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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Equine vs 4 Wheeler

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: Una Smith <una.smith@att.net>
  • To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Equine vs 4 Wheeler
  • Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2005 21:32:37 -0700

Hi Pam,

Why is your MSAR field team not already under the SO? Usually, there
is a history involving personality clashes; does that still apply?
If not, is there any reason not to join the SO? That does mean you
do things the way the SO wants it done, but from what you say the SO
is doing a good job.

On a clear trail a vehicle can go a lot faster and hence farther than
a horse, carrying more gear, so that's an advantage. But there are
also disadvantages, not only that the vehicle driver has to pay most
of his attention to driving the vehicle and not searching. Do those
4 wheelers take a passenger?

Anyway, primary reasons why a certain team is not called in the first
few hours include the perception that (a) the team is not prepared to
do hasty searches (these require rapid deployment and field teams that
can work effectively with a minimum of oversight, or (b) the team is
not prepared to search at night, when most hasty searches happen, or
(c) both of the above. Many people, even many riders, do not realize
that horses by nature are active at night, by the way: that is a big
roadblock for many MSAR teams.

Key questions to ask your SO are: how can we help you most, and what
do we need to change/improve in our operations to be more useful to
you?

As others have said, don't tell: show.

Also, when you say your team is called out very seldom, what do you
mean? Once every 5 years? Once every year? Once every season?
Once every month? And how many missions are run in your county in
a given year? And how large is the SO's own team? There may be a
good supply of available resources...or you might even be getting
more than your "fair share" of the callouts. From what little you
have told us, I cannot tell which is the case.

While you're thinking about this, how about telling us: how large
is your team, and what are your SAR skills? How many of you will
respond on a work day, before daylight, or after nightfall? Do you
have your own handheld radios and are they all programmed for the
frequencies used by your SO? Does your team have an FCC licenced
frequency of its own? Do you all have solid map, compass, and GPS
skills? How many of you have emergency responder training of any
kind?

Hope this helps,

Una Smith
New Mexico

PS: We are not picking on you; you are just this week's poster
child. All MSAR teams deal with much the same issues, and a *lot*
of lurkers here have exactly the same questions that you do.





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