Mounted search and rescue

[T'mi Fi <tfinkle@erols.com>]

Warning- Check out the course instructors before paying hundreds of dollars!

MSAR and SAR instructors should have some kind of basic certification 
with the search and rescue arena before charging high fees for someone 
to take their course.   An example of how misleading advertising can 
been seen in the State of Virginia.  Even though Virginia is one of the 
few States that has ground SAR and Mounted SAR written (minimum) 
standards and require all SAR personnel to be credential,  there is 
nothing to prevent, a non-SAR trained or SAR compliant, person/persons 
from offering an expensive for-profit SAR class.  Before you spent 
hundreds of dollars to attend a MSAR Clinic check out the instructor and 
staff's SAR credentials. If none of the staff hold any recognized SAR 
credentials a red flag should be raised.

I have been in contact with the lead instructor who is conducting an 
upcoming Search & Rescue Clinic at the Virginia Horse Center in 
Lexington, VA.    After learning that none of the staff are certified in 
SAR or MSAR and the course outline does not meet any of the State's 
(Virginia) standards, I filed a compliant with the Virginia Department 
of Emergency Management (VDEM) and the Virginia Search and Rescue 
Council regarding the below listed Clinic.  

<http://www.horsecenter.org/view.asp?id=searchrescue>

Anyone wanting to enter into the field of Mounted Search and Rescue 
should thoroughly check out the credentials of the course  instructor 
and staff before throwing away good money.

Tomi`
TROTSAR Mounted Team
www.trotsar.org.