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Congratulations to Cindy Holton of Hudson! Cindy was the winner of the ALERT Raffle for two Opening Day Patriots tickets. Thank you to the Fundraising Committee and to all who assisted in the sale and purchase of the raffle tickets. This raffle was a very successful fundraiser for ALERT. Thank you to Kim and Bob Drinan for their very generous donation of these tickets.
A special thanks goes out to Doug Jones for his dedicated efforts and endless hours of fundraising!
 The winner of the ALERT Raffle, Cindy Holton of Hudson receives Opening Day Patriot tickets from Doug Jones.
ALERT was activated on June 2, 2010 by Londonderry Police to participate in a search and rescue mission to locate a Londonderry resident who had been missing for two days. On June 3, 2010 twenty ALERT members assembled at Sara Beth Lane at 0800 along with approximately 50 searchers from Londonderry Police Department, Londonderry Fire Department, N.H. Fish and Game Conservation Officers, Southern N.H. Special Operations Unit, Upper Valley Wilderness Response Team, Litchfield Police Department, and the American Red Cross.
ALERT was divided into five groups, four Line Search Teams and one group for Automobile Street Search with each team being assigned to a NHF&G Team Leader. The teams performed thorough searches of the Musquash Conservation Area bordering near the Londonderry Country Club and the Sara Beth Lane surrounding area. All groups were under the direction of Lt. John Wimsett, N.H. Fish and Game.
As the day progressed, more ALERT members reported into the Command Center offering any assistance requested. In all twenty-eight ALERT volunteers were able to contribute to the day’s efforts in finding the missing person.
As the groups were finishing up their morning search grids, the call went out to return to the Command Center. The missing person was found at 1245.
ALERT would like to extend our thanks to Papa Gino’s and Giovanni’s Roast Beef and Pizza for their donation of pizzas for all the participants of the search.
This mission was a real test of ALERT’s capabilities to assemble, perform, and communicate as a team. We look forward to our debriefing by N.H. Fish and Game to learn what we did right and what needs to be improved on. From all accounts, ALERT can be proud of how we responded in our community’s time of need.
On Saturday, June 5th, the Manchester Chapter of the American Red Cross held their annual Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast at the Executive Court in Manchester.
Due to ALERT’s continuing efforts in the community, including the management of Londonderry’s Regional Emergency Shelter during the 2010 Windstorm, the American Red Cross presented ALERT with a Community Partnership Award. Six ALERT members were present to accept the award.
For many years, ALERT has received training from the Red Cross in First Aid, CPR, and Shelter Operations. More recently, ALERT had the opportunity to work along side the Red Cross during the windstorm and a recent search for a missing person. ALERT is honored to be recognized as a partner in the community by the Red Cross.
On Saturday May 15, a group of ALERT members and Londonderry Firefighters participated in a yearly Chainsaw Cutting and Felling class presented by the Local Government Center (LGC) and instructed by Brent Bebe, a certified Sawyer for the NH Forestry service. The 4 hour morning class room session covered the basics of a cutting job “size up”. This included how to choose safely, a plan to fell a tree, and the many techniques do so. The classroom session also covered the care and maintenance of the chainsaw. Safety was the word of the day.
 Images Courtesy - Paul MacCullum The 4 hour afternoon session was a field exercise in which the class was brought to the property of the Continental Paving Company Inc. in Litchfield, for a hands on experience with trees that were in excess of 40 ft hight and 15 inches in diameter. The session included plunge boring techniques and wedge use to steer a tree. Safety and personal protective equipment (PPE) were discussed and used at all times. Everybody present had a “Go at it”.
The participants took away a good understanding of new techniques and an understanding of why some “bad Habits” should be avoided. They are now better prepared to handle any situation they may face in an official call out in the field.
Special thanks go out to Wynette DeGroot from LGC, Londonderry Fire Department for supplying saws and protective equipment and Mr. Richard Charbonneau VP of Continental paving for the use of their land.
View the gallery of all the pictures from this training session.
Stuck indoors this Memorial Day weekend? Download this DVD and make preparedness a part of your family plan.
Check out this downloadable video courtesy of FEMA.
http://go.usa.gov/3ra
On Tuesday, March 23rd, eleven members of ALERT (A Londonderry Emergency Response Team) visited a hangar at the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport for DHART Safety Training. DHART (Dartmouth-Hitchcock Advanced Response Team) is part of the Critical Care Transport Program operated by Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH.
DHART is an air transport medical helicopter typically manned with a pilot, medic, and nurse and can fly during the day or evening due to night vision technology. The aircraft is an EC 135 American Eurocopter modified to handle medical needs and is approximately 40 feet long with a blade span of 32 feet. DHART primarily is activated by requests from public safety agencies in medical emergency situations in the Northern New England territory.
Organized by John Hinds, DHART Operations Manager, and presented by Pilot, Alan Summers of Metro Aviation, the training included DHART ground safety, basic communications, and landing zone preparation. After the presentation, ALERT members toured the helicopter and were able to ask crew members questions.
Primarily activated by the Londonderry Fire and Police Departments, ALERT is continuously training in many areas involving safety and emergency situations. To learn more about ALERT and to view our photo gallery, please visit www.londonderryalert.org.
