Several Dawson County residents are planning the formation of a mounted search and rescue unit to serve Dawson County and surrounding areas.

The first public meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Etowah Lodge, 16 East 1st Street, Dawsonville. All those interested in participating in this unit in any capacity are invited to attend this meeting.

Col. Bob Eikenberry, retired USMC, and Steve de Lyra, both members of the Dawson County Community Emergency Response Team and of the Vietnam Veterans of American Local Chapter 970, have been meeting with local residents to discuss organizing the mounted unit.

“There is a lot of training required for both horse and rider in order to have an effective mounted search and rescue unit,” said Eikenberry. “Many of the same disciplines which are covered in CERT training are important, such as incident command structure, first aid, map reading and several other important topics.”

De Lyra said organizers have spoken with local officials, and “we are very encouraged by their supportive attitude.”

The purpose of the initial meeting will be to assess the extent of local interest about forming the unit, inform the types of necessary training for both horse and rider, discuss the structure and mission of the unit and plan a calendar for future meetings and training.

For more information on the North Georgia Mounted Search and Rescue, call (706) 429-9918 or (706) 265-8182.