Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] snow searches

msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Mounted search and rescue

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: emboote@aol.com
  • To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] snow searches
  • Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2011 12:29:29 -0500

I've trained in winter conditions and visibility is a real issue. You'd be surprised at the amount of reduced visibility just between standing on the ground and sitting on a horse when the wind is blowing. Following tracks is much harder, too, when the snow drifts and blows. This is a situation where it helps to have other trained resources, like K9 teams, available to call in. The difference between a rescue and a recovery are often using all the tools available in the SAR toolbox. 

Emily



-----Original Message-----
From: IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN <ilichten1@verizon.net>
To: 'Mounted search and rescue' <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wed, Jan 5, 2011 11:17 am
Subject: Re: [MSAR] snow searches

The first major problem on site is the cold and the snow.  Depending on the
horses and people acclimation and gear this can be a stay home and wait for
Spring or an emergency response.  Two feet of snow was probably tough going
even for larger horses and definitely a hauling hazard.

On the technology front a thermal imaging device or a FLIR may pick up the
heat of a still warm survivor or body but generally speaking in wind driven
snow visibility and hearing will be greatly reduced.  We haven't had a lot
of snow in the East lately but what has come in has come in blizzard
conditions--high winds, low temperatures, heavy snow fall often followed by 
a few days above freezing.  

Open fields are optimum for aerial searching.  Given white snow and probably
dark clothes on the subject a good ground contrast would develop.  Also, a
field that has been left since harvesting will probably be smooth and the
body will show as a lump or other unsmooth feature.

I am surprised the subject made it as far as they did in the described
weather and after a crash, although survival is a driver in these
situations.  I worked with a USAF officer who had been stationed at Minot.
Two base security persons got stuck in a 4x4 in a snow storm and despite
standing orders to wait it out in the bed of the pickup they grabbed their
gear and started hiking to a farmhouse whose lights they saw.  They made
less than 100 yards.

Irv Lichtenstein 
SE PA SAR


_______________________________________________
MSAR-Riders mailing list
MSAR-Riders@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/msar-riders



Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page