|
Pacific Crest Search Dogs is a non-profit charitable corporation organized to provide trained volunteer personnel and canine/handler teams for search and rescue missions requested by any official agency. In addition, it exists to provide educational programs to the public regarding search and rescue. Pacific Crest Search Dogs does not charge for its search and rescue services.
Pacific Crest Search Dogs was organized in Skamania County, Washington, in August 2004. It immediately began responding to emergency search and rescue operations in Washington and Oregon. Pacific Crest Search Dogs will respond to other states if requested by appropriate officials. There are ten handler/canine teams, with many senior members having extensive prior experience as search and rescue responders. In addition to canine handling, the teams are trained in first aid and CPR, helicopter safety, blood borne pathogens, knowledge of crime scenes, lost person behavior, man-tracking, navigation, wilderness survival, and scent theory.
All canine/handler teams need to pass field certification tests. Tests have been established for wilderness air scent searches, tracking/trailing dog searches, human remains detection, evidence and water searches.
Pacific Crest Search Dogs presently has five canine/handler teams that are certified Operational Responders. They are Sharon Ward and Kunga (Airscent Wilderness and Cadaver), Karen Bagnall and Emmi (Airscent Wilderness), Eileen Espe and Rika(Cadaver), and Kent Stuart and Zeuger (Airscent Wilderness).
Pacific Crest Search Dogs is supported, in part, by a grant from Soutwest Washington Independent Forward Thrust (Swift).
|
