Mounted search and rescue

[pennbo@verizon.net]

I disagree a bit with Irv and Una on line searches. I think done correctly, with the correct spacing for the purpose, they are an effective tool. Of course it depends on the terrain you are searching- and what you are called upon to search FOR. I don't think I would use the word "rarely" when talking about the usefulness of this skill- at least not in our area.

And that highlights another problem with MSAR (and SAR too) - we all tend to be a bit "barn blind". It doesn't work in my area so therefore it won't work in other areas. It's not useful in my area so therefore no one will find it useful. It's important to remember that we are from all over the world on this list and cover as many different types of terrain as exist in that big ol' world too! So identifying what will, and won't, work in your area is an important task. And because we also have many newbies at any time I think it's important to preface some of our comments with "In our area..." or "For our group..." because, well, one size does NOT fit all. 

Another example of this is evidence searches- apparently we are called for help on this more frequently than Una's group- so it is therefore within the scope of our SAR work. Besides, in my view of SAR work all our time in the field on a mission is in essence evidence searching. Sometimes the best formation for the finding of evidence might be a line search, and sometimes not. It's the search coordinator's job to determine that, or in some instances the team leader's. However I feel better the MORE skills I have in my bag of SAR related tricks- and I'd rather the entire unit was respectably trained in those same skills so that we work together as a team better. Might use them often, might not, but if I use them one time and save a life they were worth my time. 

So yes, always a good idea to make sure you are devoting your resources in equal proportion to your highest priorities- we all just need to remember that those priorities are quite likely to change region to region. And besides we shouldn't we be revisiting ALL of our skills on a regular basis?

Chris 
So. Cal.


Mar 10, 2010 02:38:02 PM, msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org wrote:
> I agree with Irv's comment about the line searches.  I have received
> way too much training on that task, yet only rarely is it a useful
> task in a SAR context.  And so often it is taught badly and without 
> regard to basic research in any of the fields in which this type of
> search is used.  Those fields include SAR research, forensics, and
> ecology, among others.  Training should be proportional to importance:
> need for the task, risk of injury if training not refreshed often
> enough, etc.
>
> Evidence searches connected with crimes might be a valuable service
> to law enforcement, but they are outside the scope of SAR.  Here in
> New Mexico the SAR community only rarely does evidence searches, as
> training exercises.  I don't mean they are mock searches, but we do
> them as members of a volunteer SAR association, not under the legal
> direction of NM State Police.  (The volunteer association trains;  
> the State Police runs missions.)  Even so, rarely does an evidence
> search call for line searching.
>
> What are your priorities for training?  Do you spent your time and
> money on training and gear for amateur radio, or tracking, or scent
> awareness, or packing, or wilderness first responder certification,
> or the whole ICS series of courses, or what?  Are you devoting your
> resources to your highest priorities?
>
> 	Una Smith
> 	New Mexico
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