On the morning of August 28, 2020, six canine disaster search teams graduated from SDF’s Handler Course. The handlers completed the course despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, observing distancing and safety protocols throughout their two-week stay on campus.
The graduating class was a combination of four brand new handlers from the Bay Area and Sacramento in California, as well as two veteran handlers from Lincoln, Nebraska, providing ample opportunity to learn, share experiences, and build lifelong friendships.
The new teams joining our nation’s disaster response network are:
CALIFORNIA TASK FORCE 3
Felicia Lee & Jax (San Francisco Fire Department)
Paul Sandigo & Cassie (San Francisco Fire Department/California Task Force 3)
CALIFORNIA TASK FORCE 7
Kiegon List & Chloe (Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District)
James McCandless & Mac (West Sacramento Fire Department)
NEBRASKA TASK FORCE 1
Andrew Pitcher & Storm (Nebraska Task Force 1)
Mark Schroeder & Koda (Nebraska Task Force 1)
Watch our Handler Course and Search Team Graduation Ceremony video here and see photos of graduation below!
During the first week of the course, each handler worked with a variety of canine candidates, not knowing which dog would eventually be their partner. Practicing basic commands and skills with the dogs, as well as perfecting their whistle work and scent theory understanding, the handlers absorbed as much as they could from SDF’s training team.
By the second week, the trainers were confident in seeing the future pairings and began to have the handlers work with one dog, specifically. Their instincts were right, and all six new teams quickly began to bond—handler and dog—even before graduation day.
Though the graduation ceremony looked very different without an audience, SDF’s essential on-campus staff was there to cheer the new teams on from a distance and hundreds of friends, family and supporters watched via social media live stream.
For both handlers and dogs, this day marked months and even years of preparation for this moment, and at the same time, is just the beginning of their journeys together. Each team will now continue training together to be ready for FEMA certification, which will permit them to deploy anywhere in the country with their task forces when they are needed most.
We thank the following for helping make these pairings possible:
- Allen Hohnroth and Renee Berlin for generously sponsoring the graduation ceremony and two-week Handler Course in support of these six new canine disaster search teams.
- A private donor for donating Search Dog Cassie.
- Cheyenne Animal Shelter in Wyoming for rescuing Search Dog Chloe.
- South Dakota Canine Center for recruiting Search Dog Chloe.
- An anonymous donor and the Nahikian Family Foundation for sponsoring Search Dog Chloe.
- Humane Society of Utah for rescuing Search Dog Jax.
- Trevor Lawrence for recruiting Search Dog Jax.
- Lenny and Squiggy for sponsoring Search Dog Jax.
- Oklahoma Lab Rescue for rescuing Search Dog Koda.
- Retired SDF Handler Jason Smith for recruiting Search Dog Koda.
- Mike Perry for fostering Search Dog Koda.
- The Joel and Dena Gambord family for sponsoring Search Dog Koda, joining the additional 24 search dogs sponsored by this generous family.
- A private donor for donating Search Dog Mac.
- Patricia Snyder for sponsoring Search Dog Mac.
- The Indiana K9 Learning Center for recruiting Search Dog Storm.
- Julie Croker for sponsoring Search Dog Storm, making him the third search dog Julie has generously sponsored.
