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| Administration |
By-laws
Article I: Name
The name of this organization shall be called the Wilderness Rescue Team, Inc.Article II: Purposes
The purposes of this organization are to render aid to persons in distress, administer emergency care, and to perform missions incident to the rescue of human beings who are in distress. The Wilderness Rescue team may purchase, acquire by gift or otherwise, ambulances, boats, vehicles, first aid and rescue equipment, and all other property directly related to lifesaving missions; and to own, and hold in fee or lease, sufficient and suitable real estate and buildings necessary for headquarters and for storage of equipment and supplies owned and/or used in the furtherance of rescue and emergency care work; required and supported by the people and the public in general. Further, the Wilderness Rescue Team may use same for educational purposes regarding related topics as well as to operate and maintain emergency vehicles for rescue work and to transport services with volunteer personnel. Volunteers will be adequately trained according to current MASAR standards and to include emergency care, search and rescue techniques, survival, high and low angle rescue practices, all of which services shall be provided and supported by member dues and donations as no charge or fee will be imposed for any service it renders. All equipment and money will be used for the public good by the corporation and not for the private benefit of any indi-vidual member. The team shall maintain Maine EMS licensure status. No part of the net earnings of such activities shall inure to the benefit of any private shareholder, member, or individual, and no part of the activities will include the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempt to influence legislation and will not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements,) any political campaign or on behalf of any candidate for public office.Article III: Board of Directors
- MASAR representative – being the primary person responsible to represent the corporation
to the Maine Association for Search and Rescue.
- Baxter State Park Representative – being the primary person responsible to represent the corporation on the communications and other such park advisory committees as are agreed.
- Medical Advisor – being responsible for oversight of quality patient care and review of same and to act in support of member health for those members electing to use said service.
- Member Advisor – being responsible for the provision of appropriate information, maintaining contact, and advocacy for prospective and probationary members.
- Chief of Service – being responsible for Maine EMS protocols, policies, and regulatory adherence and being a licensed practitioner within EMS in the state of Maine.
- E-Advisor – being responsible to maintain control, timely content, and correction to the team's E-Mail and Web Page services.
- Librarian – being responsible to maintain control of the team's loan materials.
- Baxter State Park Representative – being the primary person responsible to represent the corporation on the communications and other such park advisory committees as are agreed.
Section 1
The board of directors shall be eight in number who are to serve for a one-year term beginning On November 1st. The board of directors shall consist of the officers of the corporation and three other team members, at least two of which shall have earned the team patch.Section 2
The board of directors will be elected by a majority of the membership. Nominations shall take place in September and such election shall take place in October, at a regular meeting place of the corpora-tion. Any outgoing officer shall continue in office and work closely with his/her elected replacement until the end of the fiscal year to provide a smooth transition from one administration to the next.Section 3
The board may, as needed, each November, appoint the following positions by majority vote, all such positions being held for a period of one fiscal year:Section 4
A simple majority vote of the members of the board at any regularly called meeting may remove directors from their position so that the best interests of the organization will be served thereby.Article IV: Officers
- Director . He/she shall preside at all meetings, and in his absence, the Operations Officer shall preside. He/she shall construct the agenda for all meetings. He/she shall sign all papers of the corporation, generally oversee all administration operations of the team. She/she shall be responsible, along with the Chief of Service, to ensure all laws and applicable regulations are followed. He/she shall provide general direction to the other officers and specific direction to the Chief of Service, MASAR and Baxter State Park Advisors. He/she shall provide testimony on behalf of, representation of, and liaison to government and other agencies except as specified for advisors. The director shall have authority to sign checks.
- Operations Officer. He/she shall preside in the absence of the Director. He/she shall provide specific direction to the Medical Advisor. He/she shall promulgate the operational procedures and maintain or cause to be maintained, all team equipment. He/she shall also insure that all internal/external operational reports are issued on a timely basis.
- Training Officer. He/she shall have the overall responsibility for the training of all team members and monitoring the training attendance of each, including maintaining the training records of same. He/she shall present to the general membership for approval a training calendar for the coming calendar year by the December meeting of the previous year. The calendar shall include routinely monthly training events for each of the following: January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October. Support of a MASAR training event in September shall meet this requirement.
- Chief Financial Officer. The CFO shall pay all lawful financial obligations of the team per the procedure specified in Article VI, maintain current status of corporate certification, tax returns, tax licensures, etc. He/she shall report in detail to the board at each meeting and to the general membership quarterly. He/she shall assure that dues statements are sent to each member in a timely manner. He/she shall be responsible for all contracts of the team and coordinate all discount purchasing of equipment for the team and/or its members. The CFO shall have authority to sign checks.
- Secretary. The secretary shall provide specific direction to the E-Advisor and the Member Advisor. He/she shall publish and release the monthly newsletter, maintain the member database such that it is updated at least monthly with emergency and call-out sheet corrections issued as needed. He/she shall provide general guidance to the librarian and take minutes of all board and membership meetings, assuring that nominations are published in a timely manner each September.
- Training Officer. He/she shall have the overall responsibility for the training of all team members and monitoring the training attendance of each, including maintaining the training records of same. He/she shall present to the general membership for approval a training calendar for the coming calendar year by the December meeting of the previous year. The calendar shall include routinely monthly training events for each of the following: January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October. Support of a MASAR training event in September shall meet this requirement.
Section 1
To hold an officer's position the member must have earned his/her team patch and must have been a responding member in good dues standing for a period of not less than two years.Section 2
Any officer of the team may activate the team for search and rescue operations standby, and by request of recognized authority, to mobilize and dispatch same.Section 3
The officers of the corporation shall be:Article V: Voting & Meetings
Each board member and each responding member in good dues standing shall have one vote on each issue to come before each meeting with exception of the Director, who shall vote only in event of a tie. All issues with the exception of by-laws amendments and dissolution of the corporation shall carry or fail with a simple majority vote. Vote by proxy, E-Mail, or other such methods shall not be allowed.Portions of any meeting may be run in executive session either at such times as the Director may post in the meeting agenda, or that the members call for from the floor.
