Mounted search and rescue

["irvin lichtenstein" <ilichten1@verizon.net>]

Crossing state lines requires you to have your equine paperwork in order and
to have a reason to cross the line. If your group becomes skilled and
respected you will be requested by agencies as far away as you are willing
to travel. There are three mechanisms in place for interstate mutual aid --
the National Response Plan, EMAC, and individual agreements. The first is
federal and is not being used as often as it should. The second is a
multistate mutual aid compact that allows individual agencies to call out of
state agencies (usually law enforcement) for assistance without honoring the
NRP. The third is a one on one agreement and is usually the most practical
for SAR. It may be SAR to SAR or SAR to public agency, usually the LE for
the territory being aided. For instance, 90 miles from Philadelphia includes
4 states, possibly 5, and the arrangements for each state would be
different. In NJ it would be the state police and county dispatch
organizations. For MD we would probably go SAR to SAR as we have in the
past. DE is an unknown at the moment. NYC is such a jumble that it might
take years to figure out who is in charge, let alone who can call out of
state resources. In VA it is the state police acting for the OES.
 Irv Lichtenstein