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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Winter Searches - clothes

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  • From: "IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN" <ilichten1@verizon.net>
  • To: "'Mounted search and rescue'" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Winter Searches - clothes
  • Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2011 10:30:57 -0500

You must dress for the weather and the conditions to ne encountered. We
stress traditional working clothes for our personnel. Layers that can be
peeled or applied as the air temperature and work level change. The new
breathable materials help a lot with humidity and moisture buildup in a snow
suit.
Generally, a wicking set of long underwear in contact with the skin or over
cotton everyday underwear is the first layer. I use a two layer sock,
inside poly, outside wool and high. This is the warm and dry layer.
I usually break the rules and wear denim jeans and a mixed cotton/poly long
sleeve shirt as the wear layer. My boots are leather, English hunt style,
knee high, which trap air between the denim and the boot. They have double
thick rubber soles, low heels, and Spanish cut tops so they are a little
higher on one side. The saddle is Western, deep padded seat roper with
leather covered stirrups, the reins are wide, supple, and 9 feet long. The
gloves are either lined leather or thermo lined nylon, the coat is long,
synthetic fleece or similar with double ended zipper, zip pockets, and a
built in hood. The coat has a zip out liner layer as well.

The go-nogo decision in winter is usually based on current and forecasted
conditions and the subject's survival. We don't do recoveries at the risk
of still living rescuers so we don't work in thunder storms, or blizzards.

In the Summer we follow each owner's vet's recommendations for the horse.
For the most part these involve adding the air temp in F to the humidity in
per cent and coming up with a unitless number. In the Mid-Atlantic region
the danger number is fairly low because we do not time to condition for
heat. In the deserts of the Southwest it should be somewhat higher.

But whatever you do always wear gloves, boots, long sleeves, and a helmet.
We have ticks, deer flies, and everything you can imagine, including
rattlesnakes.

Irv Lichtenstein
SE PA SAR





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