Mounted search and rescue

[Una Smith <una.smith@att.net>]

In a recent thread on MSAR-Riders, Doug Reynaud wrote:
>I would appreciate any leads on obtaining criterias developed by any
>organized mounted units.

Doug,

When we started MSAR-ASTM, my first thought was that we would examine
existing local standards (of which there are many!) and identify their
common denominator, and the result would be a minimum standard that
everyone could live with.  However, if we did that we would end up
with almost nothing.  And, many of the existing local standards in use
by MSAR units and teams (team within multi-specialty unit) are mounted
patrol / social riding club standards, not search and rescue standards.
So now we are working mostly on standards that document our community's
otherwise undocumented best practices.  And, because many of our best
practices are not in wide use, at least not outside of the membership
of our other list, MSAR-Riders, I think it is necessary that we focus
on *training* standards, rather than the more usual operational stuff
such as entry requirements for new members, equipment and pack lists,
etc.

First question:  do you need mounted *SAR* standards, or would mounted
patrol suffice?

Second question:  have you checked the MSAR units web site directory
(http://www.ibiblio.org/msar/units)?  Many units have posted their own
standards on their web site, and the directory also includes relevant
state standards, if any exist.

        Una Smith
        New Mexico