Mounted search and rescue

["PFleming" <PFleming@nwlink.com>]

I am making the assumption the members you are loosing are the newer members still in training. I think this something we all have to deal with. However two weekends a month is a whole lot to ask. To do what we do takes a commitment and you just have to put in the hours. However in time things do settle down, maintaining skills if less time consuming then learning them. If it is your older members getting out because its not interesting or fun anymore that's much more serious and that has to be fixed pronto.  I make a real effort to let prospective members know this is not about horses its about search and rescue and it is not easy. We don't want people in here on a false pretenses. In truth only about one in three stick with it and get field certified.

 

We train as a unit one weekend a month (not often both days) There is some one on one or team training that takes place as people have the time throughout the month, and there is always equipment maintenance. It seems we are always in a new horse and rider qualification cycle, but that is something that I don't allow to disrupt unit proficiency training. The more new folks you have  the more you have to train. When setting your training schedule it is necessary to determine the level of proficiency you expect to unit to maintain, then schedule your training accordingly.

 

The bottom line is there is only so much time available for volunteer activities in a month. You simply have to make the time they spend training more valuable than what other intrests provide.

 

Paul Fleming

Trainint Officer

PMSAR

 

 

From: QUINCYDEW@aol.com

To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org

Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2007 7:25 PM

Subject: [MSAR] Training Schedule

I have a question for all on your training schedules. We currently have a schedule of one horse training a month, as well as the county/state trainings for  all SAR, usually once a month as well. That's two weekends a month We are starting to lose members due to this training schedule, and are debating changing how much we train.

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