*** Mountain Bikes for Search & Rescue *** Date: 18 Jul 96 23:29:52 EDT From: raymond r rignel <71143.165@CompuServe.COM> To: all Subject: Moutain Bike SAR?? A SAR friend and I came up with a neat idea to improve hasty searching within our unit. The idea is to use use Moutain Bikes for hasty searches on roads and trails.I was thinking that this could come in handy when searching for lost kids, Altz. patients in urban/suburban settings. This seems practical for us because unlike alot of more rural teams we respond to many missions on the popular trails around here, but since we also cover a large urban area (Seattle) we have alot of these Junior and Granny type searches. A group of searchers on bikes could do quick search of all roads, and backyard trails before more serious methods (ie brush wacking) are used. This doesn't seem so practical to me in the mountainous setting though because of the steep terrain and common darkness. I don't think anyone really does any of this serious mountain biking. I need to convince the higher ups in my unit and maybe even in the county that this is worth a try. What I would like to know is. Has anyone tried this or know of anyone who has? And I would also like to know if this sounds like a total no-brainer or if there appears to be a BIG disadvantage here. Also, any ideas on training things. I was thinking like a bicycle safety, basic repair type class possibly? I really can't think of anything else right now. I would really appreciate any ideas on this to convince all our director types (or to de-convince myself) to try this. We brought this up at a debriefing after a suburban search today and no one really said anything negative except that the bikes could break in the middle of it. What do you experienced guys think? Todd Rignel Seattle Explorer SAR King County Search and Rescue Assoc. Date: Fri, 19 Jul 1996 00:56:44 -0700 From: "Robert J. Koester" To: sar-l@islandnet.com Subject: Re: Moutain Bike SAR?? Dear Raymond R. Rignel: The Appalachian Search & Rescue Conference has a pilot program of using SAR trained members who have also trained with Mountain Bikes. As you correctly noted in your posting it can be ideal for containment, resupplying teams (extra water, food, spare batteries), and hasty searches. For more information on this team such as training and equipment, you can check the following if you have web access http://www.montgomery-floyd.lib.va.us/pub/compages/swvamrg/bsar.html Date: Fri, 19 Jul 96 08:30:02 +0800 From: daveb@media-mosaic.com (David Billstrom) To: sar-l@islandnet.com Subject: Re: Moutain Bike SAR?? We've experimented with the use of mountain bikes on SAR here in the Mt Hood area of Oregon and we've learned a couple of things: - always team riders in pairs. despite the best safety precautions and experienced riders, crashes are inevitable as well as equipment failures. the theory is that if one person (or their bike) goes down, the other is there to help. - It should be obvious without saying, but keep speeds down, even when 'responding' by mountain bike. This minimizes the crash danger described above and increases the ability to do useful SAR work. - Excellent for first aid response. Although it wasn't a member of the general public, but a searcher suffering from heat exhaustion, we cut a 1.5 mile response time over rocky terrain on foot to something like a comfortable 10 minutes. Doesn't help much on the extraction, but great for getting an EMT/paramedic there quickly with BLS med equipment. - Unproven (for us) for cutting sign. We had the idea that we could place bike teams high and have them descend a ridge trail cutting sign. We haven't proved this viable either way, and I personally suspect that the speed of descent (even if governed) will reduce the possibility of detecting sign. I would be interested in hearing from others who have had positive results. - Related to the uniform thread, riders need to be super-obvious in uniform. The conflict between hikers and mtn bikers is not to be underestimated and an official uniform helps deflect hiker annoyance. David Billstrom Mountain Wave Emerg Comm Portland, OR Mountain Bike SAR (USA) We've experimented with the use of mountain bikes on SAR here in the Mt Hood area of Oregon and we've learned a couple of things: - Always team riders in pairs. Despite the best safety precautions and experienced riders, crashes are inevitable as well as equipment failures. The theory is that if one person (or their bike) goes down, the other is there to help. - It should be obvious without saying, but keep speeds down, even when 'responding' by mountain bike. This minimizes the crash danger described above and increases the ability to do useful SAR work. - Excellent for first aid response. Although it wasn't a member of the general public, but a searcher suffering from heat exhaustion, we cut a 1.5 mile response time over rocky terrain on foot to something like a comfortable 10 minutes. Doesn't help much on the extraction, but great for getting an EMT/paramedic there quickly with BLS med equipment. - Unproven (for us) for cutting sign. We had the idea that we could place bike teams high and have them descend a ridge trail cutting sign. We haven't proved this viable either way, and I personally suspect that the speed of descent (even if governed) will reduce the possibility of detecting sign. I would be interested in hearing from others who have had positive results. - Related to the uniform thread, riders need to be super-obvious in uniform. The conflict between hikers and mountain bikers is not to be underestimated and an official uniform helps deflect hiker annoyance. David Billstrom Portland, OR daveb@media-mosaic.com ---------------------------------