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Joey Rosette, from left, Calvin Jilot and Ted Whitford use a compass and a map to find their location between markers Friday as part of an exercise to become certified in search and rescue. Roughly 10 poeple from Rocky Boy took the class, taught by National Association for Search and Rescue or NASAR.
Ten people on Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation are now certified in search and rescue techniques, after five days of testing, training and instruction, part of an effort to start a volunteer search and rescue team on the reservation.
Participants completed training provided by the National Association for Search and Rescue Friday at the Jon Morsette Vocational Center at Stone Child College.
The participants now have their level 3 and 2 certifications, Chippewa Cree Business Committee member and Rocky Boy Volunteer Fire Department Chief Calvin Jilot said.
The new search and rescue team will operate as part of the fire department, he said.
The level 3 test covers basic search and rescue skills and how to use search and rescue equipment. The NASAR website says. The level 2 test is recommended for anyone who takes part in NASAR missions as field searchers and is an intermediate level of certification for search and rescue personnel.
He added that several disappearances on the reservation last year, particularly the disappearance of tribal member Richard "Smokey" Roastingstick last February, show the need for the team.
Roastingstick, 57, was reported missing by family after his red, four-door Kia was discovered abandoned on an unpaved road near Northern Winz Casino.
Jiliot said although he believes Rocky Boy police did a great job, a search and rescue team with proper training could have allowed them to cover more ground.
"I am sure they could have used 11 other people searching in another direction in an area they might have missed or something," he said.
"It just gives us that extra little step that can help our law enforcement and (criminal investigators) if we get another missing person case," Jilot added.
He said he reached out to NASAR in October to see if someone could provide instruction. The course was paid for with money raised by the department through donations from different tribal departments.
Robert Brewer, who works with high school youth in search and rescue as part of Spokane Explorers Search and Rescue and is a representative with NASAR, led the courses.
Participants also had to undergo a 150-question written test, read through 16-chapter workbook, with additional instruction provided through PowerPoint presentations, and get through a navigation obstacle course.
Topics discussed include skills in mapping, tracking, how to use a compass, tying basic knots that can be used in search and rescue scenarios, identifying and treating hot and cold related injuries and ways to find and analyze evidence about where a person has been, Brewer said.
Jilot said members of the new team will meet this week to figure what supplies they will need and how to pay for them.
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