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msar-riders - [MSAR] Re: NASAR MSAR Practical standards

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: tm'-fi <TFinkle@erols.com>
  • To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [MSAR] Re: NASAR MSAR Practical standards
  • Date: Mon, 31 May 2004 02:05:13 -0400


Jorene Downs wrote:
 what minimum skill levels do you believe aren't addressed by the proposed NASAR MSAR Practical standards?  Or, what do you think needs to be changed to provide better "balance" in the proposed standards? (I don't see anything posted by you on www.smartgroups.com/groups/NASAR-MSAR )

Jorene, maybe we can find time to talk about this topic later this week, at the NASAR conference in Virginia.  Months ago I posted comments (on the MSAR Riders Site) regarding the need for balance on the NASAR-MSAR project.  Since most of the NASAR-MSAR committee work is done in private, you will not see any of my comments on the your site (I use the word "your" since you're the committee Chair).

Please know the following comments are not meant to be hurtful, towards you or your committee member.  I know that the five of you are truly trying to do the best with this project and have a great deal of respect for you all.  However, from its conception, I believe that NASAR has not properly represented all regions of the Country, nor have they fairly represented teams within the MSAR community.   When I had applied for the NASAR-MSAR committee, back when they first sought volunteers, I was advised that only one member per State would be allowed.  Yet once the committee members were announced, it was learned that one state had two members.  I was told the reason behind the selection, was because it was a big state ( I am glad the US Senate does not work that way).    Balance should have started with the committee its self, which has two representatives from the State of California (40% presence of the committee), while only one MSAR team East of the Mississippi River was selected.  Well rounded ideas begin with a diverse pool of professionals, which includes hiring outside resources.  As for other area of balance for the standards, I have identified a couple of areas that could be addressed, but feel it's best not discuss them here in this forum.

I fully realize that having proper ground SAR skills is of utmost importance, regardless of a person's secondary SAR specialty. I personally feel that a set of minimum MSAR standards should be for all Mounted teams throughout the Country, and not a document under the control and guidelines of a single organization.  There are a several SAR organizations that have testing levels similar in nature as those of NASAR and I would like to see the words "or equivalent" included with any MSAR (draft) standard.  If I am going to submit my personal opinions, comments or ideas to be used in a set of standards, it will not be to a single organization who plans to market them as their own.  I would be happy to offer assistance to develop standards that can be incorporated by mounted SAR personnel, regardless of their SAR affiliation.   
 
However, I'm open to suggestion. ;)
 
If someone is planning to launch a new organization specific to MSAR, complete with standards, quality controlled testing, etc., I'd like to hear more details.
 
If someone is planning to roll out a "national standard" for MSAR without starting a new organization to provide certification with quality control, I'd like to hear the strategy of how this is supposed to work.
 
The best advice that I can offer, is for NASAR to hire the services of a MSAR professional for their input (such as Kathy Roberts, who has written two different books on the topic).  If we meet later in the week, I would happy to show you a (sample)  25 question written entry level test that would be applicable for MSAR personnel, regarding their equine knowledge.  I may also be able to provide some insight to what a couple of MSAR projects that other organizations are working on. As for quality control, a post from the MSAR-Riders dated 1-27-04, provided an excellent source for standards information.

01-27-04: To revisit an old topic, I visited http://www.ihserc.com today and
searched their database of other organizations' standards for the
words "search" and "rescue".  There were 90 search results, each a
document, from organizations including ASTM, the US Army and Navy,
NATO, BSI, GOST, ICAO, and many others.  Among them, 3 standards
from ASTM relating to SAR dogs.

Tomi'
TROT-SAR
State of Maryland




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