Mounted search and rescue

[<Jorene@CEOates.com>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Una Smith" <una@lanl.gov>
> There is a whole page of thumbnails and linked higher-resolution
> photos (http://www.ibiblio.org/msar/pix/), which serves as a
> repository for high-quality digital projection visuals for talks.

Thanks - I'll borrow a few more photos!

One of the photos shows helping someone with an injured leg into a saddle to
transport mounted. You might want to look for a photo using the chair carry
lift into the saddle instead - easier on the injured person. In fact, I
think I have one buried in my computer somewhere taken at a training. I'll
go looking. ;)

Jorene Downs wrote:
> >I had a very rewarding reception to my class on Effective Use of
> >Mounted in SAR and Disasters
> [...]
> >To my knowledge, the first of its kind in the country.

> I gave essentially the same talk at our New Mexico state SAR
> conference (ESCAPE) in May of this year.

I'd forgotten I'd mentioned my idea to you for this kind of presentation at
the NASAR conference. Glad you took the ball and ran with it - the world of
MSAR (and SAR Management) needs this kind of nudge! But we should be
comparing notes so we can expand our own presentations and reach more
people. From the photo gallery it appears as if you were more focused on
identifying MSAR potential in SAR, which is a giant stride all by itself.
But disaster response has huge potential for MSAR response - did you get
into that area at all? If yes, what kind of options did you cover?

> I am inclined to structure it as
> two classes, intro and advanced.

Interesting approach. It sounds like you might be moving a little into the
How To? I avoided going there other than providing basic examples like
Mounted fording a river to secure a line on the other side for Swiftwater
Rescue so they didn't need to send a swimmer or a line wading team across to
accomplish the same thing. I didn't get into details like the rider wearing
a PFD (flotation vest) and helmet, upstream spotter, downstream safety, and
basic training for the rider to secure a No Knot on the weak side of the
river, using the line to send across PFD and helmet for the subject, etc. I
took more of a "this can be done" approach listing various options for MSAR
with different levels of training and gear, and mentioned additional
training and gear might be necessary, or might be mandatory. I had so much
territory to cover it was easier to send people to professionals to get
educated than try and provide a capsule of details on the various subjects.
;)

Something I suspect you also emphasized is that a lot of the options related
to expanding MSAR capabilities are outside current comfort zones for many
teams. And many teams don't have the skill sets within the team to provide
quality instruction on various subjects. Many teams don't even consider
this, but bringing in outside trainers and holding regular training to
become familiar with X and increase skill levels is recommended ... ;)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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