Mounted search and rescue

[Una Smith <una.smith@att.net>]

Heather Jones wrote:
>Our founding members had all been a part of a search and rescue team
>that dabbled in livestock rescue during disasters.

Yes, this was the situation here in 2000 (before I came to New Mexico)
and many people involved then do see a need for appropriate training,
policy, plans, and some form of ICS system for operations.

One suggestion I hear now and then, that really makes me cringe, is
that SAR volunteers who want to do animal evacuations in the face of
wildfires should just talk their way past State Police road blocks.
This may be relatively easy for SAR people do to, given that we all
report to a branch of the State Police, but it is *such* a bad idea
...words fail me.


>Colorado is following the model of North Carolina, creating a system
>of one State Animal Response Team, comprised of many specialized County
>Animal Response Teams.

New Mexico is much farther behind, but there does seem to be growing
interest.  One factor here, which may not apply in some other states,
is a common view that anyone "rescuing" your livestock in a disaster
situation is de facto a thief.  Personally, I tend to agree with this
view, but my position is a pragmatic one:  well meaning people who 
intend to rescue other people's animals need to be competent to do so.
And it benefits everyone to help livestock owners prepare in advance
for emergencies.  Including the risk that someone else may evacuate
your livestock without your knowledge or consent, to an unknown final
location.

Heather et al., please do share more of your lessons learned with us!

        Una Smith
        Santa Fe County Sheriff's Posse, in New Mexico