Mounted search and rescue

["David leadbetter" <dleadbetter1@aapt.net.au>]

Irv's comments interested me
Our unit has about 30 members,including ground staff.
95% are female.
7 of us are 55+[ we boast two grandma's].
probably another ten would be over 40.
The balance vary,the youngest being about 18.
Some of us have various issues with backs,knees etc.On the whole we are all 
Quite fit as is the way with most horsey people.
HOWEVER if in depth medicals were required I do not doubt half of us would 
flunk.I myself have a very bad knee and can not run to save myself, I also 
have one or two  tummy problems.
my own problems in no way prevent me from riding or performing my duties 
within our unit.

cheers

Linda L
SES mounted Section
Western Australia

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Irvin Lichtenstein " <ilichten1@verizon.net>
To: "'Mounted search and rescue'" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 12:08 PM
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Fitness Requirements for MSAR Unit Members


> I would presume it depends a lot on how the MSAR is organized.  Those that
> are part of a police department or fire department would adhere to the
> parent department's physical exam policy.  For instance most fire or EMA
> based units might use NFPA 1500 series health and safety standards while
> police based units would use the police department's equivalent.  NGO's
> might use anything.
>
> I can tell you that imposing such standards can be catastrophic in nature 
> to
> the unit once formed and may be to the members.  Our fire relief
> organization decided to fund physicals for every member of the volunteer
> fire department and then required a clearance to run under NFPA 1500. The
> physicals were administered by the occupational health section of a local
> hospital which does physicals for many township public works and police
> departments.  About one third of the volunteer firefighters failed the 
> exam,
> many having hospitalizations result.  Some were forcibly retired, others
> sidelined for over a year until the issues could be resolved.  Many lost
> insurance coverage, became uninsurable, and lost employment or 
> reemployment
> possibilities because they now had conditions that kept them out of normal
> group medical coverage or "normal duty" at their regular jobs, most of 
> which
> they had been functioning at normally for years.
>
> These were cases of deteriorated hearing, reduced lung capacity, having a
> cardiac incident on a stress test, having to wear corrective lenses to 
> pass
> eye exams, age related problems from taking a physical designed for 20 
> year
> olds at age 60, etc.
>
> In one extreme case a member whose heart capacity was reduced, and 
> evidence
> indicated it had been for as much as 20 years, was deemed uninsurable even
> by the high risk carrier the fire company uses and lost over $500 000 in 
> on
> duty only AD&D coverage, but was not eligible for disability benefits. 
> His
> health insurance premium and co-pays just doubled under the only plan that
> will take him, Adult Basic Care, a state government run program for
> uninsured adults who don't qualify for free under Medicade.
>
> Many volunteer riders are older, retired persons, or at least middle aged,
> who have grew up smoking, drinking, working hard and playing hard and 
> their
> health reflects this abuse.  Many of us ride because we can't hike through
> the woods anymore, or at least not as many miles as we used to.
>
> You have to be in reasonably good shape to tack up a horse, particularly
> with a big, heavy, western roping rig and all the stuff we carry.  If you
> impose a standard beyond, "Don't be a hazard to your team mates," and
> enforce it with physicals you will loose riders, and experience you cannot
> afford to loose.
>
> Irv Lichtenstein
> SE PA SAR
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
> [mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Una Smith
> Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 4:04 PM
> To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
> Cc: Steve Hudson
> 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
>
> Hi Steve,
>
> I am forwarding this to MSAR-Riders@lists.ibiblio.org.  Please share
> with us a summary of the responses you get.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Una Smith
> New Mexico
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