Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Consistency in MSAR / horse sense

msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Mounted search and rescue

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Jorene Downs" <Jorene@CEOates.com>
  • To: "MSAR-L" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Consistency in MSAR / horse sense
  • Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2004 12:28:33 -0800

From: Edususan@aol.com
good points.
also, a mild corrrection (more a modification). ems does not have national standards except at the paramedic level. while there is a national registry for emt's, the training varies widely from state to state, and past efforts to have states get on the same page accept each other backfired. <<

I'm aware of the EMT inconsistency from one state to another. A friend who has been an EMT for 10 years moved to CA and had to take the classes and get certified all over again. He's still whining about it. ;-/

What is interesting is the FEMA Typing system frequently mentions having an EMT on a team ... yet consistency is lacking in EMT from one area to another.

Some theory holds true with horse "requirements". What you do in Mississippi could get you killed in Tuscon and vice versa. <<

I agree ... to a point. There are fundamentals that are common to MSAR across the country, and even around the world. The primary issues are riding skills, the reliable equine, the rider's training/equipment related to SAR, and the ability to use SAR skills from the saddle along with skills specific to MSAR. If you address those primary issues as a minimum requirement, you can then add skills and equipment as needed for a particular environment that isn't covered by the basic level of MSAR.

For example, if you are basic MSAR - prepared for the emergency overnight - I wouldn't expect that rider and horse to be adequately prepared for mountain backcountry or major metropolitan downtown for MSAR. (The rider may have the training and gear, but the horse would need more training and experience for both environments.) But that same horse and rider should be able to go into any generic suburban / rural environment for SAR prepared for an emergency overnight - they're just not prepared for the unusual / extremes in terrain or weather.

The common ground exists at the core of MSAR, and I think that is what we need to identify as minimum requirements to establish a base line consistency, then build on that according to operational area needs. I also think minimum standards can be created for wilderness/backcountry MSAR and Urban MSAR ... with the basic MSAR as the prerequisite so that foundation remains consistent throughout MSAR.

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




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page