BAMSAR MINUTES
Minutes of the June, 2003, BAMSAR meeting, held at Bellport. Thanks to Chief Doug Harrow for his hospitality.
Present: Bellport, South Country, Mastic, Mastic Beach, Center Moriches, Eastport, Westhampton Beach. Welcome
was extended to new member, Suffolk County Sheriff's Marine Division.
Excused: None.
Old Business: Dive Rescue 2 discussed. Light Salvage: 13-15 September, 2003. Everything moving along. So far,
18 are committed, with one more possible. Final numbers from this organization must be in at the July (10th) monthly
meeting. Invitations will be sent out to other agencies, giving them until 15 July to respond. Classes will then
be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
We could use some manpower to help with incidental work details associated with hosting the DR 2 course. If anyone
is planning to attend in order to help out, please let Tim Dahlen know. Thanks.
New Business:
A short presentation was given by Deputy Jim Bowra, on the Suffolk Sheriff's new boat. She's a 26 foot Ambar boat,
out of Meschutt Basin, in the Canal Zone in Hampton Bays. Normal staff is 2 persons, working 0930-1800, 7 days
a week. Currently, 3 divers are assigned. Sgt. John Andrejack is the OIC.
Secretary sent out requests for updates to the Equipment Resource List. Please return them as soon as possible.
Thanks.
Lively discussion centered around the water rescue in the Inlet on 18 May. Some departments weren't notified.
Those who were notified, were done so according to protocol adopted after 10 May, 2001. The timeline of the incident
indicated 11 minutes to on-scene; 38 minutes to wrap-up. South Country and Mastic Beach felt that the C.G. and
the County had "failed us", in communication/notification and in the area of resources to assist us.
They stated that the Police helo allegedly reported one victim "out of the water", but was told that
the situation was "under control", by someone in the county system. The question was asked as to how
we could get CG and County to communicate better with us. This will be explored. The question of comments attributed
to certain members, appearing in the press came up. Those members stated that they were "taken out of context".
Any contact with the media, on-scene, should be done by the OIC, and any other contact off-scene, should be done
through a designated representative of BAMSAR, after discussion with the other members of the organization.
A suggestion was put forth to yet again, change the protocol for activating member units. A three-zone proposal
was put forth, defining the zones by physical boundaries, such as bridges. Zone 1 would extend from Bayport to
Smith Point Bridge. Zone 2 would extend from Smith Point Bridge to West Bay Bridge; and Zone 3 would extend from
West Bay Bridge to Sag Harbor. Any water rescue teams existing in each of these zones would be activated as a zone
response. Center Moriches countered that the current system is not broken, and it worked as it was supposed to.
Under the May '01 protocol, departments or units, whether having water rescue teams or not, need only to call the
two nearest teams on either side of them, as was done, and no need was seen to "fix" this. Further discussion
was urged on this.
Training:
None.
Next meeting: South Country, Thursday, 10 July, 2003, at 1930.
Any corrections, additions, or questions; please contact the Secretary.
Respectfully,
John Foley