Adams County

Search & Rescue

By-Laws

1.1Name

The Adams County Search & Rescue, hereinafter referred to as the ACSAR, declares itself a volunteer, non-profit service organization, dedicated to the search and rescue assistance of the populace of Adams County, Mississippi and shall be governed by the following By-Laws.

1.2Objectives

The Objectives of the Team shall be:

1.2.1To serve the residents of Adams County with an organized emergency service for search and rescue.

1.2.2To provide men and women constituting the membership with training in organized technical search and rescue techniques. Primary emphasis will be on the safety at all times both on training missions and actual rescue events.

1.2.3To serve as a resource for non-urban search and rescue missions. The Team shall maintain expertise in technical situations on wilderness/backcountry search and rescue. The team will also be available as a backup for urban SAR operations as needed.

1.2.4To provide out-of-area SAR assistance to other agencies as requested through local authorities.

2.1Mission Call Outs

2.1.1Requests for the Team’s assistance will be initiated and dispatched through the Adams County Emergency Agency in accordance with the current dispatch roster. The method of the call out shall be agreed on by the Executive Committee and the Advisory Board.

2.1.2Only Team members called out are to respond to a request for assistance.

2.1.3All rescue activities involving The Team will be directed through the Operations Officer or operation Incident Commander. All SAR operations shall be organized and directed as defined by the national standard commonly known as the Incident Command System or “ICS”.

2.1.4Individual Team members are not authorized to undertake official rescue operations on an individual basis unless specifically authorized bye the incident commander. In no case shall an operation be undertaken under the auspices of the ACSAR without prior notification and approval of the Team Commander.

3.1Field Teams

3.1.1In-the-field leadership shall be designated prior to base site departure. To the extent possible, teams shall not be committed to the field without at least one member having the experience and training level of “Team Leader”.

3.1.2Whenever possible, a field team shall consist of at least four individuals. Operations with less than four individuals are discouraged and will be used with caution and careful evaluation and approval by the incident commander.

3.1.3Team members are required to have the following “essentials” which are:

  • Flashlight and headlamp
  • Extra clothing
  • Extra food and water
  • Waterproof matches
  • Candle or fire starter
  • Pocket or sheath knife
  • Personal first aid kit
  • Emergency blanket
  • Foul weather gear
  • Compass
  • Pen & Notepad
  • Backpack

3.2Membership

3.2.1Membership of this organization shall consist of residents of Adams County of a minimum age of 21.

3.2.2Any resident of Adams County can apply for membership by completing a Team application and Health Questionnaire/Statement of Good Health. Completed applications are to be turned into the Adams County Emergency / Civil Defense Agency. Health Questionnaires are to be turned into Safety Officer.

3.2.3All applicants are to sign an agreement to have a standard background check.

3.2.4The Membership Committee shall review the application and interview the applicant.

3.2.5Each Team member of the Team is responsible for any and all expenses relating to certifications, i.e., CPR, First Aid, confined space rescue, diver, E M T, NSAR, etc.

3.2.6It shall be the responsibility of the Team member to maintain certification and license records.

3.2.7It shall be the responsibility of the Team member to notify the secretary of any changes in personal information (address, phone numbers, etc.).

3.2.8The Team shall maintain an up-to-date list of membership.

3.2.9Membership shall be classified by skill and experience in S A R by probationary, field team, and field team leader based on definitions contained in section 5.1.

4.1Attendance

4.1.1Members are required to attend at least seventy-five percent (75%) of all training sessions/exercises per year and seventy-five percent (75%) of the Teams monthly meetings. Members may be excused from any particular meeting for extenuating circumstances without being counted as an absence if approved by the Training Officer and Team Commander.

4.1.2Any team member with an activity level that has dropped below that of paragraph 3.2.1 will be informed in writing by the Membership Committee that they have one year to improve their participation level or be removed from the Team...

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5.1Experience Levels

5.1.1Probationary

5.1.2Field Team

5.1.3Team Leader

5.1.4Each Team member shall keep records of their training and call outs. The Training Officer will submit to the Executive Committee the members training for review and upgrading to the next level. Attending training is not enough to upgrade. The upgrade will be made on his/her demonstration of skills and active participation in operations.

6.1Termination of Membership

6.1.1Membership may be terminated by the Executive Committee upon recommendation of the Membership Committee. Membership may also be terminated by two-thirds written, anonymous vote of the active membership.

