Capabilities of SAR Field Techs and SAR Dog Handlers
Using a wide range of acquired skills, SARDAA’s dog/handler teams provide professional, effective support to the local rescue agencies. Following is a list of training received by our members:
- Search & Rescue Basics
- SAR Fundamentals
- Civil Emergency Response
- Evidence Preservation & Courtroom Procedures
- Land Navigation
- Map and Compass / GPS
- Radio Communications
- Wilderness Survival
- First Aid / CPR
- Canine First Aid
- Critical Incident Stress Management
- Lost Person Behaviour
- Scent Theory
- Search Theory
- Disaster Search Safety & Awareness
- Swift Water Awareness
SARDAA’s search dogs are specially trained to locate human scent in a wide variety of circumstances. Human scent particles can be carried by the wind for great distances or can cling to footsteps or articles a person touches. SARDAA’s dogs are trained in the following areas:
- Basic and Advanced obedience
- Agility
- Person search
- Article search
Some of our teams have extra training and are also qualified in the following areas:
- Tracking
- Water search
- Human Remains search
- Disaster search
Qualifications of SAR Field Techs and SAR Dog Handlers
SARDAA maintains a schedule of weekly training throughout the year. Dogs and handlers progress through training one level at a time, advancing only when prepared for the next level. And, there are several search profiles the dogs can qualify for which build on their basic search capabilities.
Basic skills include obedience and agility training, proficiency in locating a hidden person and in locating small articles; expanded profiles include – water search, cadaver search and disaster search. Tracking training is encouraged and teams can also qualify in tracking.
Each SARDAA team listed as ‘mission ready’ has been qualified under specific criteria, evaluated by our qualification team including tasking agency representatives.