Mounted search and rescue

["Jorene Downs" <Jorene@CEOates.com>]

From: IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN

 

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. […]

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I’m not certain we’re on the same page here? I thought you’d changed the subject to discuss the logistics of setting up a CP, staging resources, etc. (I’m very familiar with that, with 50-100 call-outs a year working logistics for 10+ years.)  Now I think you gave an example related to my comment made a few days ago.  

 

*** Can you even get a horse trailer to that location and/or is there adequate parking? (A solution to the “adequate parking” may be staging trailers elsewhere, then having a driver drop off horses and searchers as requested for deployment.) ***

 

Your comments confirm that more urban MSAR uses the same logistics concepts as Wilderness MSAR … but the more urban environment is more likely to routinely need traffic control. Having adequate space for numerous MSAR with trailers may be an issue whether urban or wilderness. ;-/

 

In a more remote wilderness environment with limited access, often you don’t have the luxury of nearby parking lots so you adapt to use what space is available and accessible. And for that kind of activation, commonly resources travel to that more remote location and expect to stay for at least 24 hours. Locally our call-outs are so remote we’re commonly prepared for 72 hours. If the mission doesn’t require staying in the field overnight, searchers return to camp to sleep. It makes no sense to drive several hours home to sleep then be short on sleep to drive back for the next operational period.

 

Regarding shutting down a main road for a block, or claiming a traffic lane, that is certainly an option to be considered even for a longer time frame. I’m not talking about dropping off resources – which may also be needed - but rerouting traffic to protect the possible crime scene and addressing personnel safety within the area.  This might include dozens of people regularly crossing that section of road. We don’t often have SAR call-out down in the more populated agricultural valley, but I can recall over a decade ago shutting down both ends of 1 country block (authorized or resident traffic only) for 3 days until we found the body of the missing toddler and later cleared the scene.

 

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Jorene Downs

SAR & CERT

Mounted SAR

www.ceoates.com/msar