Mounted search and rescue

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

Here is another press release.  

        Una

Seen here:  http://www.americancowboy.com/cowboynews/news103.shtml


USRIDER Teams with EKU to Offer Animal Rescue Training

Lexington, Ky. (Nov. 9, 2007)

USRider and Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) are partnering to offer 
large-animal emergency rescue training for the fourth consecutive year. As 
with last yearâ™s training, specially trained demonstration animals ⓠhorses 
and a llama ⓠare being brought in to help provide realistic hands-on 
training during the seminars.

Two Technical Large-Animal Rescue training seminars are to be held next 
spring. Scheduled for April 18-20, 2008, the first seminar is reserved for 
EKU students. The second seminar, April 22-24, 2008, is open to the public, 
with emphasis on recruiting fire and EMT responders, veterinarians and 
others. The training is being funded through the Large-Animal Rescue 
Endowment Fund, administered by USRider.

The training will educate fire/rescue personnel, first responders, 
veterinarians and horse enthusiasts about techniques and procedures to assist 
large animals involved in transportation accidents and other emergencies. 
Instruction will cover the use of sedatives and tranquilizers, chemical 
restraint, rescue ropes and knots, rescue from horse barn fires, mud rescue, 
helicopter rescue and water rescue, among other situations. The training, 
which consists of 30 hours of classroom instruction and hands-on training, 
qualifies each student to receive FSE 489 credit for the class.

The training will also include a separate session on HAZMAT Decontamination 
of Large Animals. Scheduled for the morning of April 25, this free session 
will cover the issues related to rescuing large animals that have encountered 
chemical, biological or radiological contamination. Local and state emergency 
preparedness officials are encouraged to attend. Interested parties should 
contact EKU so accommodations can be made.

USRider offers a nationwide roadside assistance program designed especially 
for equestrians. Since its establishment in January 2002, the company has 
endeavored to raise awareness of the need for training in large-animal 
emergency rescue.

âœWeâ™ve found that while emergency responders are trained experts in human 
rescue and extrication, they usually have no training in large-animal 
rescue,❠said Mark Cole, managing member of the USRider Equestrian Motor 
Plan. âœBecause of this lack of training, responders are being put at great 
risk. Moreover, in many accidents and disasters, animals without 
life-threatening injuries are being injured further or even killed by use of 
incorrect rescue techniques.â

Through its Leg-Up Fund, USRider has provided backing for numerous 
large-animal rescue initiatives, from equine ambulances to individual 
responder training. In 2005, the company took its efforts in a new direction 
by creating the first-of-its-kind Large-Animal Rescue Endowment Fund at 
Eastern Kentucky University. The endowment fund was established to promote 
large-animal-rescue training efforts and support related training programs.

Eastern Kentucky University has established an annual Large Animal Rescue 
training program that provides training to the students within the Fire and 
Safety Engineering Technology program. The Fire and Safety Engineering 
Technology Program was established in 1975 and is one of only a few programs 
in the country which offers undergraduate degrees in fire and safety. Areas 
of study include life safety; fire prevention, suppression and investigation; 
fire service administration; fire protection principles; industrial loss 
prevention; safety program management; and occupational safety and health.

The Large Animal Rescue training within the Fire and Safety Engineering 
Technology program provides the students the opportunity to gain the 
knowledge and skills required to become proficient in the rescue of large 
animals. The program is provided to the students as part of their college 
curriculum requirements. To-date, approximately 100 undergraduate students 
have successfully completed this program.

âœWe are very glad to continue our partnership with EKU through their College 
of Justice and Safety,❠said Cole, âœespecially since the university is 
located in central Kentucky ⓠan area that is commonly referred to as the 
horse capital of the world.â

Due to the hands-on nature of the training, each large-animal emergency 
rescue seminar is limited to 30 participants. Be sure to call and reserve 
your space today. For more information on the seminars and to register, call 
the EKU Loss Prevention and Safety Department at (859) 622-1009.
Contributions to the Large-Animal Rescue Endowment Fund may be sent to the 
Division of University Development, CPO 19A, Jones 324, Eastern Kentucky 
University, 521 Lancaster Ave., Richmond, Ky., 40475-3102. The Development 
office may be reached at (859) 622-1583.

USRider Equestrian Motor Plan is a nationwide member-based organization 
providing roadside trailering assistance, including towing and roadside 
repairs for tow vehicles and trailers with horses, emergency stabling, 
veterinary referrals and more. For more information, visit www.usrider.org or 
call 1-800-844-1409.

CONTACT:
1-800-844-1409
www.usrider.org