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  • From: "BC911" <usark9@warpdriveonline.com>
  • To: "Mounted search and rescue" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Night MSAR
  • Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 09:31:41 -0700

I hope that he wasn't talking about Search Dogs SW ~ ~ ~ ~.
We do, at times, feel the need to suspend search opps due to weather that is
considered dangerous to the searchers. I know that on more than one occasion
, with the agreement of our FC, that we have called for searchers to stand
down and waited until morning to resume searching.
First rule in SAR,,,,, Don't become part of the problem!
On the other hand, I have spent more than one night out, all night long
searching with my dogs on foot.
I think that there is a calculated risk in all that we have to take. We just
need to weigh out all of the facts of that particular search and do the best
that we can. I don't think that anybody needs to recklessly take
unreasonable risk on any search. If one of our people goes down, all of the
focus becomes directed to our own. That's a rule. I need to know that I have
back up and you will know that I will be there in the event you need help
too.
We need to work as a team weather on foot of mounted, we are all on the same
team.
In a FEMA deployment, although there are only four dog teams sent out with a
USAR team of almost 70 persons strong, we are all there to watch each others
backs. We even have two physicians and a team of medics and nurses that are
there just for us. People think that the Dr's. and medics in the field
Hospital that we set up are there for the injured victims of the disaster.
They are not. They are there just to take care of us.
That is not to say that they would ignore an injured civilian, I don't think
that they would, but that is not why they are there. USAR is very dangerous
search work.
Sense I do Wilderness, disaster and human remains work, I can see where I
need to take a chance and when to stand down.

Just some thoughts.
Ill go back to lurking now ~~ ~ ~


B. Diane Whetsel EMT I
Search Dogs Southwest
NMTF I, CSS
911BC

If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they
went.
~~Will Rogers

usark9@warpdriveonline.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Una Smith" <una@lanl.gov>
To: "Mounted search and rescue" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2004 8:22 AM
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Night MSAR


> Jorene Downs wrote:
> >I seem to recall a recent reference to a local MSAR unit not
> >responding to many call-outs because many were night responses.
>
> Hm. Could have been something I said. But what I said was
> that many of our local SAR missions are at night...and we do
> not get called. As it happens, last night we had a training
> (ELT beacon tracking) and during it I talked to one of our
> local Field Coordinators (FCs are the people who operate as
> incident commanders during SAR missions). He said it was
> the FCs' understanding that we did not want to be called out
> at night, period. This is good to know, because it is easily
> fixed! He also mentioned that in some parts of New Mexico
> (warmer parts than here) SAR misssions usually do not operate
> at all at night; they wait until daylight. Which boggles
> my mind: when someone needs help, those hours are precious.
> Another bit of intelligence from this FC: New Mexico has
> very few trackers, compared to other states. This too is an
> opportunity for us. Our unit has more than its fair share
> of cattle ranchers and elk hunters; both activities promote
> at least track awareness.
>
> Una Smith
> Santa Fe County Sheriff's Posse, in New Mexico
> _______________________________________________
> MSAR-riders mailing list
> MSAR-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/msar-riders
>
>





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