Mounted search and rescue

["IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN" <ilichten1@verizon.net>]

On the public record there have been no field deployments of either the dog
team or us since 2005 in the region.  There have been 2 cancellations for
institutional walk a ways who were located by the fire company (same one,
same institution) as they arrived.  There have been 10 public safety
deployments as first aid or course safety and these seem to grow at 1 or so
per year.  We used to run guided tours of Valley Forge NHP and Green Lane
County Park monthly as a recruiting, training ride but they degenerated into
pleasure rides. We have been approached to help create a volunteer mounted
presence in Fairmount Park by the tourist board but the city's budget crises
has stalled trailhead improvements required (trailer parking).  Our members
also cooperate with the county equine council's efforts to maintain trails
in the public parks and the network of multi-user recreational trails in the
region.  Public education is ongoing in the areas of trail safety and
trailer accident prevention, and we will be picking up a barn fire safety
program by the end of the year from its current provder. 

We have found prevention has significant rewards in terms of satisfaction
per rider hour since you actually see a result as against 36 hours in the
field and being suspended without result. And you get to ride in some
popular events for free as a drag or safety rider. 

It is odd because from 1979 to 1995, the period for which detailed
statistics were available in 2005, there were 12 field deployments per year
in a 90 mile radius, lasting mostly from 18 to 36 hours initially.  One
lasted 72 hours but this was primarily because out of towners were involved
and wanted to play in an interstate, multi-agency environment. These records
were used by the SE PA (Counter Terrorism) Task Force to justify having a
combination SAR/LART/Disaster Relocation of Animals Team.  Ironically, the
small animal group (MCART) was called to a huge apartment fire in
Conshohocken to help recover dogs and cats but there have been no large
animal calls. 

In accordance with the way the Region funded the start up SE PA SAR was
organized as stand alone rescue squad, not a VOAD unit.  Non-profit
corporation, IRS 501c3, exemption from filing with the PA Charities Office,
PA Dept. of Revenue, recognition by the State Police as emergency
responders, classed as volunteer firefighters by the PA Bureau of Motor
Vehicles, and our horses are granted police animal status 24/7 as a result.
Our personnel are public safety officers for PSODB and workman's comp
purposes, just like fire and rescue personnel. We have an assigned special
service fire station number on the county system and they have agreed to
dispatch us for the region on jobs. We have been asked if we would to
respond to Chester County (PA) and Burlington (NJ) County. 

We also get to use the 800 MHz system on events as a backup, request mutual
aid system.  We use the 150 for tactical on scene use to avoid tying up the
trunk and keeping the administrivia off the county wide repeater channels.
All our dispatch procedures are in the county CAD. The Region provided
pagers, 1 800 radio and station status. The Montgomery County DA's office
funded a second 800 radio based on possible use for evidence searches. 

Our next material goals are to obtain a field lap top, upgrade some of the
150 radios with new batteries, and get our own breakaway Stokes and 2 AEDS
for event coverage.  We should know about the laptop grant in 90 days or so.

We have a 35 watt 150 mobile and a 1200 watt inverter/12 VDC charger and
some smaller computer DC power supplies that will handle it but no antenna
yet.

Pending is a change in status for SAR in Pennsylvania. Usually referred to
as the Conover Amendment by us old guys, an amendment to the PA EMS Act
would make SAR organizations have to be licensed EMS providers. If this
happens independent SAR organizations that get licensed become eligible for
federal grants, and certain PA funding, and we will be allowed to charge a
patient for treatment through the transporting ambulance squad.  In advance
of this we are working on recruiting a medical director from a local ER. If
this passes it will be the biggest change in SAR in PA since I helped found
the state SAR council and F32 held its first meeting at the old ASTM HQ in
Philadelphia (I was there too).  
   Irv Lichtenstein 
-----Original Message-----
From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of T'mi Fi
Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2009 12:04 AM
To: Mounted search and rescue
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Training, Technology and Stats