Mounted search and rescue

[una.smith@att.net]

Paul Fleming wrote: 
> I have just spent about an hour in your Study Guide. This is an excellent
> document. I thought Chapter 4 Search Techniques and Chapter 5 Map and
> Compass were especially well done. Wow, thirty minute refresher courses.

Chapter 4 draws on Don Cooper's new edition of his book "Fundamentals of 
Search 
and Rescue" and recent published work by Jack Frost and others.  Chapter 5
shows the hand of Bob Cowan, a New Mexico SAR oldtimer who has taught many
classes on map and compass use around the USA at NASAR conferences.

But what really makes the Study Guide so good is the input from many people
who have served as evaluators during field certification exams of over 800 New
Mexico SAR responders.  I have participated in two exams of approximately 50
people, as an examinee and as an organizer, and during both exams I observed
a lot of good communication between evaluators and examinees.  The same small
group of evaluators conduct exams all over the state so they really see the
big picture and they know exactly what things need to be explained and learn
how best to explain them.  Its like on this list we get the same FAQs again
and again and over time we are developing better answers to those FAQs.


> Although my unit does not set up a formal Field Certification Course our
> training objectives hit all the same high points ending with the same
> result.

New Mexico does not have a formal course program, but an evaluator, or
anyone else who wants to do it, can teach a "test prep" course before the
exam.  Also, for examinees who prefer to learn by reading, the Study Guide
and other documents on the Field Certification web page (URL below) are
sufficient.  I took the reading route myself.

The only thing you don't get outside New Mexico is the Field Certification 
exam itself, but SAR responders from other states (mostly Arizona, Colorado,
and Texas) can and do come here to take the exam.  It was formerly known as
the PACE exam.


> I believe I am going to reorganize my unit's Field Certification
> process along the lines of what New Mexico has set out. It is clear, concise
> and the trainees can see exactly what they need to do accomplish the goal.
> 
> You guys are going to make my life a lot easier.

That's the goal!  Paul, I passed on your comments, and the people involved in
revising the Study Guide are delighted to know it has value outside New 
Mexico.

http://www.nmesc.org/certification.htm

   Una