Mounted search and rescue

["IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN" <ilichten1@verizon.net>]

Patient assessment is necessary prior to packaging the patient for transport by any means.  The “local” medical command, whether an EMT, Paramedic, responding trauma doctor, must determine if the patient can be transported to a medical facility from the location of the incident and how.  In the case of an injury at a barn or other area accessible by ambulance or other medical transport the responder needs to know the mechanism of injury and may need to know how to handle the livestock if no one is there to do that.  In an area that is not accessible to a conventional or 4x4 transport or aeromedical unit the medical personnel must be able to determine if the injured party can be transported “in the saddle” , that is ride out with assistance if needed, or must be littered out, either by pack animal or by hand carry.

 

Generally, any injury more severe than exposure or exhaustion may preclude riding out.  Any spinal injury, pelvic or hip injury or an injury requiring long bone immobilization, such as a femur fracture with a traction splint, may be impossible to move without a Stokes basket or a backboard.  If there is a chance that your patient will lose consciousness or alter mental state to the point where balance is impaired and they may fall out of the saddle they should not be transported as a rider.  The primary mandate is to do no more harm than doing nothing will do.  A fall from a horse will do harm, therefore exploring alternatives, such as putting a litter on a pack frame, a travois, or between a pair of harness horses is always a good idea.  Riding them out also works better in a deep seat, high pommel and high cantle saddle which provides some support. Most English tack does not provide such support.

Regardless of how close you think you are to the patient, you are not in the seat next to litter in an ambulance. You are on the ground next to the horse the patient is riding and may not be able to maintain the constant surveillance the injuries require. This is not taking a person with sore feet or an ankle sprain out of the Grand Canyon on a mule that does it every day, all day.  This is taking some terrified civilian out on a horse that doesn’t know its new rider with a rider who can’t ride due to injuries even if they knew how.

 

This is a much different situation than responding to a barn for an injury.  And I suspect that the Outback is a lot less forgiving.

 

Irv Lichtenstein

SE PA SAR

 

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From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Paul
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2007 12:23 PM
To: 'Mounted search and rescue'
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Equestrian first responders

 

Hi.  I’m having problems locating this document for assessing if a person can be transported in the saddle and methods used.  Could you please direct me to it.  I checked the link and found a lot on rescue, search rescue and dogs.

Thanks

Paul

Kapunda SES Mounted Team

South Australia