Mounted search and rescue

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

Be realistic, we don’t shut down and park for days. You make a work zone for a few hours at the most to unload and then to load back up later. It’s called communicating with logistics.  If we shut down an interstate for a helicopter it takes 20 to 30 minutes to slow and stop traffic for a 10-15 minute period while the bird lands, loads, and goes.  We had an assignment in center city Philadelphia during morning weekday rush hour for a parade.  The start was 2 city blocks from City Hall round a bout. We took 2 southbound lanes of 3 traffic, 1 bike, and 1 median lane to unload and get the rigs on the way for 1 hour, we kept the bike lane and the sidewalk for safety space and used a service alley alongside the building to shape up.  At the other end the trailers were parked along the access road to a historic mansion that was closed to the public that day (Lincoln’s Birthday).  The parade route was the center 6 lanes of a 12 lane parkway for the most part. 

 

No one is expecting you to set up in the middle of RT66 or I81, but if you need to unload on the road establishing a safety zone for half an hour shouldn’t kill anybody. I’d stay away from valleys in states with no speed limits and put the warning signs far away just to be safe.

 

Irv Lichtenstein     

 

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From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Jorene Downs
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 9:57 PM
To: 'Mounted search and rescue'
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Hasty Mounted Team--obvious

 

From: IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN
[…]

As to parking or loading and unloading, that is what traffic control is for. If we can shut down major roads to provide a work area in the East with heavy traffic it should be a breeze in the West. 

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