PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Mountain Search and Rescue Team is aiming to raise $14,000 for a utility terrain rescue vehicle that is vital to their operations.
BMSAR is one of only two volunteer search and rescue teams in Massachusetts that are attached to the State Police Special Emergency Response Team, which is of "high value" for the organization.
It serves all of Western Massachusettes and sometimes assist in other parts of the commonwealth.
In order to respond to missing persons in the most efficient way, the team needs a vehicle that can handle rough terrain.
"We don't have a UTV vehicle ourselves, we can rely on the Sheriff's Department if we ever need them, which is good, but time is critical," team President Michael Comeau said. "It's our goal to get one of these vehicles in our own capacity so that when we're on the scene, we're going right down in there into the woods to get the person."
The vehicle has many useful features including four-wheel drive, a place to store gear, and a trailer hitch to which a patient transporter can be attached.
BMSAR is looking for donations or a sponsor. Because it takes about three months for the UTV to arrive after being ordered, the team would like to secure funds as soon as possible.
"The sooner the better," Comeau said. "Because in the fall is when everybody is trying to go to the woods and go hiking and the fall time is when we seem to have our highest amount of calls."
Comeau even wrote an email to Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg regarding the fundraiser. He is unsure if he will get a response but said it was worth a try.
"BMSAR has been around since 1977," he explained. "Since I took over about, let's say about 11 years ago now, we're constantly evolving, we're constantly getting bigger."
The team currently has a search trailer that is at capacity with equipment and with the help of B&B Micro Manufacturing in Adams and donations, it was able to consult the tiny house manufacturers to construct an additional trailer.
Comeau said that is a great improvement for the team but they still lack a vehicle that can assist them in the terrain.
"If nobody is there with a machine, we're walking to get to the victim when so many times we could use one of these," he added. "To put searchers in, put the search dogs in, we can put them in the back of it with all our gear and just go right away up and get to the person."
In November 2020, BMSAR collaborated with Make-A-Wish Massachusetts to host a fake search and rescue on October Mountain for a young girl with a life-threatening heart condition.
Comeau said they hope to work with the charity organization again in the future to make the wishes of children interested in rescues come true.
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Pittsfield CPA Committee Funds Half of FY24 Requests
The projects not making the cut were in the historic preservation and open space and recreation categories and though they were seen as interesting and valuable projects, the urgency was not prevalent enough for this cycle.
"It's a tough year," Chair Danielle Steinmann said.
The panel made its recommendations on Monday after several meetings of presentations from applications. They will advance to the City Council for final approval.
Two cemetery projects were scored low by the committee and not funded: A $9,500 request from the city for fencing at the West Part Cemetery as outlined in a preservation plan created in 2021 and a $39,500 request from the St. Joseph Cemetery Commission for tombstone restorations.
"I feel personally that they could be pushed back a year," Elizabeth Herland said. "And I think they're both good projects but they don't have the urgency."
It was also decided that George B. Crane Memorial Center's $73,465 application for the creation of a recreational space would not be funded. Herland said the main reason she scored the project low was because it didn't appear to benefit the larger community as much as other projects do.
There was conversation about not funding The Christian Center's $34,100 request for heating system repairs but the committee ended up voting to give it $21,341 when monies were left over.
The total funding request was more than $1.6 million for FY24 and with a budget of $808,547, only about half could be funded. The panel allocated all of the available monies, breaking down into $107,206 for open space and recreation, $276,341 for historic preservation, and $425,000 for community housing.
The projects not making the cut were in the historic preservation and open space and recreation categories and though they were seen as interesting and valuable projects, the urgency was not prevalent enough for this cycle.
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The Licensing Board on Monday gave Pancho's Mexican Restaurant the OK to close one hour later — extending last call to 12:30 p.m. and closing at 1 a.m. There have been no reported incidents since a weeklong license suspension.
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The Berkshire County High School Girls Basketball Hall of Fame Saturday welcomed nine new members, including seven women who were lauded for their many successes on the hardwood. click for more