Ready, willing and able!
Many breeds are used in Search and Rescue.
Training is never ending. Human bone vs. animal bone seminar in Flagstaff.
Teaching event at McDowell Mountain Park. Talking to the public about the use of search and rescue dogs and what to do when lost is an important part of our job.
Search and rescue work requires special equipment for both the human and canine. All members are required to carry a 24-hour survival pack and many canines use booties and vests to keep them safe when searching.
Safety harness used when transporting Canine teams by helicopter.
Team training on Helicopter safety.
Obedience is a must!
Getting fueled up for the search.
Pick me! Pick me! Search dog waits at command post to be deployed.
It takes about 2 years to train a search dog. So we do start them young. This is an eight week old border collie doing a begining track.
These dogs go to schools, open houses, park events, etc. They are very people and dog friendly.
Kids are often lost.
Positive exposure to kids is important for our dogs.
Trailing dogs follow a specific human scent on the ground.
Support personnel are vital to our efforts. They carry additional water, handle communication and navigation, keep an extra set of eyes on the dog, maintain the "BUDDY" concept for safety and are trained in wilderness first aid, CPR.