Mounted search and rescue

["Kinch" <kinch@shaw.ca>]

Hi Derek,

Here in British Columbia, the GSAR course is just over 80 hours long, not 
including pre-reading and homework. When I first broached the subject of 
adding an equine team to members of our horse club, the majority balked that 
they didn't have the time to take the course (one night a week and every 
second Sunday for 4 months). The old Basic Search & Rescue (BSAR) course 
that was used prior to the implementation of the GSAR course was just 20 
hours long (not including mock searches with the SAR group). It must be 
remembered that local trail riders are a great resource to a SAR Management 
Team as the local trail riders know the area, it's trails, waterways and 
danger areas. As such, I approached the SAR group with the idea that if they 
were trained to the old BSAR level, the equine team could be taken on as a 
local "resource" which could be called out on an "as required" basis. They 
agreed to this proposal and the Equine Search Assistance Team was borne. 
ESAT is not a "stand alone" team but is a component of the Ground Search 
Team. Team members are aware that if required, the horses will remain tied 
to the trailers or in a holding pen (with someone to watch over them) and 
they then participate as "ground pounders". This occurred last summer when 
the victim was located over a 175 foot embankment and team members were used 
to haul on ropes under the direction of the Rope Rescue Team. The team also 
participates in mock searches with the SAR group and we try and get in a 
team training day each month. We open these training days to the ground 
pounders as well and several of them attend (especially the navigation 
exercises, but we ask that they bring mountain bikes or a quad as the 
distances traveled can be a bit much to do on foot).

To make a long story short, out of the 15 members who have completed the 
ESAT course, all but 4 have gone on to complete the 80 hour long GSAR course 
or are currently on the GSAR course. As a result, the team is no longer just 
a "resource" but is now part of the Immediate Response Team and can respond 
with or without our mounts as required.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Joe Kinch

ESAT Team Leader

Arrowsmith Search & Rescue

Vancouver Island

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Derek (alternate)" <schmidtd@sasktel.net>
To: <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 1:19 PM
Subject: [MSAR] Starting a MSAR team


> Hello fellow SAR searchers!
>
> I am currently the Director of Training for a GSAR team here in
> Saskatchewan, Canada, and have been tasked with trying to expand our
> services to include an Equine component.  Currently we have several people
> interested in joining our team, and are interested in bringing their 
> horses
> too.  As such, I have been trying to find some information on basic
> standards, training levels/idea/plans and otherwise trying to get as much
> prepared for them as possible.
>
> Our 'plan' so far is to try to get the people trained first as GSAR 
> members,
> and then work some up to Team Leaders before integrating the horses into 
> it.
> The idea behind this is to try to give the members a solid base and build
> the relationships with our Srch Mgr's before we bring in the new tool.
>
> I am wondering if anyone in this group has had a similar development, and 
> if
> there are any suggestions.  MSAR is a relatively unused thing here in
> Saskatchewan, so what ever I come up with is already being eyed as a way 
> for
> our neighbouring chapters to model after.
>
>
> Derek Schmidt
> Director of Training
> Search and Rescue Regina
> Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
>
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