Local Search and Rescue win at national competition

If you were going to get lost anywhere, it would seem Rotorua is the place to do so.

An advanced and a novice tracking team competed in a national competition in Dunedin in the middle of October, bringing back a haul of trophies.

Both teams took out their section as overall winners, and one of the awards received was the Advanced Operational Tracking Team Team Leader.

The advanced team was made up of Hohepa Pehi, Rob Haugh, Daniel van de Pas and Matthew Gare.

The novice team was made up of Emma Hennigan and Wayde Fleet.

Rob says it is a tracking challenge held every two years and is in all different terrain.

He says it was supposed to go for 53 hours in the field, but they were about 24 hours into the challenge when Dunedin police extracted them to help with a real search and rescue.

They helped in the search of an elderly man with dementia and severe paranoia who had gone missing.

However, in those 24 hours the team had already got all the clues they needed, he says.

He says they were the only North Island teams down there.

Rob says they are absolutely thrilled with their results.

"It's great for Rotorua LandSAR. It's great confidence for all of us."

Hohepa thinks the win is confirmation of the hard work each and every one of the team members has put in to get to this stage.

"It's really hard work to win this national competition and our first year entered into it.

"It was the icing on the cake for everyone, not just the tracking team but the local Search and Rescue."

Last weekend the annual Rotorua SAREX took place, which was held in the Makatiti Dome area, Lake Okataina.

This is a practice search and rescue exercise held each year.

Rotorua Police Search and Rescue member Zane Conder says they used the Coastguard, LandSAR Rotorua, and the Geyserland Four Wheel-Drive Club as part of the exercise.

He says more than 30 people were involved and their scenario was a group of overdue hunters presumed to be lost in the area.

"We had a few challenges with communications which we needed to try and overcome, but that's all part of the exercise, and it gave the LandSAR volunteers a chance to practice their skills in the field."

He says there were a few new volunteers who took part and it gave those interested the opportunity to see how it all happens - "It's a cool three days".

"We would like to thank the Coastguard, LandSAR Rotorua and Geyserland Four Wheel-Drive Club for their participation."

Zane says he likes going out and doing the work in the bush.

"I think that's what everyone who does LandSAR really likes. You get to see places you will never see again and do things you will never do again."

Colin Fraser says the management team were throwing curveballs at those doing the exercise as soon as they got close.

He says the LandSAR people did a brilliant job and the curveballs were real problems they could come across in a search.

Colin says they are sitting on about 70 call outs so far this year and most jobs are resolved within the day.

The Search and Rescue team wanted to remind people they need to tell someone where they are going and when they plan to be back, as well as to carry safety equipment like a GPS and PLB.