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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] snow searches

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: emboote@aol.com
  • To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] snow searches
  • Date: Thu, 06 Jan 2011 00:10:52 -0500

Lois, 

Your email reminded something of something that we found quite effective in dealing with ice in farm yards. We spread embers from a campfire. The ashes melted in, and cooled quickly, giving our horses a gritty footing. Of course, check to be sure they're all cold before walking the horses on them, but even the dusty ashes from the bottom of the campfires was enough to make a quick difference. I look forward to hearing how your debrief is. 

Emily



-----Original Message-----
From: Lois Guyon <laguyon2@yahoo.com>
To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wed, Jan 5, 2011 10:40 pm
Subject: Re: [MSAR] snow searches





Thank you all for your reflections on searches in snow/wind/winter.  I think 
this is the first discussion of the topic I remember.  I am going to put 
together an outline of the issues you raise for use in training.  We will have a 

debriefing in a couple of weeks, once the case has been analyzed further, and 
your remarks will be helpful to our team.

The mounted unit was not called out for the initial three day search as the 
conditions were not safe. The search was eventually suspended due to dangerous 
searching conditions.  The IC made the right call.  I kept waiting for the phone 

to ring and was very worried we would be called out.  My  first cause for 
concern was the yard at the barn where I would have to load my horse.  It was a 
sheet of ice about three inches thick. Corn cobs had been spread on a small area 

so that the horses could walk from the barn to a paddock, but even that area was 

not all that safe.  Roads used to access the search areas were snow and ice 
packed as well.  I think I may have declined to search under those conditions.  
By the time we were called out, the conditions were much improved, although it 
was still cold.

David, thank you and the Tazewell EMA for coming up to help with the search.  We 

are grateful for the help of teams from many jurisdictions.  I spoke with a dog 
handler from the Chicago area and understand there were dogs brought in from out 

of state.  It certainly made me proud of the SAR community.

Lois



      
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