Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] keeping members active

msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Mounted search and rescue

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Jorene Downs" <Jorene@CEOates.com>
  • To: "Mounted search and rescue" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] keeping members active
  • Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 01:53:03 -0800

From: <Santafearabians@aol.com>
I am the manager of our county Sheriff's mounted posse search team. We
started a formal training program and recruited new members about 2 years ago. The
first year and last year almost everyone was on the sport for in-service
whether it was inside or outside. This year attendance has fallen off, I hope
this is not a prediction of the future. [...]

As others have mentioned, participation tends to fluctuate. However, if the team has been training for about 2 years, you should have covered the basics and be ready to take on some new training to expand the team's capabilities. Repetition is important to retain knowledge and skills, but taking on something new - or approaching things differently - can spark new interest. Give the team members a new focus by setting various goals, and mix the new training in with the repetition.

MSAR can be very versatile. With only 2 years of formal training you've barely scratched the surface. It sounds like taking on new challenges might generate some interest. Identify different areas of specialty and see what members might be interested in pursuing for additional skills. Some may be interested in Mounted Tracking. Others might want to train in air scenting. Learn the skills needed for using the horses to transport injured. If you have local packers in MSAR, encourage seeking methods for packers to be useful in local SAR. Etc.

Try sitting down with your team, with other teams, and with SAR Management for your operational area and identify ways MSAR can make a bigger contribution to local SAR. Cross train with other teams. Find ways to use existing skills in different ways. Learn new skills. Offer advanced classes in the basic skills. Collaborate with other MSAR teams in the region and bring in outside instructors for specialized training that would be advantageous in your region. Groom leadership within your ranks with management / team leader training.

If the team is interested in more versatility, also investigate how MSAR can be effective in local disasters. Perhaps you can take on the county pre-plan for evacuation of horses during a flood or fire and be the official resource for that response. Cross-train in CERT. Get involved as a mounted unit in local disaster drills.

There are lots of options. Find out what interests the team, and encourage pursuit of versatility by individuals and as a group, and you'll encourage attendance. ;)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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