Mounted search and rescue

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

Chris- The first item that comes to mind is perhaps conducting a 10 clue
POD course, used to established an MSAR responders POD percentage.  I have
a clue placement template that we use and can forward it to you, if you would
like. This course is some what of a spin off of the NASAR SAR Tech-II (Ground)
POD playing card test. 

The course is conducted on a fairly groomed 2 to 3 mile section of trail,
with MSAR responders carrying their normal SAR packs and gear. All clues
are clearly visible from the trail and are located on both the right and
left side, the clue are placed at 0-3 feet from the center of the trail,
4 to 20 feet from the center of the trail and 21 to 25 feet from the center
of the trail.  Clue placement is also broken down into three more classes:
those on the ground, off the ground to 4 feet and 4 to 7 feet off the ground.
 The POD course template makes set up very easy.  We use 10 translucent green
colored water bottles with lettered markings on them with an 8" piece of
orange string attached (for hanging clues) . Attendees simply ride the trail,
go into search mode and write down the letter on the clue in the order they
find them.

MSAR folk seem to really enjoy this course and consider it fun challenge.
It is a great way for them learn/understand what their personal POD percentage
really is and how POD percentages relate to search mission planning.  I have
had several search managers commend us for providing this type validated
SAR training.  In the past 5 years we have been conducting this course, no
one has ever obtained 100% and only one 2-person team has ever obtained a
90%.  As a means of course validation any clue not found by any of the attendees
is canceled out.  Only once has a POD clue been canceled out and that was
with just one clue, which was accidentally placed 1 foot over 7 foot mark.
  It is amazing to the participants how all clues can be located by the group
as a whole, yet their average (find) percentage runs around 50 to 70 percent.
 We then do a group trail ride to retrieve the clues so everyone can see
where each one was placed.

After attending this training course, it is very rare for any MSAR responder
to ever come back at debriefing and say they had a 70% (or Higher) POD rating
of their search area. 
 
T'mi
www.trotsar.org

pennbo@verizon.net wrote:

Out of curiousity- if you were provided with the opportunity to haul your horses and gear to a weekend conference/seminar/training on MSAR what would you want to learn/practice/ study while there? What would be most beneficial to YOU as an individual searcher? What would be most beneficial to your TEAM? We just finished our 4th annual CountyWide MSAR training and I am trying to solidify some ideas for next year and looking for input in general.

Thanks,
Chris

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