Mounted search and rescue

["T'mi Finkle" <tfinkle@erols.com>]

With regards to Steve's question; the TROTSAR Mounted Team has each team
member sign a waiver stating they are physically fit to perform MSAR duties
and that they can perform 6 hours in the saddle, they must be able to tack
and un-tack their horse, mount/dismount without assistance, while carrying
their SAR gear.  The minimum required SAR gear list is what's been mandated
by the States of Virginia and Maryland

Due to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
(HIPAA) and personal identifiable information (PII) laws/regulations, our
team is not going require physicals, nor will we maintain such files.  This
is our team's ruling: Unless such medical evaluations are conducted and that
such HIPAA and (PII) is maintained by one of the States that we have a
response MOU with, will not pursue the fitness for duty issue in a greater
depth than what is currently required by each team member.  Our team lawyer
advised us that by having each team member sign such a waiver prior to
joining our Mounted Team, medical concerns become the burden of each team
member.  

A person that is in very poor physical condition will not be able to perform
6 hours in the saddle and will not be able to handle their tack and SAR gear
during that time period.  The 6 hours also applies to the equine, a mount
that is not fit will not be able to perform for 6 hours. Team members not
meeting the standard have 6 months to become compliant and will be re-tested
no more than 2 times.  After 3 attempts the members is dropped as an
operational member. Additionally, all of our team members that they could be
reassigned as a ground resource, so anyone that is not able to walk, due to
injury or disability) is not a deployable resource. MSAR equines have no
super powers and could develop a lameness issue in the field that would
require the rider to walk his/her horse back to base.  We also require that
each team member perform 3 actual (or FE/FSE mock) searches and be assigned
9 search tasks within a 3 year period. 

 
Ride safe,

T'mi
www.trotsar.org

-----Original Message-----
From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:msar-riders- Subject:
Re: [MSAR] Fitness Requirements for MSAR Unit Members

Steve Hudson wrote:
>I'd like to know what MSAR units require for member physical or 
>aerobic fitness to perform mounted SAR.  You can reply off list if you 
>prefer.
>
>Thanks.
>
>
>***********************************************************************
>Steve Hudson
>
>Vice President: Maine Association for Search and Rescue
>Member:         Mount Desert Island Search and Rescue
>                        Bar Harbor, Maine, USA
>
>P.O. Box 1266
>Southwest Harbor, Maine  04679
><shudsonme@myfairpoint.net>
>207-244-9936 Home
>207-244-9591 Work