Mounted search and rescue

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

Thanks Una!
 

-----Original Message-----
From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org 
[mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Una Smith
Sent: Monday, September 03, 2012 1:51 PM
To: Mounted search and rescue
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Heat Index criteria for training/active searches

The subject line of this thread mentions the Heat Index.  For those not 
familiar with the term, it refers to a table combining
ambient temperature and humidity.  See for example 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_index .

The table on that page gives Heat Index numbers for 40% to 100% humidity.
Note that the Extreme Danger range of temperature varies by ~20 degress 
Farenheit, depending on humidity.  Heat Index can change
fairly rapidly from one location to another and over the course of the day, 
so I would not necessarily make call-out decisions based
on it.  However, when giving task assignments to field teams I certainly 
would take HI into account.
In terms of Incident Command System, monitoring HI during the course of a SAR 
mission would be part of the job of the Safety
Officer.

Physical condition and hydration level are important mitigators but in the 
Extreme Danger range even well conditioned and hydrated
individuals may be in extreme danger.

Here in New Mexico humidity rarely exceeds 20% except in the monsoon season, 
when it rarely exceeds 40%, so we don't even fall on
the table.

        Una Smith
        New Mexico

PS:  If you want to use the Heat Index table in your own document, here is 
how to do it.  From
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:HeatTable
print to a PDF file.  In a PDF editor (such as Adobe Illustrator) crop and 
save the table as EPS file format, and include the EPS in
your own document.  See also http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Terms_of_use 
.

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