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msar-riders - [MSAR] Wilderness MSAR and tracking / Creating a new Unit

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: "Jorene Downs" <Jorene@CEOates.com>
  • To: "MSAR-List" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [MSAR] Wilderness MSAR and tracking / Creating a new Unit
  • Date: Thu Dec 5 16:17:01 2002

Hi, Heather -
I think an early step forming a new MSAR unit would be to communicate with
the local agency(s) that would put your new team on the call-out list.
(You'll also need to get set up as a non-profit organization.) Ask them what
mounted resources they'd like to have available - go prepared with a list of
specialized options that you think would interest them. How serious about
this are you all - are there county or state standards for MSAR? If you
meet/exceed those standards in training would your team be willing to travel
for Mutual Aid response?

But I'd recommend requiring solid SAR training on the ground and mounted
before specializing. If you only do tracking - or some other specialty -
would you be called once every few years, or a couple times a year, or
monthly? The answer may depend on your area, on the agency(s) that would
call on you for help, available local resources, how those resources are
deployed, etc. The more versatile and knowledgeable your group is, the more
useful you'll be as a SAR resource.

For wilderness MSAR - from a SAR management perspective - I wouldn't want to
rely on having extraction specialists on call ... I'd prefer at least 1-2
trained technical rescue with every team in the field, with the other team
members trained to assist. And I'd want to deploy teams with 2 good trackers
so they can alternate, preferably with a 3rd rider with decent tracking
skills. Minimum 4 on a team, which means each member should have multiple
skill sets beyond the basics.

For those not familiar with the differences, wilderness SAR is vastly
different from general rural SAR. Rural SAR typically has roads in the
vicinity where assistance - like emergency medical response - is more
readily available. Rural SAR is often more focused on Search training
because you can get a rescue team there fairly quickly. In some wilderness
areas - particularly in bad weather when choppers are grounded - your MSAR
team might be the only available option to locate, rescue, provide medical
support far beyond basic First Aid, and transport. (Yes, you can rig a
Stokes litter on a reliable pack animal. In some cases the team should plan
to deploy on a SAR with a Stokes included in the pack train.) In some
terrain you may not have reliable radio service and/or you may need to
package and transport a few miles even to meet a chopper for a safe air
lift. So wilderness SAR personnel (mounted, search dogs, groundpounders,
alpine, etc.) typically require more extensive training to be more versatile
and self-supporting ... be prepared to deal with just about any situation
instead of relying on the radio and outside help. In general, the more skill
sets you have, the more valuable you are to the wilderness team.

I think every SAR / MSAR team member should have at minimum Track Aware
training, preferably a full tracking course. With experience some people
develop into very good trackers, others never go beyond seeing the more
obvious. If you decide to focus on man tracking, consider going after
"official" training. Learn man tracking on the ground and under saddle.
There is an excellent man tracker in the Reno area who is a Nevada POST
(Peace Officer Standards in Training) certified instructor for Man Tracking
who also offers a Mounted Man Tracking course - Fernando will travel and
train just charging expenses. http://www.sarmantracking.com/ You may have
someone closer to home with similar credentials. I've heard of a guy in CO -
Don Bendell - who is an independent mounted wilderness tracker, but don't
know if he gives classes or what he might charge. http://www.donbendell.com/

If you'd like to expand your horizons for MSAR and have some horse training
skills, check out http://www.airscentinghorse.com/ and learn to train your
horse to airscent track to supplement your personal tracking skills. ;)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jorene Downs
Tulare County, CA
SAR, MSAR, Swiftwater Rescue, US&R







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