Thursday night March 18, 2010 ALERT began its spring line training during a class session with Sgt. David Eskeland of New Hampshire’s Fish and Game Dept. Line training is one of ALERT’s core training goals and is one of ALERT’s main skills.
Bright and early Saturday morning ALERT headed into the Musquash Conservation area off of Hickory Hill Rd. and began the field training portion of the line search skill. Prior to the volunteer team’s entrance into the forest, ALERT training coordinator Rich Semaski and Wayne Hall set up a scenario of a missing person situation and placed items in the search grid for the team to locate and practice protocol.
This weekend’s exercise had a great diversity of experience among the training group, from new ALERT members attending their first line search training to more seasoned members who have been line search qualified for many years and continue to sharpen their skills and experience. The conditions provided a range of obstacles and lessons including downed trees related to the recent wind storm and considerable wet areas from rain and thaw.
After the field line search training the team went over the experience with Sgt. Eskeland who also conducted a brief basic compass training before the team dispersed to begin their weekend.
Thank you to Sergeant Eskeland, Rich Semaski, Wayne Hall, and the rest of the ALERT team that took the time out of their personal lives to increase their preparedness and benefit for the community.
View all of the images from this event -images courtesy of Keith Tharp – Champion Photo
Hello Team.
First. I wish to thank Chris Oliverio for leading the team to this point in our organization for the past few years. He has shown his commitment to ALERT by stepping up to lead during our most dynamic periods to date. Thanks Chris and I look forward to continue working with you.
Second. I would like to take a minute to say thank you the members, for allowing me to be President of ALERT.
It is an honor and privilege to lead this organization and especially you the members who are responsible for making ALERT what we are today. Without the dedication of the team we never would have the respect we now enjoy with the local authorities and government officials.
Even now as I begin my term as President, I am looking for the next leader for our organization. I hope to see many members stepping up to head committees and lead in the field. Team captains will be playing a more active roll during my term. I will be contacting you individually.
In closing. If anyone has any idea as to how we should or could improve any part of ALERT,please contact me or attend a BOD meeting. I am open to just about any idea to help us grow in the future.
Thank you.
Richard Semaski
President and Training Coordinator Londonderry ALERT/CERT
American Red Cross Certified Instructor
CERT Instructor New Hampshire Fire Academy
Richard Semaski – President
Lori Silva – Secretary
James Pratt – Board of Directors
 To All the ALERT Shelter Helpers and Road Closure Warriors, I know a simple “Thank You” can not even begin to express my gratitude, appreciation, and how proud I am of you and to be an ALERT Team Member. Even more so now with the crazy hours put in by the Road Warriors and the managing of the Londonderry ALERT Emergency Shelter, it has become very apparent that ALERT is a very special team. Each day as we managed the shelter, I would look around in amazement (but not surprise) as I watched you – the ALERT Team Volunteers, taking control of what ever situation arose. It was such a great feeling of pride (and relief) knowing that it was not necessary to micro-manage. You knew what had to be done and took action. Your professionalism and dedication was very apparent and much appreciated.
I have always been a proponent of building camaraderie within ALERT. The ALERT Shelter proved to be a great team building experience. It became obvious that we enjoyed each other’s company when at most times there were more ALERT Members than there were guests.
I greatly enjoyed interacting with everyone of you whether it was exchanging stories of children, discussing communications, conversing with the Lovely Ladies of Registration, giggling over salad choices, wrestling with cot set-up and dismantling, sharing a meal, discussing marketing strategies, or having a few laughs over a cup of ‘coffee’ at 11:00 pm. I also have to admit that I really enjoyed watching the evolution of an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of plain white paper turn into a descriptive, beautifully stickered Shelter Manager Sign. (That’s going in my scrapbook!)
Last weekend was not just about gaining experience in Shelter Operations. It was so much more! We made new friends within ALERT and external to ALERT. We gained experience in leadership, learned valuable lessons in communications, and proved to be not only a team that can assist in times of need, but a team that can lead. ALERT has gained a greater level of respect within the community. You showed the Public Safety professionals, Londonderry School District, Derry EOC, MRC’s, and the Red Cross that we are a dedicated, professional, trained (not to mention fun) group of volunteers that will always go the extra mile to ensure the safety and well being of our community.
Thank you ALL for everything you did to make the Londonderry ALERT Emergency Shelter a great success. George and Jim, please pass this on to Trish and Denise. I am anxiously awaiting their applications. A big “Thank You” also goes out to those die hard Road Closure Warriors.
Sincerely,
Colleen
ALERT has been working alongside Londonderry Police and Fire since 02:30 this morning in response to Thursday nights severe wind and rain storm.
At 1:00pm ALERT activated the communication command center and stationed it in front of the Londonderry High School gymnasium in preparation for the 3:00pm opening of the local emergency shelter.
7:00pm dinner has been delivered to the shelter residents and more Londonderry residents are settling in.
8:30pm ALERT volunteers along with volunteers from neighboring Derry will begin setting up cots to accomodate all of the shelter residents.
For more information or to lend a hand volunteering please visit the shelter at the Londonderry High School.
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