Mounted search and rescue

["Jorene Downs" <Jorene@CEOates.com>]

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Jeff Ezell

Jorene,

 

This is a great post. Thank you for your extra efforts to share this. It would be helpful to have other teams post some details about their search deployments, particularly what they learned to make the next one better. It should not be viewed as boasting, etc, This level of detail (and more) is the kind of knowledge that we can all benefit from. [...]

Good idea, so I'll share more specifics and hope it is beneficial.

 

A general idea of what I do should come first, so you'll understand my perspective. I'm a volunteer working at the ICP. I arrive with the Hasty Team and work with the Sgt doing SAR Management (Plans, Ops, Communications, issue equipment, a little of everything as needed) and I'm accustomed to working with USFS, National Parks, CA Highway Patrol, etc. If we need to escalate, we relocate our laptops from the tailgate of my truck into the mobile CP when it arrives, more CP resources arrive to handle dispatch, logistics, etc.. If Logistics is delayed responding to get things organized before he rolls - not unusual for a more remote Wilderness SAR - I coordinate logistics on site until he gets there. So I am essentially on tap for Plans, Ops, Logistics, Communications,  training convergent volunteers ... or whatever is needed at that moment. But when things escalate I'm running Check-in just outside the mobile CP, the primary interface between what is going on outside and what is needed inside.

 

That might include bringing in a chopper to land, training convergent volunteers, or simply making sure everyone is signed in and I know what kind of assignment they're trained and equipped for so I can relay available resource status inside. Later I'll connect pending mission assignment needs with suitable teams to report for a briefing. This might explain why I participate in all SAR training with all teams - so I'll have a clue about all those resources and what they can accomplish. On some SAR I might be a hands-on part of that team if management is on-site for a rescue or something. ;)

 

My primary role at a larger SAR might be described as Resource Management. This last SAR was my first experience handling a larger response from an agency outside our county. Something I learned is that it REALLY helps when the outside organization shows up at an incident prepared to manage their own, complete with liaison. I do this when we assist National Parks in their turf. This is something that is supposed to happen - basic ICS.  And now I appreciate why, first hand, when it was our own turf (we run the Wilderness SARs for local Nat'l Forests) and lack of agency organization working with LAPD could have instantly provided me with gray hair. ;-/

 

Quick summary: Have a list of all responding personnel. Have emergency contact info, etc., for all personnel. Indicate skill sets, equipment, etc. Have someone available to provide any necessary clarification, recommendations for team grouping, etc. At a large incident it helps to have a knowledgable liaison designated.

 

At a large incident Check-in/out goes much faster, particularly if the entire group is listed on a separate section designated for your agency/organization instead of jumbled in with others. Team assignments occur sooner if we don't need to go through a lot of questions and answers to identify what resources are actually available.

 

And someone like me who coordinates ALL the responding personnel will bless you for making my job substantially easier. ;)

(PS Hunter & I are sad cause we missed SAREX this year and couldn't visit with you and your brown cowgirl hat. Another trail...another time!)

You missed a good SAREX, Jeff. (I met Bonnie there - nice lady!) Will you make it out to SAR City in Barstow, CA, October 10-12? Just a short hop from TX. ;)  http://www.bcconline.com/sarcity/

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jorene Downs
Tulare Co, CA
SAR, MSAR, Swiftwater Rescue, US&R,
Technical Rescue, Cave Rescue,
Hasty Team, ICP
www.CEOates.com/sar
Tulare-Kings CERT Program Coordinator
www.tk-cert.org