Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Orange jackets

msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Mounted search and rescue

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Pennbo's <pennbo@verizon.net>
  • To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Orange jackets
  • Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2007 08:41:18 -0800

Thanks Irv. You brought up a lot of good points.

Often called slime green the color is used for personnel in construction and
roadside locations due to the prevalence of orange lights, cones, drums,
etc. It makes the people stand out in that background. In the woods where
brown trees and green leaves prevail hunter's orange is a preferred color.

I have seen this color 'leaking' over to other realms. First because it is different and is getting the attention of those who are inured to orange, and then because it IS more visible than orange in many places. Since first seeing slime green being used for SAR gear earlier this year I have discussed this issue with several people. I have said the same as you- orange is better in forested areas. However we also have lots of desert area around here. I would not have thought it but having spoken to several folks who are also doing 'tests' on the colors the green is most visible in the desert. Since visibility is our main concern with uniform color choice I think we'd best not rule out either color since we may see both of them in the future.

It also has the advantage of being associated with fellow hunters, not law
enforcement types as the green is.
I think the issue of being law enforcement 'types' is always going to be around no matter what color we wear! If you are on a search and law enforcement is there also most folks don't stop to think whether or not you are also part of the force. They assume. Putting SAR on the clothing doesn't help distinguish as 1. most people don't know what it stands for and 2. most people don't realize that SAR personnel are most frequently NOT law enforcement. I've yet to see law enforcement in slime green- doesn't mean it won't happen just that it hasn't happened here yet.

You do not want to wear a color or
combination that occurs in nature in the area you are searching. For
instance in the PA woods never wear brown and white, particularly white
gloves since whitetail deer and the poachers who shoot them out of season
are always around.
Very good point. Also a good reason to have blaze orange (or slime green!) saddle bags, blankets, and/or collar and halter markers on our mounts. If you are traveling through dense brush/forest during hunting season an inexperienced hunter may not see you and may only see your horse (they are not looking high up but rather focused at 'deer' level). It's important to loudly proclaim your mount is not a deer! If you have to leave your mounts tied anywhere for any length of time this coloration becomes even more important. We do not have a lot of hunters in our area but I have had bullets whistle past me because a hunter heard a movement and shot before sighting. SCARY. Best to be extra cautious during hunting season (especially deer)!!

Florescent is supposed to be more visible than merely bright but one
township painted all their highway and fire apparatus that green and their
accident rate went up. The population couldn't associate the green with
service vehicles and didn't identify them as such. There is also the
possibility that red/green color blind people would not see the green. They went back to red fire trucks (yellow didn't work out either) and orange
highway maintenance vehicles.
Irv Lichtenstein

Fire engines are routinely slime green in our area and have been for awhile. The yellow didn't work nor did the red. Too many other things can be red in the environments where the trucks travel. I am going to take a stab at saying that the accident rate didn't go up as all new engines are the same color and they would've gone back to the old color if it had. That being said since this has been a long gradual change over for us apparently the general population has had a chance to adapt. And then again it's California where most people EXPECT weird things to happen and aren't much fazed by the out of the ordinary! Btw- out of curiousity I called my brother-in-law to ask if he could see the slime green trucks better or worse than the old red ones. He said the old red ones looked brown but the slime green look almost like a bright white- so yes he can see them better. (Not very scientific- just one man's opinion!)

Now if you want to talk REALLY stupid- CalTrans (California's state road maintainance bureau) has started changing their trucks over from orange to WHITE. So now those trucks are not easily identified in traffic, they do blend in with their surroundings, they get covered in mud and dirt and look brown...all around a very poor decision on their part. I haven't found anyone yet who can explain to me why they are doing this. If anyone on here knows I would love to hear if there is reasoning behind the shift in color!

Chris Pennington





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page