Mounted search and rescue

[<Jorene@CEOates.com>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Una Smith" <una@lanl.gov>
> [...] too many of our SAR missions are in terrain (such as
> mountain canyons) where cell coverage is poor.

Consider yourself lucky - in our mountains (mostly Nat'l Park / Forest) cell
phone coverage is mostly non-existent. And, of course, this is where we have
the vast majority of our call-outs. The few people who live up the mountains
have it nailed where there are tiny pockets of coverage on the few roads,
though. "3rd roadside turnout after X" is a popular spot to park and talk
... might be another hour down the mountain road before you can get any
coverage again. ;-/

There have been times that I've driven for an hour or more from the remote
CP just to get some kind of cell service to check voice mail and make
critical calls. One CP location we really like is in the middle of nowhere
in the Nat'l Forest where USFS used to have a ranger station ... and there
is still a functional pay phone standing there. Otherwise we're a good 30
minutes from cell phone service, or break out the satellite phone for
critical communication. Radio communication with Dispatch down in the valley
is unreliable most places up the mountain, so that pay phone is real
convenient going through the Dispatch 800 number. Alternate Plan B is having
any air support relay.

We're typically pretty remote and isolated on our Mountain / Wilderness SAR.
When we ask local communications experts for recommendations, solutions are
complicated due to the terrain, still wouldn't provide reasonably reliable
coverage, and are not affordable.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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