6.1.2All property issued to the terminated member belonging to the Team shall be returned to the Team by the terminated member.

6.1.3All privileges associated with the Team shall cease. The right to wear any patches that designate association with the Team shall also cease and all patches shall be removed from clothing and gear owned by the terminated member.

7.1Finances

7.1.1This is a volunteer organization. Dues shall be $30 initiation fee with an annual fee of $20 and are to be paid annually on or before the annual meeting.

7.1.2Finance records are to be maintained by the Treasurer of the Team. Finance reports are to be prepared and given at the quarterly general membership meeting and at the annual General Membership meeting.

7.1.3Two signatures, President or Vice-President or Treasurer, shall be required on all checks or other means of payments and legal documents of the Team.

7.2Expenditures

All expenditures shall be approved by the Executive Committee.

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8.1Officers, Executive Committee, Ad Hoc Committees, Advisory Committee

Officers

8.1.1Officers shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Training Officer, Safety Officer and Commander.

8.1.2The President shall be elected from the Teams voting general membership to serve for a term of one (1) years. The President is limited to serve four (4) consecutive terms. The President shall provide over all of the Team’s meetings and ensure that all policies and procedures are enforced. The President shall have general supervision of all affairs of the Team. The President shall represent the Executive Committee on the Advisory “Committee”. The President shall provide a report of all activities and affairs of the Team at the annual meeting

8.1.3The Vice-President shall be elected from the Team’s voting general membership to serve for a term of one (1) years. The Vice-President is limited to serve four (4) consecutive terms. The Vice-President shall assume all duties of the President in his absence.

8.1.4The Secretary shall be elected from Teams voting general membership. The Secretary shall take and maintain all minuets of Executive Committee and General Membership meetings. These minuets shall be presented at all meetings as required. The Secretary shall maintain a list of all the general membership and their status within the Team. The Secretary shall be responsible for ensuring that efforts are made to contact all members of the meetings.

8.1.5The Treasurer shall be elected form the Team’s voting general membership. The Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining all financial records of the Team. The Treasurer shall provide Financial Reports as needed. The Treasurer shall be a co-signatory on all checks and other legal documents of the Team.

8.1.6The Training Officer shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.

8.1.7The Safety Officer is to be appointed by the Executive Committee.

8.1.8The Commander is to be appointed by the Executive Committee.

8.2Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and one At-Large Team member elected from the General Voting membership

8.3Ad Hoc Committees

Ad Hoc Committees shall be established by the President as needed.

8.4Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee’s purpose is to provide guidance in establishing policies and procedures for ACSAR. The Advisory Committee will also act as liaison between the ACSAR and local government entities.

Members of the Advisory Committee shall be:

  • Representative from the Adams County Sheriff’s Department
  • Representative from the Natchez Fire Department
  • Representative from the Adams County Emergency Management Agency
  • Representative from the Adams County Board of Supervisors
  • Representative of the Adams County Chapter American Red Cross.

9.1Elections

9.1.1Election of officers shall be by secret ballot at the annual meeting to held on the Second (2 nd) Tuesday of September each year.

9.1.2A quorum shall be thirty-three (33) percent of the voting membership.

9.1.3Upon the resignation or inability of the President to complete the term, the Vice-President shall serve in this capacity until a special election can be held.

9.1.4Upon the resignation or inability of the Vice-President to complete the term, a special election will be held.

9.1.5Upon the resignation or inability of the Treasurer or the Secretary, the President shall appoint a replacement until a special election can be held.

9.1.6Members shall be notified two (2) weeks prior to any special election.

10.1By-Laws

10.1.1Any changes to the By-Laws shall be submitted to the Executive Committee for review. The President may appoint a special committee to review and make recommendations for changes to the By-Laws.

10.1.2By-Law changes shall be presented to the general membership at a regular monthly general membership meeting.

10.1.3Members must be notified two (2) weeks prior to any meeting in which By-Laws will changed.

10.1.4A quorum of thirty-three (33) percent is required to consider any changes in the By-Laws.

10.1.5By-Laws changes require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the present members.

11.1General Information

11.1.1All meetings shall be conducted accord in to the Robert’s Rules of Order.

11.1.2The monthly meetings will held on the second (2nd) Tuesday of each month.

11.1.3The annual meeting shall be held on the second (2nd) Tuesday of September annually.

11.1.4A required quorum of thirty-three (33) percent of the general voting membership shall be required to conduct business.

Revised: May 10, 2005