Mounted search and rescue

[Trails End Farm <trailsendfarm@erols.com>]

Great discussion going folks.

For my part, being current commander of TROT-SAR in Maryland, I would
evaluate the completed proposed NASAR standards (and its a long way from
completion folks, hence the request for input on the single section re:
practical skills) and compare it to what my own team already has in
place.  I'd examine if all parts of the finished document applies to
Maryland. What is included that my own team hadn't considered before?
What does my team already do beyond what the NASAR document puts out?

The intent of the committee (and I'm on it with Jorene) is to draft
very basic guidelines that encompass skills and knowledge that are
pretty much applicable across the nation. These would be a baseline
 set of skills upon which each individual team could then build.

No one is promoting NASAR as the only organization for SAR. No one
is claiming NASAR will have the only "legitimate" set of
MSAR standards. For my part on the committee, I see this as an exercise
in putting down on paper, under the banner of one of the
recognized national SAR organizations, a basic skill set unique to search
and rescue on horseback. I would love to see other national or large
region SAR organizations share these ideas and pieces of similar
standards. I think we're all working toward very similar types of
standards and skills, just using different avenues and organizations to
accomplish our goals.

I myself am very happy to share my ideas with others who may not be
associated with NASAR. And I have shared my team's training standards
with a number of folks nationwide. And I'd like to recognize Tomi`
Finkle, my assistant commander of TROT-SAR and member of this email
group, for her very professional work in the recent redrafting of those
standards. See? Already, the goals are common, even the team is common.
She has her issues with NASAR, I'm enjoying being able to participate
with the NASAR committee chaired by Jorene.  

In the end I think we'll all benefit.

Suzanne Anderson
TROT Mounted Search Team
trailsendfarm@erols.com
Maryland