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Equipment

The equipment is divided into two sections for Search and Rescue operations, 24 Hour and 48 Hour. The 24 hour is the minimum equipment needed for the field that must be carried on your person. This list should not be considered complete. Take into account all of the conditions of the search along with your personal needs and those of your horse when packing. Also do not forget any medications you may be taking. 
Do not allow your pack to become separated from you in the field, unless watched over by a team mate for a short period of time. During training, a loose horse with packs will have the pack confiscated until the training event is over.

24 Hour Pack

The 24 hour pack is carried during a single day search mission, with enough extra items to be able to stay out overnight in an emergency, and still have enough left over to care for the lost subject. One example would be in the event that you found the missing subject, and the subject could not be moved immediately for medical reasons. You would then need to stay with the subject until he or she could be moved, or you were relieved by another member.

 

The 24 hour pack should be carried partially on your body in the form of a vest, fanny pack or small backpack, with all the essentials needed to survive should you become separated from your horse (Food, water or water treatment system, shelter, fire starting materials). With the 24 hour pack partially carried on your body.

48 Hour Pack

The 48 hour pack contains the 24 hour pack plus the remainder of the gear, food and water necessary to camp out overnight for two nights. The combination of the two packs should sustain you for three days and two nights. The intention is to provide one full day worth of provisions, with enough extra to stay another night if required in case of emergency. The extra provisions may also be used for the subject if found. The 48 hour pack generally involves saddlebags. The 48 hour pack is required equipment and should not weigh more than 45 lb.

*Please note that the items shown below do not represent everything from the list but are meant to provide a basic idea of what a 24hr and 48hr pack look like to assist you in building your own pack.   

24 Hour Pack Contents Carried on Your Body:

Compass Requirements:

  • Accurate to 1 degree

  • Protractor type base

  • Sighting Mirror

  • Declination offset design

  • Liquid dampened

  • Suitable for night use

Navigation Kit Contents:

  • Pencils

  • "Write in the rain" notebook

  • Protractor

  • Ruler

  • UMS Ruler

  • Map and waterproof enclosure

Emergency Kit Contents:

  • Whistle

  • 4 Safety Pins

  • Single Edge safety razor

  • 3 packages, 10 matches each

  • waterproof candle stub

  • 2 large heavy duty garbage bags

  • or space blanket

  • Signal mirror or compass mirror

  • Water treatment system

  • Food- enough for 4 meals

  • no cooking required

  • Toilet paper- wrapped in plastic

  • First aid kit

  • Wristwatch

  • Head Lamp or standard flashlight with extra batteries and bulb

  • Pocket Knife

24 Hour Pack Contents Carried on Your Horse:

  • 50 feet of 500 lb. nylon line

  • 1 roll plastic grid tape

  • Duct tape

  • Water- 2 quarts minimum

  • Fire Kit- Candle stubs or fire starters, waterproof matches, lighter

  • Shelter- 9 x12 tarp or small tent

  • Extra leather strap or bridle

  • Lead line and halter

  • Horse care (ace bandage or vetwrap, surgical scrub, hoof pick)

  • Extra ziplock and garbage bags

Suggested Items:

  • Sunglasses

  • Insect repellent 

  • Sunscreen 

  • Chap Stick 

  • Strobe Light 

  • Glow Sticks 

  • Easy Boots 

  • Collapsible Bucket 

  • Gaiters 

  • Splint boots/bell boots 

  • Breaching or crupper 

  • Breast Collar 

  • Saw and scabbard 

  • Water treatment pills 

  • Feed bag 

  • Horseshoe Nails, old shoes 

  • Phenylbutazone 

  • Nitrotop Antibiotic/Antiseptic 

  • Gauze 

  • Saline solution 

  • Iodine solution 

  • Syringe

48 Hour Pack Contents:

All of the contents of the 24 hour pack plus the following:

  • Sleeping Bag

  • Alfalfa pellets, grain etc.

  • First Aid Kit

  • Wristwatch

  • Head lamp or standard flash-light with extra batteries and blub

  • Pocket Knife

Clothing:

All clothing must be wool, polypropylene or with similar properties. NO COTTON. No cotton is allowed during missions or trainings, this includes jeans. BUT Filson clothing company's weather resistant jackets and pants are the only exception. They are something we feel is the most beneficial for what we do.  All clothing carried in the pack should be in waterproof bags.

  • Long underwear

  • Pants

  • Shirt + extra shirt or sweater

  • Jacket

  • Orange safely vest

  • Hat ( with ear protection)

  • Socks (two pair)

  • Gloves or mittens with water-proof outer covering

  • Gloves- leather for heavy brush clearing

  • Rain gear (rubberized nylon)

  • Boots- waterproof or treated with waterproofing

Click HERE for a .pdf version of the information on this page.

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