Mounted search and rescue

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

-----Original Message-----
From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Jorene Downs
Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2009 1:01 AM
To: 'Mounted search and rescue'
Subject: [MSAR] Best Practices / Callout in Madision County VA

As Tomi' indicated, asking folks to demonstrate commitment up front is a
good way to weed out folks who show up thinking all they need to do is sign
up and later show up on a SAR. I know of some other SAR / MSAR units who
require certain training prior to being eligible to join the organization.
In some cases the requirement is to attend the local SAR Academy, which is
usually at least 40 hours. I like TROT's approach of requiring completion of
available outside training first, such as certain online FEMA courses, etc.

- - - - - -
Jorene Downs
SAR & CERT
Mounted SAR
www.ceoates.com/msar

There are certain legal (insurance) implications to their not being a
member.  If they are not a member your comp may not apply and your liability
coverage definitely does not apply unless they have been commandeered under
a state law. There may be other problems.  We have a provider agreement with
the Red Cross.  This means our members can get First Aid and CPR at greatly
reduced cost as opposed to community course rates.  They cannot attend
classes given by the regional fire or EMS training centers unless they are a
member or employee of an agency that provides comp and a justification for
the subsidized training. (Cops get their tuition at the police academy
refunded when they get hired and complete probation, volunteer fire and EMS
get the break up front)

What you have to look at are your costs if the member does not become a
responding member.  In most cases the expenses are issued equipment which
you don't have to issue until they qualify, like a pager.  There is no per
member cost for our insurance package which is fairly comprehensive, and
until you say they are a qualified member they cannot display organization
logos, patches, qualify for special license plates, tax breaks, etc. In
Pennsylvania if you are not a member of an organization it is an offense to
display anything that implies membership. In our case, as a rescue squad,
any person we drop as active not only has to turn in his ID but his front
station license plate (which he paid for) and his vehicle registration plate
if he had obtained firefighter plates, he loses his state income tax credit
for the year, and he must remove any identification or other equipment from
the vehicle within 10 calendar days.  And the state charges $7.50 to replace
the plate. If the free registration goes through he will also have to pay to
register his vehicle. He also loses his exemption from fuel rationing, and
snow or other disaster road closures in the state. And of course any
professional courtesy he got from the cops, and state animal inspectors
stops as well.  

What many organizations do is require the new member to post a deposit equal
to his training costs which he gets back after 6 months of service. Many
fire companies also charge members who don't show up at school the tuition
cost if it was prepaid.  Be glad we are not structural fire suppression.
Under current NFPA best practices the fire company must provide each trainee
with properly fitted (read that custom fitted) protective clothes, and
possibly an air mask, especially if the candidate wears glasses. The current
cost for turnout gear is over $1000 per set for usual sizes of very basic
gear, and the fire company pays over $800 for just the face piece of an air
pack which costs over $4000 each today. 

Our investment in a prospective MSAR responder is about $4 for the CD with
training materials, procedures, and related materials. We prep and mail this
when they file their application.  When they complete training they get an
ID card which we make ourselves on a computer printer and hot laminator. We
do not supply a pager until they have made a special assignment, putting
them on R-SAN is free. The FEMA training is free, most of our classroom
training has no cost to us, and the prospect will pay for Red Cross
paperwork under our provider agreement (roughly $10 per course). If they go
to TLAER the state may or may not subsidize the tuition of about $150
(mostly for 4 days lunch and dinner), but we don't pay travel.

There is also the "belonging" factor. Is it better to be a new member, or a
prospective member when introduced to the rest of the organization?

Irv Lichtenstein