Alamo Sierra Club Monthly Meeting

Our general meetings are on the third Tuesday of each month at William R. Sinkin Eco Centro. They are free and open to everyone. Socializing begins at 6:00 p.m., program at 6:30 p.m.. Presentations last about an hour. 

Our June general meeting features Jennifer Barron, Ph.D., discussing the ethics of historic skeletal collections, how we view them, and our stewardship of them.

Meeting schedule

Informal get-to-know-you	6:00 pm to 6:15 pm
Announcements	6:15 pm to 6:30 pm
Featured program	6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

Venue

This meeting will not be webcast on Zoom.

Program topic

BBNP has seen a dramatic increase in first-time visitors during the past few years, and the number of heat-related rescues and fatalities have increased as well. Because of this, the park implemented the PSAR program in May 2021 to educate visitors in the prevention and treatment of heat illness.

For the past three summers, Alan and Cheryl have lived in the Chisos Mountains for the months of May, June and July. Together with a team of other PSAR volunteers, they have assisted hundreds of visitors suffering from heat related illnesses and saved countless lives.

On a daily basis, PSAR rangers greet visitors at the Chisos Basin Trailhead to guide them towards experiences that will keep them safe and help them enjoy BBNP to the fullest. This trailhead in the Chisos Basin is the busiest destination in the park because multiple hikes begin at this location.

Hikes from the Basin Trailhead range in duration from fifteen minutes to three days, including overnight backpacking in the mountains and desert. Day hikers are the most likely visitors to experience heat illness.

The PSAR team makes sure that visitors have adequate water, food, electrolytes, experience, and knowledge of the trails they plan to hike. They suggest strategies that will keep them safe in the Chihuahuan desert and Chisos Mountains environments. They also alert visitors about what to do if they encounter wildlife such as bears, mountain lions, javelina and venomous snakes.

Using radios, the PSAR team monitors the trails to determine if anyone needs assistance. Nearly every day, one or more PSAR volunteers hikes portions of the Window Trail to assist hikers. The Window Trail has more rescues than any other trail in the park. The PSAR team also joins the park’s Search and Rescue (SAR) team when additional personnel are needed. 

Join Alan and Cheryl to learn how you and your family and friends can prevent heat illness in an outdoor environment. Learn about the early signs and symptoms of heat illness and how to assist someone who may be experiencing heat exhaustion or heatstroke. The knowledge you gain from this program may save your life or the life of someone you care about!

About our speakers

Alan Montemayor is the Chair of the Alamo Group of the the Sierra Club. He is a lifelong cave explorer and active environmentalist, specializing in electric vehicles and sustainable water and energy policy.

Cheryl Hamilton is a Texas Master Naturalist specializing in eradication of invasive plants and restoration of habitats with native plants. An avid hiker and backpacker, Cheryl is certified as a Wilderness First Responder with the Wilderness Medicine Institute.When they are not volunteering, Alan and Cheryl offer sustainable living tours of their San Antonio home, including solar panels, electric vehicle charging, rainwater catchment, native plants and raised-bed organic gardens.

The Alamo Group of the Sierra Club holds its general meetings the 3rd Tuesday of most months. They’re always free and open to the public. 

View videos of our past meetings on our YouTube channel or our Facebook page.

Zoom meeting access info

• Meeting ID: 966 5254 0606
• Passcode: 377093
• Link: https://sierraclub.zoom.us/j/96652540606?pwd=UUVISUw3OHluQ2xsQk5IeENxeXFZdz09

Eco Centro is located at San Antonio College, 1802 North Main Avenue @ Locust Street. There is a parking lot adjacent to Eco Centro which is entered from Locust Street. We can also use SAC parking lots 14, 15 and 17 (map of parking lots) to the north, west and south of the STIC building across North Main Avenue from Eco Centro.

Parking is also allowed on the residential streets to the east, north and south of Eco Centro.

Visit Deceleration’s Happening Events Calendar.