From Wilma Melville, SDF Founder:The third most intense hurricane on record, Hurricane Rita is now on a rampage across the Gulf of Mexico.No sooner had SDF’s canine-firefighter search teams returned home from their deployment to Hurricane Katrina (their gear still in route), than they were once again called out by …
Katrina deployment update 9/16/05We are happy and grateful to report that the following SDF search teams have safely returned home from their deployment to the Gulf States—from California (Bay Area, Sacramento, and Santa Barbara/Ventura), Florida (Coral Gables, Miami Springs, Temple Terrace), and Ohio (Bellbrook).We send our best wishes for a …
Laguna Beach Landslide: Marc & Val RespondIncident Report from Marc Valentine, SDF handler, Montebello Fire Dept.On Wednesday, June 1, 2005, a large part of Bluebird Canyon in Laguna Beach let go and started to slide downhill. All told, 22 homes were red-tagged and another 30 were yellow-tagged.At about 12:30 p.m., …
Canine Teams in Search of Survivors at the Site of Los Angeles Train DerailmentReport by Su Vodrazka SDF Canine Handler and L.A. Country Sheriff’s Department Deputy On January 26, 2005, at 6:10 a.m., Los Angeles residents awoke to the terrible news of a disaster not far from home. Two Metrolink …
Report by Michael Scott SDF Canine Handler and El Cajon Fire Department Division Chief/Fire MarshalOn December 12, 2004 a section of bluff collapsed at the Torey Pines State Beach. This isn’t the first time—several sections of the San Diego coastline are subject to bluff collapse. There have been a few …
August – September, 2004 – Hurricane CharleyOn a Friday afternoon at 3:56 p.m. the strongest storm to hit Florida in a dozen years slammed ashore with winds of up to 145 mph, leaving an 80-mile path of destruction in its wake. By 11 p.m. the call was out to SDF …
December 26, 2003A few days before Christmas, SDF teams were deployed to the Waterman Canyon wilderness near San Bernardino, California. This was a site where devastating fires increased vulnerability for flooding and mudslides. The teams included: Carrie Henger & Doc (L.A. County Fire), Russell Tao & Harry (Montebello Fire), and John Thomas & …
December 22, 2003Santa Barbara firefighter Howard Orr and his canine partner Duke responded to a 6.5 earthquake that rocked the central coast region of California. “Waiting for the call was the hardest…the excitement and frustration of watching it on TV, knowing this was a perfect opportunity to help,” said Howard. …
June 20, 2003 A Los Angeles neighborhood was thrown into chaos when 28 freight cars went flying off their tracks, crashing into homes and causing at least 11 injuries. The L.A. County Fire Department immediately called in SDF canine-firefighter teams to search for survivors. Within an hour of the derailment, three …
Captain Rick Lee of Sacramento City Fire and his partner Ana, a rescued Golden Retriever, were one of SDF’s very first search teams. In addition to being on call for major state and national disasters, Rick and Ana (like other SDF search teams) serve their community by responding to local emergencies. Some …
