Mounted search and rescue

[Paul Fleming <pfleming@nwlink.com>]

[HTML deleted.  -Una]

A couple of weeks ago we conducted a difficult night search in the
mountains looking for a 70 years old oriental woman not returned from
brush picking.

The conditions of the search were no moon, dense forest, damp foliage
and dark as I have ever seen. The temperature was in the high 40s. The
reason we searched under those conditions were the subjects advanced
years we were concerned about her survival.

It seems she became lost  while trimming the tips off ferns to be use as
tea. About 1:00 am one of my team spotted ferns that had been trimmed.
We called the coordinates into our operations. Next we found a trail
leading down hill that we couldn't follow on horseback (trees too low
and close) we called those coordinates in, marked the trail  and
requested a ground team. About every ten minutes we would stop all
members would make one long blast on a whistle and scream SO (So Kwan
our subject) as loud as possible. At 06:05 am we received a recall. A
ground team had located the subject.  We departed before the subject was
brought out feeling good about the nights effort.

A couple of days later one of our operations guys plotted all out
position reports and the subject found location.. We were within 150
yards of her when we found the cut ferns. All night we could hear other
teams calling from great distances we wondered why she never answered
us. Oh well, all's well that ends well.

About a week later I sent the following e-mail to my unit.

Last evening at the PCSAR council meeting I got an update on the So Kwan
search. She war really 80 not 70 and only answers to the name of Kim.
She heard lots of people calling but didn't think they were looking for
her. Go figure.  It was also the second time she had been lost up there.

The conditions of the search were no moon, dense forest, damp foliage
and dark as I have ever seen. The temperature was in the high 40s. The
reason we searched under those conditions were the subjects advanced
years we were concerned about her survival.

Remember a few months ago had a discussion about lighting in night
searches. I mentioned we hang chem lights from our stirrups so traffic
can see us. I found a new use for the chem lights. They help you locate
your horse when he dumps you and takes off, but that's another story.


Regards

Paul