Mounted search and rescue

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

 

From: tm'-fi

Jorene Downs wrote:

 what minimum skill levels do you believe aren't addressed by the proposed NASAR MSAR Practical standards?  Or, what do you think needs to be changed to provide better "balance" in the proposed standards? (I don't see anything posted by you on www.smartgroups.com/groups/NASAR-MSAR )

Jorene, maybe we can find time to talk about this topic later this week, at the NASAR conference in Virginia.  

Yes, I'd like that. I'll be arriving late Wednesday night, departing Sunday afternoon, staying at the conference center lodgings. I'll be meeting with TROT mid-morning on Thursday to help with last minute details for the MSAR demo in the afternoon. The MSAR Discussion is scheduled for Thursday evening. I'll be teaching Friday and Saturday in the Homeland Security and SAR Management tracks. Catch up with me when you can. See you in VA!

Months ago I posted comments (on the MSAR Riders Site) regarding the need for balance on the NASAR-MSAR project.  Since most of the NASAR-MSAR committee work is done in private, you will not see any of my comments on the your site (I use the word "your" since you're the committee Chair).

The NASAR-MSAR site exists so all MSAR riders can provide input, with public access. Your choice if you choose to not use the opportunity to share your thoughts.

Balance should have started with the committee its self, which has two representatives from the State of California (40% presence of the committee), while only one MSAR team East of the Mississippi River was selected.  

When NASAR started communicating with people who previously expressed interest in being part of the team to develop MSAR standards, and mentioned a possible 2 year volunteer commitment, most people disappeared. Apparently most expected to get paid somehow. I had to go recruiting to get the team up to 6 members.

 

* The 2 committee members from CA, if living in a comparable location on the east coast, would be representing NY and VA.  As I mentioned before, if you were to draw a line North to South through the middle of the country, 3 committee members would be east of that line, and 3 commitee members would be west of that line. If you were to draw an East-West line through the middle of the country, 3 of the 6 would be north of that line, and 3 would be south. So we're rather scattered around the country.

* We specifically created the NASAR-MSAR web site to acquire input from any MSAR rider in any location, to help provide even more balance. I'm sorry you aren't inclined to contribute there.

* We also inquire here, inviting additional input.

* I also post the questions and link on rec.equestrian newsgroup in case there are MSAR riders posting / lurking there.

* I also post the questions and link on the SAR discussion List.

* The subject will be discussed at the NASAR conference in an open forum.

* After the dust settles after the NASAR conference, the request for input seen here will also be posted on the NASAR web site.

 

We obviously don't work in isolation with only 6 opinions expressed. We actively seek input. ;)

The best advice that I can offer, is for NASAR to hire the services of a MSAR professional for their input (such as Kathy Roberts, who has written two different books on the topic).  

I have met Kathy, and have her 2 manuals. (Kathy Roberts lives in CA.) Kathy is one of several "professionals" / subject matter experts we are already tapping for direct input to the committee.

 

I hope you're more comfortable now with the "balance" of the committee writing MSAR standards for NASAR. There may only be 6 of us, scattered around the country, but we acquire input from many sources and are guided by that input. The opportunity exists for MSAR riders everywhere to share their opinions ... those who choose to not express an opinion do so with the understanding that if we don't hear from you, your suggestions and opinions can't be considered.  So I encourage all to share your thoughts.

As for quality control, a post from the MSAR-Riders dated 1-27-04, provided an excellent source for standards information.
01-27-04: To revisit an old topic, I visited http://www.ihserc.com today and
searched their database of other organizations' standards for the
words "search" and "rescue".  There were 90 search results, each a
document, from organizations including ASTM, the US Army and Navy,
NATO, BSI, GOST, ICAO, and many others.  Among them, 3 standards
from ASTM relating to SAR dogs.

I must be doing something wrong on the search query, because I'm not finding those articles. ???

 

Thanks for your input - I look forward to meeting you in VA!

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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