Mounted search and rescue

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

Hi, David -
I had a similar discussion with myself before making the commitment to NASAR
to chair the committee developing MSAR standards. ;)

If the MSAR standards require certification from NASAR as you suggest, what
are the advantages / disadvantages in having a separate organization only
addressing the MSAR part of the training?

Advantages -
* Independent from NASAR or other SAR organizations ... with the exception
of requiring riders somehow proving they actually have NASAR certification
for Ground SAR prior to being certified for MSAR.

Disadvantages -
* I'm thinking you'd end up with a "prove you have NASAR certification"
process where you'd need to collaborate with NASAR to confirm. This might
appear as an expense in the independent MSAR organization. Or perhaps not,
since NASAR would be getting income from all the MSAR Riders who want MSAR
certification and first need NASAR certification.
* You'd be asking MSAR riders to pay dues to 2 organizations instead of 1.
* The MSAR organization would still need to design and develop the new
organization. Lots of paperwork / overhead in creating and maintaining a new
non-profit organization dedicated to MSAR, and you'd have to start from
scratch for funding.  (I heard somewhere that you need to be in existence
for a year before applying for non-profit status?)  This includes the
start-up expense of publishing standards and making them available to the
public.
*  In either situation you'd need to develop and roll out a "Train The
Trainer" for the MSAR standards.
*  I think some people object to having any association with NASAR, so
they'd also balk at independent MSAR standards that require NASAR
certification.

I strongly support the concept of national standards for MSAR. And after
considering various options I thought the cleanest method is to go through
NASAR, who already has Ground SAR standards, already has methods to maintain
records, already has established marketing, already has the ear of the feds
regarding SAR standards, already has self-supporting organizational
structure in place, etc. I haven't seen any suggestions that make me think
another option is an improvement over partnering with an established
SAR-related organization.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David C. Kovar" <kovar@1srg.org>
Jorene said:
" I'm thinking any recognized "national standard" for MSAR will need the
backing of an organization recognized nationwide to create and publish the
standards, provide instructors / evaluators, etc., to certify riders. But
any decent standard for MSAR would need to also define and certify Ground
SAR standards for riders, which would essentially put a new MSAR
organization in competition with NASAR for Ground SAR training and
certification. "

Why couldn't the new MSAR organization include "you must have NASAR SAR Tech
II to be fully certified by our standards"? No competition, some healthy
cooperation, no overlap. NASAR does it's thing, the new MSAR group does its
thing.

NASAR could say "You must have wilderness first aid to fully certify as a
SAR Tech II" and we'd all be better off. Ok, SAR Tech I, but you get the
idea. Let various groups address their own specializations and foster
cooperation rather than competition.

-David