The board shall meet at least five times annually, at least one time of which shall be during the month of November. Non-board team members may observe, and they as well as other guests may invited to speak at these meetings.
The general membership shall meet monthly at such time, date, and place as are agreed by the membership.
A minimum of five members of the board shall be the quorum for board meetings, and no less than 51% of the team members eligible to vote must be present to convene a regularly scheduled meeting.
Article VI: Spending Approval & Budget
The Director may approve any non-recurring expense (including member reimbursement for expense related directly to the team mission,) for amounts up to $ 199.99. Amounts of $ 200 and over for non-budgeted or non-recurring expense shall be approved by vote of the board or general membership. Checks in excess of $ 499.99 must have two signers.The team shall maintain bonding status for all check signers.
The Chief Financial Officer shall present an annual operating budget for approval by the general membership at the November meeting.
Article VII: Response
The order of command shall be as follows:- Operations Officer
- Director
- Training Officer
- Chief Financial Officer
- Secretary
- Patch holding members with greatest seniority
- First Arriving Patch-holding Responding Member
In order for the team to field a minimum of one patch-holding members must be present for ground search and two for technical rescue operations.
Article VIII: Membership
- Probationary. A probationary member is responsible to pay dues as assessed, participate in meetings and 50% of training annually, and shall serve as such for a minimum of 6 months.
- Active. An active member may or may not hold the team patch. He/she is responsible to pay dues as assessed, maintain the minimum MASAR expectation for ground searchers, and must participate in one weekend of Baxter or other designated pre-planned coverage annually. Patch-holding members shall participate in 50% of training every two years; other active members shall participate in 50% of training every calendar year. All active members must maintain current emergency care and CPR certifications or licensure regardless. Patch-holding members may also hold team communications and GPS equipment.
- Limited. A limited member is responsible to pay dues as assessed, may participate in training events, and shall maintain the minimum MASAR standard for administrative staffing.
- Inactive. Either a Probationary, Limited, or Active member may request in-active status and be granted same by either the director or the board for no more than a six month continuous time period. Inactive status shall not remove dues obligation.
- Advisory. The board of directors may accept advisory members, who shall not pay dues, may attend training without expectation of maintaining current training status, and may serve under the general direction and at the request of any officer in support of special projects or needs. Advisory members shall receive newsletters. Advisory members shall not respond to team operations.
- Supporting. Supporting members may be individuals, entities, corporations, businesses, etc. who donate to support the mission of the team. Amounts and categories of membership shall be established by the Chief Financial Officer. Supporting members shall not respond to team operations or participate in team training.
Section 1
No person shall be eligible for membership who has not attained 18 years of age. Either the board or general membership may approve acceptance of interested persons or changes to membership status. A Prospect for membership must receive and review appropriate introductory information and expectations, and can be voted as a member no sooner than the third meeting attended. Membership begins at the time a completed application is received and voted. Membership may be terminated by a vote of the board or general membership for due cause.Section 2
Responding Members:Non-Responding
Article IX: Use of Alcohol & Recreational Drugs
No alcohol, narcotics or illegal drugs will be purchased or consumed en route to, during, or returning from any team activity. This includes over-night periods.Article X: Team Patches
Section 1
Each year the board shall review a training requirement plan prepared by the training officer and establish the patch requirements. Upon presentation of adequate evidence of completion of the patch-requirements to the Training Officer, the board will determine whether a member will be awarded a team patch. When awarded, two (2) team patches will be issued to the member. The Mountain Rocker and other such additions shall be approved by the present members holding same but may not be awarded until the team patch itself has been earned.Section 2
The team patch, rockers, IFW patch, Baxter State Park Rescue Team patch shall be displayed only as designed in the current board-published uniform standards.Article XI: Amendments
These by-laws may be amended at any general membership meeting, by a 2/3 vote.Article XII: Training
All members shall be fully expected to complete and maintain training expectations appropriate for their membership status. The board shall review same at least annually. Only responding or advisory members may participate in regular monthly team training functions.Article XIII: Legal Counsel
Legal Counsel may be obtained to represent the corporation in an advisory capacity either as a volunteer or paid but shall not be a member of the corporation if paid.Article XIV: Dues & Fees
Section 1
Dues shall be levied as recommended by the Chief Financial Officer, the board of directors, and approved in the annual corporate budget. Dues shall be payable bi-annually in January and July. All responding members, regardless of status who are not full-time students, must keep dues payments in good standing. The board may make a six month exception to dues on an individual-need basis.Section 2
Members may incur fees for services, such as pager rentals, that are payable at the same time as dues. Members purchasing equipment or other goods must pay for the purchase at the time of the order.Article XV: Uniform Standards
The uniform expectation for responding team members shall established by the board of directors in November of each year.Article XVI: Committees
There shall be a standing Quality Assurance/Quality Control committee consisting of the Medical Advisor as Chairperson, the Chief of Service, Operations Officer, and 1 EMS licensed member apart from these. The board may form such ad hoc committees as it deems in the best interest of the team. Ad hoc Committees shall not survive the fiscal year.Article XVII: Dissolution
The corporation may be dissolved by a vote of 2/3 of the voting members at a meeting for which same have received 30 days written notice by first class mail, and which is called expressly for that purpose. In the event this corporation should become inactive or dissolved, any funds, property, vehicles, or other equipment then remaining on hand after the payment of legal and proper expenses shall be turned over, in toto, without restriction to the Maine Association for Search and Rescue.Links Photos