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  • From: sleininger@myfrontiermail.com
  • To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] TROTSAR on the news
  • Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2011 15:23:20 +0000 (UTC)

T'mi

What is GSAR? I have two horses that I have been working with to work with
my k9 while she is doing area search. She also does trailing and cadaver,
but I have never been on horseback while she is doing those. But I have not
run across the term GSAR.

Sherrel


----- Original Message -----
From: "T'mi Finkle" <tfinkle@erols.com>
To: "Mounted search and rescue" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Friday, December 23, 2011 9:37:02 PM
Subject: Re: [MSAR] TROTSAR on the news





You’re welcome Bob,

 

• We deployed them with our certified mounted responders once; our team
will never do this again. Our Lessons Learned Review revealed that untrained
persons on horseback during a SAR mission are a safety risk to our members
and are a liability issue.  The remainder of folks with horses were  told to
leave the area.



 

• We conduct a multi team night search once each year; our mounted team
members love the learning experience.



 

• All of our .Mounted Responders are certified as GSAR first before they
can deploy as mounted.  Primary we provide mounted resources, however, we
will augment ground resource in some situations, but the care of the equines
come first.



 




From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Bob Foster
Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 7:37 PM
To: Mounted search and rescue
Subject: Re: [MSAR] TROTSAR on the news

 


I really appreciate your advice and help.  Thanks.


How did you handle the volunteer riders?


And what type of night training does your team do to prepare for the night
search?


Doe your team also work as ground support/searchers as well?


On Wed, Nov 30, 2011 at 4:01 AM, T'mi Finkle < tfinkle@erols.com > wrote:



Hi Bob,

This is a brief overview about one of our most complex search and rescue
(SAR) missions our team has had in recent years.

Via a response request from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (
VDEM Mission VA-070-11) , the TROTSAR Mounted Search and Rescue Team was
dispatched to help find a missing eight year old autistic child on Tuesday
October 25 th . The first TROTSAR Member arrived on the scene at 1745 hours
on Tuesday October 25 th , at the Incident Command Post (ICP) in Doswell
Virginia  A MSAR base camp was established at 1200 hours on Wednesday at the
Virginia State Fair Grounds, Meadow Event Park Stables (stalls 1 through 8,
at no cost to our team members).  A total of 12 mounted searchers responded
to this mission and two dispatchers provided around the clock support. Since
12 hour deployment periods were implemented no pack animals were used, but
NASAR type SAR packs were carried by mounted SAR responders.

A variety of TROTSAR members remained on the scene throughout the entire
mission, providing around the clock coverage until 1500 hours on Friday
October 28 th . Total of 359 volunteer hours were committed for this mission
and 26 search tasks and assignments were performed by TROTSAR responders. 
Assignments included; mounted tasks, ground SAR tasks, provided task
briefings to emergent volunteers and planning section duties at the ICP. This
mission had a happy ending with the missing subject “Robbie Woods” being
found alive on Friday afternoon, just a couple of hours before a winter storm
was to impact the region.

 

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

Overview about Mounted search and Rescue (MSAR) teams:

 

A wise search manager will not overlook the use of searchers mounted on
horseback as a resource.  This is particularly true if there are wilderness
areas in the vicinity.  But even relatively urban areas can have large parks
or nearby farmland that can become search sites, and mounted searchers can be
deployed there very effectively.

 

At the outset, we need to make the distinction between trained searchers on
horseback and a local horseback rider who volunteers to help on a particular
search.  While we will discuss the latter later on, our primary focus will be
on the former:  A fully equipped team of trained searchers mounted on horses
that have been specially selected and trained for search work.

 

 

Advantages

 

The horses themselves are valuable as searchers.  Like dogs, horses have
highly developed senses of hearing and smell, and they have even better
eyesight than dogs.  These special skills can be put to good use in a search
situation, even though the roles of dogs and horses differ greatly.  A search
dog's training is based upon his forebear's instinctive skills as a searcher
of prey; as a prey animal, the horse has survived over the centuries by its
ability to detect a predator and escape before being eaten.  Therefore, while
a horse cannot be expected to consciously search in the same way that a
trained air scent or tracking dog does, he is instinctively very aware of his
surroundings at all times and will alert on anything out of the ordinary,
especially the presence of another animal -- or a person! -- and he will
usually detect such a presence well in advance of the rider.  So, a good
search rider will investigate anything that attracts the horse's attention.

