Mounted search and rescue

[sleininger@myfrontiermail.com]

T'mi

What is GSAR?  I have two horses that I have been working with to work with 
my k9 while she is doing area search.  She also does trailing and cadaver, 
but I have never been on horseback while she is doing those.  But I have not 
run across the term GSAR.

Sherrel


----- Original Message -----
From: "T'mi Finkle" <tfinkle@erols.com>
To: "Mounted search and rescue" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Friday, December 23, 2011 9:37:02 PM
Subject: Re: [MSAR] TROTSAR on the news





You’re welcome Bob, 

  

    • We deployed them with our certified mounted responders once; our team 
will never do this again. Our Lessons Learned Review revealed that untrained 
persons on horseback during a SAR mission are a safety risk to our members 
and are a liability issue.  The remainder of folks with horses were  told to 
leave the area. 



  

    • We conduct a multi team night search once each year; our mounted team 
members love the learning experience. 



  

    • All of our .Mounted Responders are certified as GSAR first before they 
can deploy as mounted.  Primary we provide mounted resources, however, we 
will augment ground resource in some situations, but the care of the equines 
come first. 



  




From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org 
[mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Bob Foster 
Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 7:37 PM 
To: Mounted search and rescue 
Subject: Re: [MSAR] TROTSAR on the news 

  


I really appreciate your advice and help.  Thanks. 


How did you handle the volunteer riders? 


And what type of night training does your team do to prepare for the night 
search? 


Doe your team also work as ground support/searchers as well? 


On Wed, Nov 30, 2011 at 4:01 AM, T'mi Finkle < tfinkle@erols.com > wrote: 



Hi Bob, 

This is a brief overview about one of our most complex search and rescue 
(SAR) missions our team has had in recent years. 

Via a response request from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management ( 
VDEM Mission VA-070-11) , the TROTSAR Mounted Search and Rescue Team was 
dispatched to help find a missing eight year old autistic child on Tuesday 
October 25 th . The first TROTSAR Member arrived on the scene at 1745 hours 
on Tuesday October 25 th , at the Incident Command Post (ICP) in Doswell 
Virginia  A MSAR base camp was established at 1200 hours on Wednesday at the 
Virginia State Fair Grounds, Meadow Event Park Stables (stalls 1 through 8, 
at no cost to our team members).  A total of 12 mounted searchers responded 
to this mission and two dispatchers provided around the clock support. Since 
12 hour deployment periods were implemented no pack animals were used, but 
NASAR type SAR packs were carried by mounted SAR responders. 

A variety of TROTSAR members remained on the scene throughout the entire 
mission, providing around the clock coverage until 1500 hours on Friday 
October 28 th . Total of 359 volunteer hours were committed for this mission 
and 26 search tasks and assignments were performed by TROTSAR responders.  
Assignments included; mounted tasks, ground SAR tasks, provided task 
briefings to emergent volunteers and planning section duties at the ICP. This 
mission had a happy ending with the missing subject “Robbie Woods” being 
found alive on Friday afternoon, just a couple of hours before a winter storm 
was to impact the region. 

  

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 

  

Overview about Mounted search and Rescue (MSAR) teams: 

  

A wise search manager will not overlook the use of searchers mounted on 
horseback as a resource.  This is particularly true if there are wilderness 
areas in the vicinity.  But even relatively urban areas can have large parks 
or nearby farmland that can become search sites, and mounted searchers can be 
deployed there very effectively. 

  

At the outset, we need to make the distinction between trained searchers on 
horseback and a local horseback rider who volunteers to help on a particular 
search.  While we will discuss the latter later on, our primary focus will be 
on the former:  A fully equipped team of trained searchers mounted on horses 
that have been specially selected and trained for search work. 

  

  

Advantages 

  

The horses themselves are valuable as searchers.  Like dogs, horses have 
highly developed senses of hearing and smell, and they have even better 
eyesight than dogs.  These special skills can be put to good use in a search 
situation, even though the roles of dogs and horses differ greatly.  A search 
dog's training is based upon his forebear's instinctive skills as a searcher 
of prey; as a prey animal, the horse has survived over the centuries by its 
ability to detect a predator and escape before being eaten.  Therefore, while 
a horse cannot be expected to consciously search in the same way that a 
trained air scent or tracking dog does, he is instinctively very aware of his 
surroundings at all times and will alert on anything out of the ordinary, 
especially the presence of another animal -- or a person! -- and he will 
usually detect such a presence well in advance of the rider.  So, a good 
search rider will investigate anything that attracts the horse's attention. 

