[x-man]

Today I went to the Laura Recovery Center Foundation (11858 Bernardo Plaza Court behind Citibank, Rancho Bernardo, 92128) and I offered to search on my plated dirt bike (a.k.a dual sport). They turned me and people with horses down. I told them that my dual sport club of 900+ members knows the trails very well and I could probably enlist some to comb whatever areas they needed. They took my phone number but told me to go back home.

Then I went to talk with the police at the Lake Hodges and they turned me down too. They had ATVs but nothing for single track trails.

I went searching by myself on Highland Valley, Bandy Canyon and 78. Eventually I joined the San Pascual Fire department –that had been turned down too- and jointly went searching the river bed in the 78 where they found a couple of bodies a few years ago. I've talked to the people that manage the farms between 78 and Bandy Canyon and they were willing to let people in on foot among the orange groves and on vehicles in the dirt roads. Some people let me ride in their private property some didn't.

I found washing machines, fridges and entire cars dumped in the canyons; among some evidence of people living there and the usual trash. I found several search parties and I was surprised at what areas they were. Some had no connecting trails to the original one and they were not accessible by car. I couldn't figure out what search strategy they are conducting since nobody could direct me to whoever was coordinating it.

I spend several hours and a tank of gas and I wish they had better coordination and used ALL available resources.

[x-man]

I called to report my findings and they sent me to some kind of supervisor. I let them know on the local resources they could tap on. They called me back saying that they would pass on us because they could not provide transportation for the bikes. I told them we are street legal and we know the back roads and trails better than them and the police. They said they would reconsider ...

[Strega]

An arrest has been made in connection with her disappearance:

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty...cab480fb13.html

Quote

Authorities have arrested a 30-year-old registered sex offender in connection with the disappearance of missing Poway 17-year-old Chelsea King.
John Albert Gardner III, a Lake Elsinore resident, was arrested at 4:20 p.m. Sunday in front of a business in the 1900 block of Lake Drive, on the east side of Lake Hodges, Sheriff Bill Gore said at a Sunday evening news conference.
He said physical evidence found on the southern shore of the lake linked him to Chelsea's disappearance. He did not say what the evidence was.

Such a travesty

[dirt dame]

That whole thing is so creepy. I fish the lake a lot and have taken walks down the shoreline by myself many times. I have always considered it a safe location ....before NOW, that is.

[FakeName]

x-man, on Feb 28 2010, 07:05 PM, said:

I called to report my findings and they sent me to some kind of supervisor. I let them know on the local resources they could tap on. They called me back saying that they would pass on us because they could not provide transportation for the bikes. I told them we are street legal and we know the back roads and trails better than them and the police. They said they would reconsider ...

The answer here is to approach the Sheriff's department, Rangers, etc- any rural LE Offices in advance of a crisis like this and work toward the future. Let them know out capabilities and they can incorporate our help the next time. We can move fast and offer communications in areas that are otherwise difficult to cover.

[FakeName]

Been thinking more about this. Maybe there is a member with connections to the Sheriff's department who could approach them (when things are a bit calmer) and set this up. Maybe a retired sheriff?

If there's training involved, we could be ready to roll at the next crisis.

[Joliet]

FakeName, on Mar 1 2010, 08:19 AM, said:

Been thinking more about this. Maybe there is a member with connections to the Sheriff's department who could approach them (when things are a bit calmer) and set this up. Maybe a retired sheriff?

If there's training involved, we could be ready to roll at the next crisis.

Good idea, SDARS&R

[Strega]

Solid idea, I'm in.

[TrophyHunter]

Way in. I can make some inquiries. The initial request may have had some "evidence" concerns or they knew what was happening but couldn't release it so the media didn't crawl all over 'em.

I'll check into it but someone else might have a direct connect.

Consider expanding this offer to BLM, etc.....?

[cmayer31]

Such a sad story and I can't imagine what her family and friends are going through.

San Diego County Sheriff's Department has a pretty extensive SAR program and I think it would be great if we could work out an appropriate agreement where we can offer our services. They do have a motorized unit that provides transportation of repeaters, supplies, and radio communications when needed. I wonder if they'd consider making a second branch of the motorized unit that would be more SAR and less supply train.

The San Diego Mountain Rescue Team recruit annually and hold their own training missions. They're more focused on technical terrain rescues, and have some more requirements to join, but could be a good group to get information from.

There are other SAR organizations out there and if some members are willing to attend training sessions with them we might also be able to branch off of, or assist them where needed.

If we do seriously look at some sort of SAR program to assist other teams or even a separate program I would be interested in helping out.

[Strega]

I think the big issue for them, is going to be Liability. If you get hurt on your bike while doing SAR for them....blah blah etc. This is how this stuff normally goes. Remember the big fires and CAL FIRE wouldn't let the Marine Corps fire fighting teams take off in their helo's to help put out fires because they weren't properly 'Trained'??? Because they weren't on the same frequencies as the CAL FIRE airplanes and helo's?? Yeah, stupid right??

Beaurocratic BS as usual. People just want to help, but government prevents that from being an easy thing to do. I can't even begin to try and count the # of times I've tried to volunteer and been shot down.

[FakeName]

Can't see anymore liability issues for us than the guys who pluck climbers from the cliffs at mission gorge. The airplanes had a basis of truth- untrained fireflyers in a common airspace would be more hinderance than hurt.

Anyway, my non-profit plate is full these days, so I can coordinate.

Who will?

[KTMrad]

I pulled into the office parking lot today......it's full, when normally it's empty.

The office for the search coordination is upstairs in the same building today. Wow, what a turnout of people they have helping out !

Hope they find her, hope she's OK.

[x-man]

I went again today to the office and spoke with the people running the volunteer show. One co-worker is in the mapping team and when I shared my story he made me print the areas I thought could be good spots to hide her. He also introduced me to the people there and talked about SDAR. They turned me and the maps I was carrying down again. They didn't even look at the areas I printed.

This time the excuse was that the police had told them that we could perturb the evidence. Two people next to me where organizing a search on horses. Like they would not disturb the evidence! Following the news it looks like they already have evidence enough to detain one guy. And I don't see how people on foot are less likely to mess any evidence up. Anyway, in my opinion they don't want our help or they cannot coordinate more. The office was really small and it looked pretty chaotic there. At the end I dropped a few ink cartridges so they could print maps that made little sense to me.

It doesn't look to me like a crisis or emergency when they keep turning help down so I guess I'll pass on this one.

[Audible]

Strega, on Mar 1 2010, 09:06 AM, said:

Solid idea, I'm in.

+1...I'm in. I would be willing to be on a call list for search and rescue where DS bikes would helpful.

Audible