Mounted search and rescue

["T'mi Fi" <tfinkle@erols.com>]

Una- What great resource for researching search missions!  Thanks for 
sharing!

Sadly it is true that some state do a much better of SAR response than 
other States can provide. One thing that helps our team's mission 
response are the MOU's we have in place with different States, as well 
as with several county governments.  We are an NGO Mounted SAR resource 
and because we have numerous AHJ's, we have created our own ESF 9 
resource typing sheet that is on file with all States within FEMA Region 
III.  These types of working (response) relationships have required our 
team members to obtain an array of public safety certificates and a 
higher degree of minimum training requirements, which has gained us 
national recognition as a MSAR team that actually deploys to search 
missions.   There are some mighty fine MSAR teams that have a great 
deployment track records too and I commend them for their service.  It 
is great to see teams post mission reviews here on MSAR-Riders.  Over 
the years I have witness riding clubs that once offer to respond to look 
for lost  persons that later became a first class MSAR Team.  

Our membership base spans multiple states and several different 
counties.  Having our mounted responders live in such a broad area 
increase our coverage area and reduces our response time that allows us 
to serve many AHJ's (not just one AHJ as some teams choose to do).  The 
down side to a broad regional based membership are the locations we use 
for training.  Clearly we can not train at someone farm or boarding barn 
month after month, so we must alternate States (and regions within the 
state) for training sessions, which adds to our team's exposure and 
enhances our PR.

Our Callout Process: Since two of the four States we serve require a 
return call (response of status) within 10 minutes after being requested 
for service, we did away with the old fashion Phone Tree System and 
implemented text paging and emails as our primary method of 
communication.  It is not a perfect communications system, but it does 
work.  We can reach 80% of our mounted responders and have returned 
response from them and back to the AHJ within this time period. 
Regardless of the AHJ, they know from past deployment/missions; the 
only resource they need to provide for our team is a parking space/area 
about the size equal for 2 buses, for each MSAR Team they request (we 
deploy as a self supporting resource for a minimum of 72 hours).  AHJ's 
know we will respond once we commit to responding and they also know we 
will not self-deploy or over deploy.  

The biggest failure point that I have seen with some MSAR teams is they  
remain too focused on what is happening within their own county or local 
area and pay little attention to state protocols and mission critical 
updates that are occurring around them, thus making them a non-suitable 
resource outside their localized area.  Although it is their legal 
right, some local governments do not want outside help and only want 
things done their way, which is a mindset that often times can trickle 
down to their SAR responders.  I am sure everyone has seen someone make 
the comment "WELL.... we do not do that way HERE in (enter your hometown 
name) and it has been working just fine for over 20 years" (Beware of 
this type of smoke and mirrors and of those who self deploy).   

Incident response undergone some major changes since 2001.  Most of your 
progressive MSAR teams have after action reports or mission overviews 
that they are happy to share as proof of their deployment missions over 
the past 8 years. I suggest that new MSAR teams learn from the teams 
that are actually out there, on deployment, responding to missions, 
putting in realistic training time, putting SAR time in the saddle, 
getting dirty and saving lives.   Because media coverage comes from so 
many sources nowadays, even small SAR mission can nowadays be verified 
by a simple Goggle Search.

MSAR teams across the USA can increase their response time, by working 
with their local and state ESF-9 coordinators.  I would be happy to 
assist any team that would like to enhance their response time and 
deployment performance (contact me off list).  Our team standards and 
operational procedures are posted on the MSAR site and all available for 
all to use.  We have been an MSAR resource since 1992, maybe not a very 
long track record in the eyes of some.  Over the past 17 years we have 
learned from the best, as well as totally discarded many useless 
suggestions and opinions.

T'mi
www.trotsar.org
             

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