Mounted search and rescue

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

From: "Una Smith" <una.smith@att.net>
> [...] Once an ASTM standard
> is published, it becomes available for anyone to adopt.
> I expect NASAR will develop its own certification process
> for MSAR, incorporating ASTM standards.  Jorene Downs can
> speak to that.

Yes, when we have completed the national standards for MSAR through ASTM, 
NASAR will build a program based on those standards.

> Some MSAR units already have committed to
> adopting the ASTM standards;

When I was at the NASAR conference in TX last month, every class I taught 
was attended by a Sheriff's Dept ranking officer from LA. They lost their 
stables, etc., to Katrina. They plan to rebuild their Mounted Officer unit 
that is also a Mounted SAR unit. And they plan to use the ASTM MSAR 
standards. I got a specific request from "the 5th largest Sheriff's 
department in the country" to please expedite completing those MSAR 
standards. Meanwhile I pointed them to getting their ground SAR training per 
ASTM F2209 (NASAR SARTECH II or equivalent) so they'll already have that out 
of the way and be ready to take on the rest of the ASTM MSAR minimum 
standards.

Multiple MSAR units attending the No CA Mounted SAREX this past weekend told 
me they are already working toward - or have already met - their ground SAR 
requirements and have already met the CA Mutual Aid guidelines for MSAR ... 
so should be very close to already meeting national standards for MSAR when 
they emerge from ASTM.

Yes, there are folks waiting for the final result from ASTM for MSAR 
national / international standards. ;)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jorene Downs
www.ceoates.com/msar