2016 TERC CANADA UPDATE – Now that we are mid way through the 2016 season, I felt that an update was in order. We have not been idle the past few months – please see attached update message from TERC Canada President Ken Niceliu (Bammer)
TERC Canada Presidents Message 2016
2014 TERC CANADA UPDATE – Message from the Pres!
At the last TERC Canada AGM it was suggested that maybe communications throughout the year would help us all stay better connected – please see attached update message from TERC Canada President Ken Niceliu (Bammer) 2014 UPDATE – MSG FROM THE CHAIR
REGIONAL COMPETITION FUNDING AVAILABLE!
TERC Canada will provide $500 for start-up costs to organizations wishing to host a regional challenge. Contact the President for more information.
UPCOMING AGM – MARCH 22, 2014
TERC AGM will be in Loyalist Township on Saturday, March 22, 2014 starting at 9am. The meeting will take place at the Odessa Fire Station, 51 Main Street, Odessa, Ontario K0H 2H0 613-386-3762
The meeting will be also be available via SKYPE – sign in will be emailed the week before the meeting to all those that request access – please email: fstephenson@loyalist.ca
Only paid up TERC members can participate at the AGM
TERC / WRO UPDATE
At the International Extrication Competition held in Burlington in 2006, TERC Canada and TERC USA had a meeting to discuss our current level of sponsorship with the World Rescue Organization. Up until this time, TERC Canada and TERC USA had both been peak bodies of the WRO, paying membership fees of one thousand dollars per year. At this meeting, it was decided that TERC Canada and TERC USA would share a level one membership with a representative from each organization, respectively, attending alternate annual general meetings to voice the concerns of both TERC organizations and voting on our behalf. At this time, TERC put forward several suggestions regarding the WRO events, such as holding them in alternate years to allow teams to attend both a world and International event, holding events in easily accessible locations (Europe / USA) for a limited time period to help keep the cost of participating or attending lower and more frequent meetings between our organizations.
Following this meeting, the TERC Canada and TERC USA executives met with Dave Webb, the new chairman of the WRO and laid out our concerns and suggestions. At that time, the WRO seemed most receptive to our suggestions and we left the meeting feeling that we had accomplished something important. For the next few years, TERC maintained a level one status and continued to send representatives to the WRO annual general meeting.
Approximately four years ago, the lines of communication seemed to break down. We were no longer invoiced for our membership and repeated calls from both organizations went unanswered. In the spring of 2013, we received a letter informing us that we had been reduced to a level three membership and had lost the right to vote at the annual general meeting. At our own annual general meeting held in Mississauga this April, the first item on the agenda was the receipt of this letter and how we wanted to handle this situation. Due to inclement weather, we were unable to get a quorum together to vote on this issue, so the membership was polled via email and requested to submit their vote to the Secretary. The membership responded in the affirmative to a motion to cover the cost of airfare and accommodations for the Chairman to attend the WRO annual meeting in Florida in October.
At the North American Vehicle Rescue Challenge in Hagerman, New York, the Canadian TERC executive attended the TERC USA annual meeting where this item came up for discussion with our American partners. Their membership was asked to respond to a similar motion and responded by agreeing to send Mike Huffman, TERC USA Chairman, to Florida. Ken Niceliu sent a request to the WRO for a TERC presentation to be added to their agenda and when their request was approved, the Chairmen flew to Florida to attend the meeting.
Ken Niceliu and Mike Huffman attended the WRO annual general meeting on Tuesday, October twenty-ninth. In attendance were representatives from twenty different countries.
Ample time was allowed for TERC to make their presentation and question why we had been dropped to a level three membership. The WRO claimed that lack of communication from our organization had led them to believe that we were no longer interested in maintaining a level one membership. The lack of payment of membership fees had no bearing on our membership level as the WRO had discontinued charging fees as many countries were unable to afford a membership. The WRO has stated that we can work our way back up to a level one membership, but at this time, neither TERC Canada nor TERC USA is interested in upgrading.
Both Mike and Ken were pleased with the outcome of the meeting. TERC has committed to putting the past behind us and moving forward with a renewed desire to work together with the WRO to provide emergency personnel with the best possible training in the extrication field. It is our intention to keep the lines of communication open between our two organizations and work together to ensure that this training continues.
If anyone has any questions or concerns regarding the information contained in this update, please feel free to contact the Chairman @ 905-512-6188.