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msar-riders - [MSAR] Starting an MSAR unit / New Member

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: "Jorene Downs" <Jorene@CEOates.com>
  • To: "Mounted search and rescue" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [MSAR] Starting an MSAR unit / New Member
  • Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2004 01:21:15 -0800

From: "tracy helget" <helget@wamego.net>
> My name is Tracy Helget. I am in northeast Kansas, and am interested in
> starting a volunteer mounted search and rescue group here. I would
> appreciate any direction/information you could give me. [...]

Welcome, Tracy! You sure came to the right place to ask questions about
MSAR. There's a lot of knowledge and experience contributing to this group,
and you'll likely get a variety of opinions expressed. ;)

Are there any existing SAR ground teams in your area? If so, I'd try hooking
up with them. That way even if there are only a handful of riders recruited
for Mounted SAR you're part of an existing active SAR response team.
Starting your own team requires a lot of paperwork, so there are definite
advantages to linking up with an existing organization.

Typically the Sheriff's Department would be responsible for SAR, so I'd
start by inquiring there. And if there are no MSAR units locally, you'd
certainly need the support of SAR Management for your region so you're
communicating. They'll need to know what you're capable of doing going
forward, so they can assign you advantageously. Most SAR Management has
limited knowledge of what MSAR can *really* accomplish because they aren't
real familiar with horses. It may be a learning experience for you all! ;)

To get you headed in the right direction ... all MSAR riders should be
trained as ground searchers. Then transfer that knowledge to the saddle ...
and learn more that is specific to Mounted. The local team / county / state
might have ground SAR standards and offer training. Another source for
ground SAR training is through NASAR. www.nasar.org Also look for SAR
conferences in your region.

I'm not aware of any existing national standards for MSAR. Going forward
there will be MSAR standards from NASAR - currently in progress. Meanwhile,
there are many local versions of MSAR standards for training and equipment
around the country. Some are written for the traditional "just riders" with
limited actual Search or Rescue skills, and at the other end of the spectrum
are well trained SAR personnel who also ride ... on well trained mounts. I
have no idea what you might find in your region.

Extra skill sets and equipment beyond fundamental SAR and MSAR would be
guided by regional response needs. For example, locally we focus far more on
Wilderness SAR and require more deep backcountry and mountain skills. And
most of our MSAR are experienced backcountry packers. Looking at your
response region, including possible Mutual Aid to other regions, will give
you an idea of where additional training might be advantageous ... or even
necessary.

While developing an MSAR Unit, in the long term plan I'd recommend a
strategy that encourages cross-training. MSAR can be very effective
assisting other teams in their specialties, even if only using the livestock
to help pack gear or transport personnel. But with cross-training the riders
are also very useful contributors on call-outs for Technical Rescue,
Swiftwater Rescue, Urban SAR, disasters, etc. Trained versatility will make
any SAR / MSAR unit far more valuable as a resource.

I'll put in another plug here, and recommend cross-training in CERT.
Community Emergency Response Team is a nationwide program training community
volunteers to help in disasters. http://www.citizencorps.gov/programs/
There are times that a Mounted SAR team trained in CERT could be invaluable.
But again, Disaster / Emergency Management would need to know you're there,
trained, organized ... or they won't know to call you, much less what to do
with you. ;)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jorene Downs
Tulare Co, CA
SAR, MSAR, Swiftwater Rescue, US&R,
Technical Rescue, Cave Rescue,
Hasty Team, ICP
www.CEOates.com/sar
Tulare-Kings CERT Program Coordinator
www.tk-cert.org





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