Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Mounted SAR Hazards

msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Mounted search and rescue

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN" <ilichten1@verizon.net>
  • To: "'Mounted search and rescue'" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Mounted SAR Hazards
  • Date: Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:02:44 -0500

After all the rain in the Middle Atlantic States you will have increased footing hazards (slime, mold, wet leaves), worn or eroded trails, unstable hills (and out West in the fire zones as well).  We are also seeing hunting in areas that were closed before as deer harvesting for food increases and townships cancel after dark USDA shooting teams for cost reasons.  In western and northeast Pennsylvania there are gas drilling rigs sprouting up with drilling mud ponds.

 

Lots of first time users on multi-use trails and lots of good intentioned trail construction projects will change the terrain as well. Many first time users do not understand the difference in composition between horse manure, cow manure, and dog waste.  Try to remind them, gently, that dog waste is dangerous to people and must be cleaned from trails by law while horse manure is fertilizer that breaks down rapidly.  Also, follow area rules about keeping parking areas clean to avoid conflicts.

 

The usual hazards may be increased: idiots, bears, poachers, rattlesnakes and other venomous snakes, abandoned buildings and foundations, overgrown fence lines, and garbage.  Most creeks and moderate streams that attract fishermen or canoes/ small boats also attract garbage that drifts downstream—glass bottles especially so check legs after every crossing for cuts.  Ticks, mosquitoes and other biting insects are rebounding with resultant cases of WNF, Lyme’s and similar diseases. Rabies is rampant.  We have seen increased reports of large cats, coyotes, and feral dogs in the parks and bears and deer in suburban housing developments.

 

If you encounter manmade hidden ground hazards, such as uncapped wells, collapsed foundations, abandoned fences, inform the landowner.  In many cases the landowner has a responsibility to remove these hazards or at least mark them.

 

By the way, one of the largest local concentrations of rattlesnakes is in Cherry Hill, NJ, a highly developed suburb.

 

Irv Lichtenstein

SE PA SAR


From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of boddyrs@comcast.net
Sent: Wednesday, November 04, 2009 9:23 AM
To: Mounted search and rescue
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Mounted SAR Hazards




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page