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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] safety

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: "IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN" <ilichten1@verizon.net>
  • To: "'Mounted search and rescue'" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] safety
  • Date: Tue, 08 Aug 2006 10:54:00 -0400

There are many factors involved. As a matter of policy it should be up to
the rider on the scene to decide what is safe and what isn't. However,
there are psychological factors involved that may cause a rider to push it a
little too far. If you are one of a task team and the others feel safe
(group think) you may bend to peer pressure. There is also the "get the job
done" pressure. At one time the leading cause of med-evac helicopter crashes
was flight in marginal or unsuitable weather, because "if we don't go
somebody may die". So 3-4 people died for no benefit.

Safety is everybody's responsibility. Those operations that have safety
officers should not be complacent. The safety officer or the safety sector
can watch around base, check drivers and riders for fatigue and adequate
equipment but they cannot look at every inch of trail and say this is safe.
Every searcher must decide if what he is asked to do is within his
capabilities and if the operation is safe enough. Safety is relative and we
often get tunnel vision on a job. Tunnel vision often kills.

Irv Lichtenstein





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