To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Callout in Madision County VA
Date: Fri, 22 May 2009 17:39:05 -0400
Una- What great resource for researching search missions! Thanks for
sharing!
Sadly it is true that some state do a much better of SAR response than
other States can provide. One thing that helps our team's mission
response are the MOU's we have in place with different States, as well
as with several county governments. We are an NGO Mounted SAR resource
and because we have numerous AHJ's, we have created our own ESF 9
resource typing sheet that is on file with all States within FEMA Region
III. These types of working (response) relationships have required our
team members to obtain an array of public safety certificates and a
higher degree of minimum training requirements, which has gained us
national recognition as a MSAR team that actually deploys to search
missions. There are some mighty fine MSAR teams that have a great
deployment track records too and I commend them for their service. It
is great to see teams post mission reviews here on MSAR-Riders. Over
the years I have witness riding clubs that once offer to respond to look
for lost persons that later became a first class MSAR Team.
Our membership base spans multiple states and several different
counties. Having our mounted responders live in such a broad area
increase our coverage area and reduces our response time that allows us
to serve many AHJ's (not just one AHJ as some teams choose to do). The
down side to a broad regional based membership are the locations we use
for training. Clearly we can not train at someone farm or boarding barn
month after month, so we must alternate States (and regions within the
state) for training sessions, which adds to our team's exposure and
enhances our PR.
Our Callout Process: Since two of the four States we serve require a
return call (response of status) within 10 minutes after being requested
for service, we did away with the old fashion Phone Tree System and
implemented text paging and emails as our primary method of
communication. It is not a perfect communications system, but it does
work. We can reach 80% of our mounted responders and have returned
response from them and back to the AHJ within this time period.
Regardless of the AHJ, they know from past deployment/missions; the
only resource they need to provide for our team is a parking space/area
about the size equal for 2 buses, for each MSAR Team they request (we
deploy as a self supporting resource for a minimum of 72 hours). AHJ's
know we will respond once we commit to responding and they also know we
will not self-deploy or over deploy.
The biggest failure point that I have seen with some MSAR teams is they
remain too focused on what is happening within their own county or local
area and pay little attention to state protocols and mission critical
updates that are occurring around them, thus making them a non-suitable
resource outside their localized area. Although it is their legal
right, some local governments do not want outside help and only want
things done their way, which is a mindset that often times can trickle
down to their SAR responders. I am sure everyone has seen someone make
the comment "WELL.... we do not do that way HERE in (enter your hometown
name) and it has been working just fine for over 20 years" (Beware of
this type of smoke and mirrors and of those who self deploy).
Incident response undergone some major changes since 2001. Most of your
progressive MSAR teams have after action reports or mission overviews
that they are happy to share as proof of their deployment missions over
the past 8 years. I suggest that new MSAR teams learn from the teams
that are actually out there, on deployment, responding to missions,
putting in realistic training time, putting SAR time in the saddle,
getting dirty and saving lives. Because media coverage comes from so
many sources nowadays, even small SAR mission can nowadays be verified
by a simple Goggle Search.
MSAR teams across the USA can increase their response time, by working
with their local and state ESF-9 coordinators. I would be happy to
assist any team that would like to enhance their response time and
deployment performance (contact me off list). Our team standards and
operational procedures are posted on the MSAR site and all available for
all to use. We have been an MSAR resource since 1992, maybe not a very
long track record in the eyes of some. Over the past 17 years we have
learned from the best, as well as totally discarded many useless
suggestions and opinions.