  

A mounted searcher is able to carry on the horse food, water, first aid and 
survival equipment.  The rider's energy will not be exhausted as quickly as a 
ground searcher carrying such equipment in a backpack.  This advantage is 
especially important in rough or mountainous terrain or in extreme weather 
conditions since the rider may be able to search more effectively for a 
longer period. 

  

  

Applications In Search Operations 

  

The ability of the horse and rider to cover large areas quickly can be used 
to advantage as part of a hasty team.  For example, mounted searchers could 
do a perimeter sweep, cover known trails, ridges and drainages, locate 
unmapped trails, set up trail and road blocks, check track traps (or if the 
ground is hard or dry, create traps on major trails and area access points), 
etc.  The key thing is to make good use of this highly mobile resource. 

                                           

But searching on horseback is not necessarily limited to confinement 
techniques.  Mounted searchers can engage in slow, methodical searching, as 
well.  While horses are usually used to cover trails, mounted searchers can 
bushwhack to cover assigned search areas unless extreme terrain conditions 
make it unsafe to leave the trail.  They can even be used as grid searchers 
in fields and open woods.  For example, they may well be deployed to cover 
large open areas as an alternative to aircraft or dogs.  Particularly in the 
case of brush or tall grass, a team of three or four mounted searchers can 
perform multiple sweeps quicker than ground searchers -- and more 
effectively, because of their elevated perspective. 

  

  

Ms. Tomi` Finkle, CEM, SARTECH II, KB3MKI 
Chief 
TROTSAR Mounted Team 
www.trotsar.org 
1-888-MSAR911 (for 24/7 Emergency Dispatch only) 
301-412-5249 (cell) 

  

Mission Statement: TROTSAR is a non-profit, incorporated all volunteer based, 
mounted search and rescue squad. The Team's primary purpose is to assist 
federal, tribal, state and local government agencies by providing certified 
search & rescue personnel mounted on horseback, for lifesaving missions of 
people who are missing, lost, stranded and/or the rescuing of victims in 
wilderness, rural, suburban or Wide Area Search missions within the 
Mid-Atlantic region. 

  

  




From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto: 
msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org ] On Behalf Of Bob Foster 
Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2011 10:50 PM 



To: Mounted search and rescue 


Subject: Re: [MSAR] TROTSAR on the news 

  


I am a member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department MSAR team.  
First did you find the child? 




  


I am in charge of training for our unit.  I am always looking for an 
opportunity to simulate the facts and circumstances of real MSAR events as 
well as incorporating new training ideas. 


  


Could you send me so info that I could possibly use for training? 


  


What were the circumstances on this search and rescue and what signs/tracks 
were found by MSAR? 


  


How was your MSAR beneficial in this operation? 


  


When you are out on 12/12 shifts, what do you do as far as food is concerned 
and do you sleep in your trailers or some other shelter?  for you and your 
horse. 


  


Do you use a pack animal? 


  


What would you say are the mandatory items to carry?  For you as a rider and 
then for you to give first aid?  


  


I discourage the use of chest lamps for the horse, I think it ruins nigh 
vision, but I have some team members that swear by the light.  What is  your 
opinion? 


  


Thanks for any help.  We are relatively untested in any operation that has 
gone more than 12 hours so your opinion is greatly appreciated. 


  


Deputy Bob Foster 


Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 


Mounted Enforcement Detail/Training 


Cell Phone: 661.309.7399 


Work Email: rkfoster@lasd.org 


  


Personal email: bfostermed@gmail.com 


On Thu, Oct 27, 2011 at 4:24 PM, T'mi Finkle < tfinkle@erols.com > wrote: 



Two of my team members were interviewed by NBC 12, 
http://www.nbc12.com/story/15884231/ha 

  

TROTSAR Mounted Team has been onsite since Tuesday working two 12 hours 
shifts daily 

  

T’mi 

  


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