Laviner
LAURINBURG — After a local elderly woman went missing back in August, local emergency service agencies have decided to band together to further improve their methods and skills for future emergency events.
“Having recognized the need for such emergency requests the group collectively decided that we wanted to have a dedicated team of responders who were highly trained and equipped to handle such requests in and outside of our community,” said Scotland County Rescue Squad Deputy Chief David Laviner. “Scotland County has been challenged with responding to multiple missing person events over the last couple of years. Our Emergency Services group has always strived to prepare ourselves to respond quickly and efficiently to any emergency request for assistance.
“Additionally, we all try to be as prepared as possible. These types of emergencies require many trained boots on the ground to have a positive outcome for the missing person,” continued Laviner. “This often requires us to request many outside agencies from across the region and states. We have been fortunate to have such generous offers for others to come to support us when we need their help. Scotland County responders want to be able to return that favor when others need our help too.”
The collective group is made up of members from Scotland County Rescue, Scotland County Sheriff’s Department, EMS, E-911 Communications, Emergency Management, city of Laurinburg Fire Department and Police Department and the local NC Forestry Service members.
“We hope to limit the large-scale need for outside assistance by a swift response,” said Laviner. “Our second objective is to be able to support all other agencies who have supported our community many times.”
Laviner said the group’s main objective will be to respond with trained people quickly to locate missing persons before a tragic situation occurs.
“Each agency will dedicate a minimum of one person per shift to ensure that we always have an adequately staffed team of trained responders,” said Laviner. “All personnel who will be a part of this dedicated team will be trained to the minimum standard of Land Search Field Team Member. This is the standard put forth by the NC Office of Emergency Management.
“This course alone will require approximately 60 hours of classroom and field practical exercises,” Laviner added. “Hands-on training includes but is not limited to self-survival skills, navigation, rope rescue, grid search techniques and will require written examination in which they must pass with proficiency.”
Many members, according to Laviner, will bring to the team their respective specialties such as law enforcement investigations, medical training, high/low angle rescue skills just to name a few.
“Our forestry partners will bring lots of experience with incident management and mapping,” said Laviner. “Each person will obtain the NCOEM Land Search Field Team Member qualification. Many of the team members either will obtain or already have many other advanced certifications.
“The initial training will take around 60 hours to complete,” continued Laviner. “Many more hours will be needed for regular training and exercises after the initial qualification course. It is very possible for each team member to have several hundred hours per year of training.”
The initial cost of a team like this, according to Laviner, can be several hundred dollars per person.
“We collectively intend to seek grant opportunities to continue adding to equipment requirements needed to make our job safer and more efficient,” said Laviner. “We also have initiated requests for equipment that can be provided through our NC Forestry program. This program provides government and military equipment to local Emergency Services agencies for purposes just like this.
“Having been involved in Emergency Services in Scotland County for more than 25 years, I am extremely proud to be a part of this effort to not only better improve our County response to local requests for service, but outside agencies as well,” Laviner said. “I am honored to work alongside so many people who have a passion for providing the best possible Emergency Services to our community.”
Laviner also requests that anyone who has a loved one who is prone to walk away due to cognitive impairments, please seek assistance through the Scotland County Sheriff’s Department.
“The Sheriff’s Department has a wonderful program that they will work with your family to provide a tracking device which enables us to quickly locate your loved one,” said Laviner. “We have seen where this is a very beneficial program that is provided at no cost to you. For families or businesses who would like to support this team effort, we would greatly appreciate your support. You may contact the city of Laurinburg Fire Department, Fire Chief Jordan McQueen who is the team leader for our group.”
McQueen can be contacted by phone at 910-276-1811.
JJ Melton can be reached at [email protected]
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