➡️ What made you want to join BCSAR? Many, many years ago I was working for the Town of Paradise – and a father and 3 kids went missing while hunting for a Christmas tree (The 2007 Dominguez Search). Butte County SAR launched a major search effort, covered worldwide by every major media outlet. SAR was ultimately successful in finding the family alive, in spite of heavy snow and horrible winter weather conditions. That search made me want to be involved in this organization. It took a few years after that for my life to rearrange itself so that I was able to attend the meetings, and ultimately join the team.
➡️ On average, how many hours per month do you give to BCSAR? It really varies, based upon my day-job workload, and what the SAR team has going on. Probably a minimum of 2 hours a week, a maximum of 80 hours during wildfires, floods, and major search efforts.
➡️ Where do you work? I recently retired after 30 years in Public Works. Apparently, I’m not very good at retirement, I now find myself working up in Plumas County, helping them with recovery from the Dixie Fire.
➡️ What do you like to do in your free time? Hiking, backpacking, motorcycle riding, running – anything that gets me out away from phones and computers, and gets the heart rate up a bit.
➡️ What is your favorite part of being on the team? Mahatma Gandi is often quoted: “The Best Way to Find Yourself is to Lose Yourself in the Service of Others.” I really like this quote, as service to others is what our team is all about. That could mean getting up at 2am to help find someone’s at-risk grandparent that wandered off – getting a call in the middle of the day to help rescue a boater that got themselves in trouble, responding code 3 (lights and sirens) to a hiker that is suffering from a life-threatening medical emergency, or driving code 3 into an area being impacted by wildland fire, while everyone else is evacuating. In the 12 years I have been involved with the team, there have been a number of times where our team has saved someone’s life. That is a powerful thing to be able to put on your list of “life accomplishments.”
What’s the best way to thank members like Dennis? By donating in their honor.
by Solo Creative Services