia Hawreliak, membership; Norma Robertson, newsletter; Armande Jones, counsellor; Phyllis Fowler, treasurer; and Mary Gerritsen, social. Front row are Edna David, past-president; Emily Leitch, vice-president; Myrtle Gray, secretary; and Marilou Neufeld, president.