 

A mounted searcher is able to carry on the horse food, water, first aid and
survival equipment.  The rider's energy will not be exhausted as quickly as a
ground searcher carrying such equipment in a backpack.  This advantage is
especially important in rough or mountainous terrain or in extreme weather
conditions since the rider may be able to search more effectively for a
longer period.

 

 

Applications In Search Operations

 

The ability of the horse and rider to cover large areas quickly can be used
to advantage as part of a hasty team.  For example, mounted searchers could
do a perimeter sweep, cover known trails, ridges and drainages, locate
unmapped trails, set up trail and road blocks, check track traps (or if the
ground is hard or dry, create traps on major trails and area access points),
etc.  The key thing is to make good use of this highly mobile resource.

                                          

But searching on horseback is not necessarily limited to confinement
techniques.  Mounted searchers can engage in slow, methodical searching, as
well.  While horses are usually used to cover trails, mounted searchers can
bushwhack to cover assigned search areas unless extreme terrain conditions
make it unsafe to leave the trail.  They can even be used as grid searchers
in fields and open woods.  For example, they may well be deployed to cover
large open areas as an alternative to aircraft or dogs.  Particularly in the
case of brush or tall grass, a team of three or four mounted searchers can
perform multiple sweeps quicker than ground searchers -- and more
effectively, because of their elevated perspective.

 

 

Ms. Tomi` Finkle, CEM, SARTECH II, KB3MKI
Chief
TROTSAR Mounted Team
www.trotsar.org
1-888-MSAR911 (for 24/7 Emergency Dispatch only)
301-412-5249 (cell)

 

Mission Statement: TROTSAR is a non-profit, incorporated all volunteer based,
mounted search and rescue squad. The Team's primary purpose is to assist
federal, tribal, state and local government agencies by providing certified
search & rescue personnel mounted on horseback, for lifesaving missions of
people who are missing, lost, stranded and/or the rescuing of victims in
wilderness, rural, suburban or Wide Area Search missions within the
Mid-Atlantic region.

 

 




From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:
msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org ] On Behalf Of Bob Foster
Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2011 10:50 PM



To: Mounted search and rescue


Subject: Re: [MSAR] TROTSAR on the news

 


I am a member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department MSAR team. 
First did you find the child?




 


I am in charge of training for our unit.  I am always looking for an
opportunity to simulate the facts and circumstances of real MSAR events as
well as incorporating new training ideas.


 


Could you send me so info that I could possibly use for training?


 


What were the circumstances on this search and rescue and what signs/tracks
were found by MSAR?


 


How was your MSAR beneficial in this operation?


 


When you are out on 12/12 shifts, what do you do as far as food is concerned
and do you sleep in your trailers or some other shelter?  for you and your
horse.


 


Do you use a pack animal?


 


What would you say are the mandatory items to carry?  For you as a rider and
then for you to give first aid? 


 


I discourage the use of chest lamps for the horse, I think it ruins nigh
vision, but I have some team members that swear by the light.  What is  your
opinion?


 


Thanks for any help.  We are relatively untested in any operation that has
gone more than 12 hours so your opinion is greatly appreciated.


 


Deputy Bob Foster


Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department


Mounted Enforcement Detail/Training


Cell Phone: 661.309.7399


Work Email: rkfoster@lasd.org


 


Personal email: bfostermed@gmail.com


On Thu, Oct 27, 2011 at 4:24 PM, T'mi Finkle < tfinkle@erols.com > wrote:



Two of my team members were interviewed by NBC 12,
http://www.nbc12.com/story/15884231/ha

 

TROTSAR Mounted Team has been onsite since Tuesday working two 12 hours
shifts daily

 

T’mi

 


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