On June 10, Brunswick Search and Rescue (BSAR) members Marci and Brian Anderson and Brian Smith were honored to share our Hug-A-Tree and survive program with 102 fifth graders at Coastal Elementary School. The Anderson’s and Brian Smith are residents of Onslow County and have been presenting the program to summer programs in Onslow, Pender and Brunswick counties for a couple of years so being welcomed into the regular school system is a big deal. They hope to be able to expand the program beyond the heat of the summer because if there is space available every presentation comes with a K9 demonstration of how they are used in searching for lost and missing persons.
The program teaches children how not to get lost but if they do, what to do in order to stay safe until rescuers arrive. Each child is given a “survival” kit that includes a rain poncho (to stay warm and dry), a pocket mirror (to use to signal for help), a whistle to use to alert searchers, and a couple of items to remember what they learned during our presentation. All items in the packet were donated by BSAR and largely funded by grants from several southeastern North Carolina entities including Brunswick Electric Membership Cooperative and Sea Trail Garden Club. BSAR members also addressed using K9s in search and what to do if you find yourself in the woods for an extended period of time including how to deter woodland creatures. The kids were very attentive, asked great questions and appreciated K9 Champ’s demonstration on how a search dog finds a lost person, alerts and leads their handler to the lost person.
BSAR emphasized the basics of the program which include: 1) Always tell an adult where you are going; 2)If you feel lost stay in one place; 3) Keep warm and dry; 4) Help searchers by answering their calls; 5) When in the woods carry a “To Go” bag that includes something to keep you warm and dry, a whistle, water and something reflective like a mirror or blank DVD; 6) A search dog may be the one who finds you first, if you hear a bell start to yell; and, 7) A search dog will not stay with you, it will run and get its handler and come back to you so stay where you are.
BSAR members always enjoy presenting to the children and our greatest hope is that our message is received and that it potentially saves lives.
BSAR is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is 100 percent staffed by volunteers. We have participated in over 400 callouts in NC, SC and adjacent states since 1999. If you would like to know more about the work BSAR does in your community, visit our website www.brunswicksar.org, follow us on Facebook, or contact BSAR Chief, Doug Dawson at BSARChief@gmail.com. If you are interested in having BSAR representatives visit your organization to present the Hug-A-Tree program please contact Marci Anderson at treasurerbsar@gmail.com.
Picture Captions:
BSAR member Marci Anderson with the 5th grade class at Coastal Elementary
Brian Smith and Brian Anderson hand out survival kits to the students
K9 Champ working a lost person problem
