The Wakatipu SAR Group comprises of representatives from each of the specialist groups. We meet once every 8 weeks, and Minutes are formally recorded. Financial, planning and training decisions are made for the Group in conjunction with our Strategic Plan.
WAKATIPU SAR GROUP COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Russell Carr 
Russell has been a mountain safety instructor for 15 years, on the Avalanche Committee NZ Mountain Safety Council for 5 years; and on Ski Patrol at Mount Hutt Skifield for 6 years. Currently, Russell is a Heliski Guide and Operations Manager at Harris Mountains Heliski (for the past 26 years); Film Location Manager and Safety Officer (the past 26 years); Search and Rescue (the past 33 years); and SAR Advisor, Queenstown (the past 26 years). He also has been involved in NZMGA Mountain Skills; NZQA Unit Standards relating to Outdoor Safety; and as a Safety Advisor for President Clinton's visit to the South Island (NZ Police).
Russell has been a Safety Auditor since 1999 and is a Foundation Member of ROSA. Since 1999, Safety Audit NZ Ltd has successfully carried out numerous audits for a variety of companies specialising in outdoor activities (e.g. multi-sport events, helicopter hunting, mountain biking, fishing, guiding, hiking, kayaking, ice-climbing, mountaineering, heliskiing, ski field operations, 4WD guided trips, film crews, etc). Russell holds the following certificates: Health and Safety Auditor Certificate QSA International; Risk Management Certificate, Mountain Safety Council; Hazard Management in Practice Certificate, NZ Safety Ltd; CMIS (Co-ordinated Incident Management Systems), NZ Police College. Russell lives in Queenstown.
Richard Kennett 
Richard works as a DOC Ranger, is based in Glenorchy and has been invloved in SAR in Wakatipu area for 30+ years. In that time he has participated in various roles from searcher to field controler and operations manager. Currently he is a SAR advisor for NZ Police and NZ LandSAR. He is a Wakatipu representative on the Region 7 LandSAR committee.
Richard is the Wakatipu SAR Group Chairperson.
Barbara Simpson
Barbara has been a tramper since her early 20's and did spend a few years climbing in the South Island during summer holidays. After she married Neill, they took their 3 boys from baby age into the outdoors, combining botany with washing nappies on extended trips into remote places. She was involved in NZMSC as an instructor in bushcraft and abseilling for many years both in the North Island and here in Queenstown. As a teacher at Wakatipu High School, Barbara took over the Outdoor Education programme and managed that for 8 years with a special focus on safety and risk management and in overseeing the training of staff running camps. The Simpsons have been living in Queenstown since 1981 and Barbara has been an active member of the Wakatipu Tramping Club and some time ago, she became involved in Wakatipu SAR. She says: "I like to think that women should be doing training and was encouraged by Russel to do the MLSO course in 2002 and since then I have completed most SARINZ courses including redoing the Managers course in 2009. I have managed both SAREX and SAROPs and enjoy the challenge of problem solving and with working in a team. I also have a good knowledge of the local area."
Vladka Kennett
Vladka is another Glenorchy resident (originally from the Czech Republic) and has been involved in LandSAR since 2006. With her black Labrador Jacques she is an operational Avalanche LandSAR dog handler. Back in the Czech Republic she was involved in Police Dogs Training Unit.
Vladka runs her travel business www.truetravel.cz, ocassionally guides in Mt Aspiring NP and together with her husband Richard runs a B&B in Glenorchy www.precipicecreek.co.nz
She is the Wakatipu SAR Group's Treasurer and has built this website which she looks after as a webmaster.
Ed Halson
A resident of Queenstown for odd 20 years, he has been a member of both the Wakatipu SAR group for about 15 years, serving on its committee for two years, and the Wanaka group for 21/2 years. On the Wakatipu committee he is involved in fundraising, purchasing and maintaining equipment and helping co-ordinate ACR (Alpine Cliff Rescue) Equipment. Ed also helps with the organising and running of the twice monthly training for the LandSAR Bush group. Ed knows the Wakatipu country side reasonably well as he's operated as a fly-fishing guide for the last ten years. Fishing, hunting, archery, skiing and climbing are his passions and these have taken him over most of the area... either in pursuit of pleasure or guiding clients. Ed is a trained teacher who also has a background in the hotel business and has owned his businesses. He is also an Instructor for the Search and Rescue Institute New Zealand and teaches about 20 search courses throughout New Zealand. He teaches the Search Methods, TCA (Tracking Clue Awareness) and Tracking courses. He has been a field member and team leader on various SAREX’s and operations over the years. Feel free to call or email him and talk about anything for SAR that concerns you, any ideas you have or if you have any training needs or suggestions.
Ed is responsible for the fundraising of the Wakatipu SAR group.
Terry Wood
Terry has been with NZ Police for 10 years, with SAR for 4 years. He is a Cantabrian living in Otago, currently trying to educate Highlanders in the ways of professional rugby.
He has two beautiful girls and a very excellent wife of endless patience and humour.
"Great work team and couldn't beat the work environment".
Brent MacDonald
Brent works in the ski industry on the Remarkable’s as "a grumpy old bugger" in the maintenance department. He has been involved with NZLSAR and Search dogs since 1995 approx (he says he can’t remember because getting old). He has had 2 operational dogs and a third one under way. Areas Brent is certified include Avalanche, Area search (air scent) and Tracking. He is an Assessor in Avalanche (Dog Section)
Brent's message: "I have been married for ages, hence grumpiness... Have a 5 year old daughter (Has Dad, Mum & Dog’s wrapped around little finger). My Driving principles: to provide an excellent resource to Search & Rescue and deliver that to a high standard.To pass on information to those who have an ability to work dogs.You can have any dog you like for search so long as it is a Lab and Black... (Just kidding gold ones are good to and Shepherds and Collies and all the others - as long as they can find someone." :) :)
Kay Edwards 
Kay has been a resident of the Wakatipu for 30+ years. She has a legal background having worked in legal offices all her working life and is now a Legal Executive in a local legal firm. Kay is an active member of the Wakatipu Tramping Club .
She joined the local SAR committee a couple of years ago when computers were installed as part of the recording and mapping process during a search. She is a member of the Management Support Unit in this capacity and is the Secretary of our Committee.
Peter Henderson
Wakatipu SAR for about 8yrs and has been serving on the committee for the last 4yrs.He is currently a MSC instructor in HUNTS, bush-craft and firearms and team leader for 1 of our SAR teams. Peter has been an armed tramper for the last 30yrs and has spent alot of time in the bush and mountains of the Wakatipu.Apart from armed tramping his other passion (other than Jane) is diving and sea fishing, most weekends he is either away doing one of these activities or doing some type of training course. Peter enjoyes teaching people the courses he runs and passing on abit of his knowledge that could help save them or someone else or help one of our SAR teams to find them."I am very proud to be part of Wakatipu SAR, we have some great personal and even better SAR teams,I know if I was lost or injured it would be very comforting to know they would be out looking for me."
Blair Duffy
Brin Barron
John Fookes
Daniel Andrew
Robert Taylor
Julian Cahill