Mounted search and rescue

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

I am likely  the person who mentioned this training, Lila. Sorry for the delay responding – I’ve been offline for several days and just started wading through my backlog.

 

I learned from Yosemite Nat’l Park Mounted (took the class 3 times before starting to teach it myself), who I believe are the only National Park Service (NPS) in the country using this training. NPS Yosemite uses this method multiple times each year. Historic origins for the methods and procedures are from the military.  The only current military application is US Marines special training for mountain warfare in the mountains of CA, and those who take the mule packing training also receive this training.  

 

I have been teaching the class for several years. I have taught a few clinics in the western USA and those folks may be teaching their own riders. After teaching in WA I gave some extra training and copies of training material to someone in there who is now teaching at their statewide conferences. Other than that I’m not aware of anyone who has taken the full course and is teaching. I’ve also taught the class in various locations across the country at the “aware” level – not the hands-on full class, and also teach the full class at statewide Backcountry Horsemen of CA annual conference so those backcountry packers can self-help. To my knowledge, the only people teaching this based on the NPS (adopted from military) method are on the west coast.

 

Many in management won’t understand the value of this kind of training – for most it isn’t even something they’ve heard of before -  or perhaps it isn’t something that would be particularly useful in their area because access roads are nearby. Where it is most valuable is where you have potential for a labor intensive litter carry for someone with a minor injury – 4 riders instead of 12-16 people on a litter carry (no helicopter available or no good place to land remotely nearby) -  or simply a found person where you can provide a ride instead of the person hiking out.

 

Very useful knowledge for riders. I can recall teaching the full class one morning and some folks who attended used those skills that same afternoon. ;-/

 

- - - - - -

Jorene Downs

SAR & CERT

Mounted SAR

www.ceoates.com/msar

Jorene@CEOates.com

 

 

From: Lila Corey

Where is Freedom Hall?  I am in NC.

Also,

I sent a message out asking for the contact of the person who mentioned training, ( and I thought it said military) for transport of victims injured in the field by MSAR.  Could someone please let me know who to contact for info on this training?

Lila Corey