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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ADOPTED! Companion Corner: Cali and Kyzer at Berkshire Humane Society
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
Great news, Kyzer and Cali found a home for Christmas already! Still looking for a new friend for the holidays? There are plenty of dogs and cats and small animals at Berkshire Humane who would love to go home with you.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a bonded dog pair awaiting a new family at the Berkshire Humane Society.
Kyzer and Cali are both poodles. Kyzer is the male and is 7 years old, a quite a bit bigger than his sister Cali, who is a miniature of Kyzer and 8 years old.
Canine adoption counselor Rhonda Cyr introduced us to the two.
"They came from a household that couldn't hold on to them, and it sounds like they may have been abandoned by their previous owner with somebody else, and so they came to us looking for a new home," she said.
The two love to be around you and snuggle. But both are very happy dogs.
"Kyzer is 7 years old, and his personality is that he kind of wants to be in everything. He's very loving, very snuggly, as you can tell. And Callie here, she's 8 years old, and she is kind of like the life of the party," said Cyr. "She wants to tell you everything about her day, and she's a little bit of a little ham."
The two are considered seniors and really like soft treats as Cali just had a few teeth removed and Kyzer has a tooth procedure coming up.
"Currently, they really like soft treats, because they are both on the senior side of things. So they have had some dental work, so they are really in need of something softer. They are not big chewers at this age, really, their main focus right now is just really socializing and cuddling," Cyr said.
The two would love a quiet home with someone who wants to snuggle. They shouldn't go to a home with bigger dogs but if you have a dog, you can bring them in for a visitation with the poodles to see if they will get along. Cats will be fine and the preference is for older and more responsible children so that the pups don't get hurt, as they are senior citizens.
"The perfect home for them would be a quiet home that's not too active. Like I said, they're very social, so they could handle some visitors," she said. "They're very friendly, but I don't think that they would really enjoy any other dogs in the home."
Poodles need to be regularly groomed, and the prospective adopter will have to keep an eye on their health. Kyzer has a heart murmur that needs to be monitored. This doesn't mean he is in bad health, as he could live a perfectly normal life, but he will need to be checked by a veterinary specialist routinely.
"Ideally, he would go to a home that could provide further health care with a specialist in cardiac care. And you know, he could very well live out the rest of his life comfortably and happy," Cyr said. "We just don't have all that information at the moment, but I think that you know the way he's going right now. He's got a good spirit, and he seems to be pretty happy."
The shelter is hoping the to get them a home for the holidays.
"We would love to get them a home in time for the holidays. They've been here since the eighth of November, and they're really, really looking as much as the staff loves them here, we're really looking to get them into a home and somewhere nice and cozy so they can spend the rest of their life together," she said.
Kyzer and Cali are both poodles. Kyzer is the male and is 7 years old, and a little bigger than his sister Cali, who is a miniature of Kyzer and 8 years old.
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A 700-square-foot outdoor water attraction is planned for the 2.1-acre park at 30 John Street. City officials hope to have it operational by summertime.
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Jewish Federation of the Berkshires President Arlene Schiff opened the festivities with a recognition of the victims of Sunday's mass shooting in Australia and praise for a hero who helped stop the killing.
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