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  • From: "David C. Kovar" <kovar@1srg.org>
  • To: "'Discussion list for Search and Rescue'" <sar-l@ml.islandnet.com>
  • Cc: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [MSAR] RE: [SAR-L] Consistent standards / Mounted SAR Standards
  • Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2004 14:00:41 -0700

Greetings,

Could you provide references supporting your statement that NASAR was
included in the nationwide callout for the hurricane response? I saw NASAR
announce that there was a nationwide callout and saw them tell anyone
interested to contact FEMA. I don't believe NASAR did any coordination and
no NASAR certifications were included in the process.

I believe the responding organizations were all under DHS - DMAT, US&R, and
CERT - or through EMAC.

-David




-----Original Message-----
From: sar-l-bounces@ml.islandnet.com [mailto:sar-l-bounces@ml.islandnet.com]
On Behalf Of Jorene Downs
Sent: Friday, October 15, 2004 1:12 PM
To: Discussion list for Search and Rescue
Cc: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [SAR-L] Consistent standards / Mounted SAR Standards



----- Original Message -----
From: "Una Smith" <una.smith@att.net>
> Jorene Downs wrote on SAR-L:
>>ASTM will have the international Mounted SAR standards. NASAR will have a
>>Mounted SARTECH certification program.

> [...] This is why I argued strongly
> last year that the MSAR standard, then being developed by NASAR, must
> not include a requirement that the candidate pass a NASAR exam nor
> take a NASAR course. A standard that does not stand on its own legs
> is not a standard.

I confess I never understood this objection. NASAR certification tends to be

respected and accepted across the country. With no existing national
standards for MSAR, and too many MSAR teams with no written standards at
all, I can understand why people will be very interested in the MSAR
requirements that emerge from NASAR. However, if you want someone's
certification, you meet their requirements. You're in NM and must meet NM
standards. I'm in CA and meet CA requirements. The same is true in NASAR.

It still makes no sense to me that you wanted all MSAR riders to be able to
acquire NASAR MSAR certification without meeting NASAR requirements. What I
think you really wanted were standards that everyone has access to,
regardless of organization / team / county / state / nation. I agree that is

invaluable - hard to have consistency without it! We're now going there in
MSAR with ASTM international standards. (But if you want to be certified as
a NASAR Mounted SARTECH II, where requirements will meet / exceed the ASTM
standards, you will still need to meet the prerequisite of being certified
by NASAR as a SARTECH II.)

What I like about ASTM standards is that everyone has access, and can use
them as their foundation for testing and certification. Going forward, the
team / county / state, and even national requirements that are based on ASTM

standards will provide nationwide / international consistency. And
consistency is a huge advantage when people might be crossing borders to
work with other teams to help others.

This is why in the USA we're finally seeing the skills Typing system,
consistency in terminology, etc., finally emerging at the federal level
related to disaster. Common ground. I think we also need to go there in SAR
for common ground. This is particularly important because SAR is converging
with disaster-related response. NASAR has already been included in a
nationwide call-out for hurricane response in FL, with available personnel
coordinated through local Citizen Corps Councils when FEMA called up 2600
people who responded from CERT, NASAR, etc.

The precedent is already there for SAR in disaster response at a national
level, and SAR needs to address the potential of SAR (including MSAR) in
disaster response, be it local or on a larger scale, as part of our future.
I believe we'll see standards emerging for SAR that will include required
training on at least fundamental disaster safety issues, and perhaps other
disaster-related training.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jorene Downs
Tulare SAR - Hasty Team ICP Team
www.ceoates.com/sar
Tulare-Kings CERT
www.tk-cert.org


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