Mounted search and rescue

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

Irv wrote: "A standard is not mandatory, and therefore not an enforceable
standard, until some government agency that can enforce the rule says it is
the rule." 

I recommend looking at it from a different perspective. Standards are
essentially "best practices" that are documented so others can use that
information for training, testing or other application ... and to create
consistency in expectations. I suggest folks don't wait for some
authority/government agency to tell you what is required. And if it hasn't
already happened, it is coming.

Local authorities are increasingly aware of liability issues, and in recent
years have become increasingly aware of the need for first responders to
meet national standards. Those who consider themselves SAR professionals -
or at least are serious about SAR - tend to understand the related
liability, responsibility, etc., and choose to meet and exceed recognized
standards. But too many haven't. So SAR is now on the federal level radar,
primarily because the SAR community failed to establish and enforce
nationwide minimum expectations within our own ranks. 

Generally SAR units are on an "approved for activation" list or directly
affiliated with a local authority such as the Sheriff's department. Some
have written or "generally understood" local minimum requirements. In some
states there are state requirements, but in others you're left to reach your
own decisions about minimum requirements ... and those folks are the most
vulnerable regarding liability issues based on meeting / not meeting
recognized standards and performance based on that training.

At some point the authority/agency will look at local SAR / independent
personnel on the call list and ask what standards are in use. If you can
point to ASTM and other standards, and have related documentation to show
your members qualify, that authority/agency will be satisfied. (Or if you
present local authorities with this information, odds are you'll be
activated more frequently than those who aren't meeting standards.) If you
state there are no mandatory national standards for SAR, and your training
is whatever you've come up with locally, the liability-conscious
authority/agency might take you off the call list until you can demonstrate
you are in compliance with standards well recognized in the SAR community.
Or you might be considered untrained spontaneous volunteer status, in which
case you shouldn't be on a call list (a  management liability issue to
activate untrained personnel) and may/may not be welcome at an incident.

Many members of the SAR community are already meeting/exceeding those well
recognized and long standing non-mandatory standards, which leaves those who
are not in a far more vulnerable position for liability, etc. I think it
makes more sense to plan ahead than to wait for an authority/agency to
remove you from the call list to get your attention. This has already
occurred in many locations because local SAR wasn't already choosing to do
this themselves.

You can choose to go there yourselves, or wait for the local
authority/agency to consider you not adequately trained (therefore a
liability, not a valued asset) and mandate you meet those requirements
before you're considered a viable SAR resource again. 

Perhaps with the additional information shared, folks will better understand
why I stated previously: 
----------
FEMA recognizes ASTM as a source for USA standards. NASAR bases training on
ASTM standards. ASTM standards are used internationally. Using ASTM
standards and making sure you *also* meet published local and state level
requirements (assuming any exist) will establish minimum consistency and
greatly reduce your liability.

www.astm.org 
F2209 is the land searcher standard. (NASAR SARtech II level)
F2794 is the basic level MSAR standard, which also requires F2209.

- - - - - -
Jorene Downs
SAR & CERT
Mounted SAR
www.ceoates.com/msar  
KJ6JCD