Deployment readiness training for your Search Teams

Deployment readiness training for your Search Teams

On the weekend of November 17th, 13 Search Teams from Oklahoma and Dallas gathered for a Regional Training hosted by the Tulsa Fire Department and Oklahoma Task Force 1. SDF was proud to send Master Trainer Sonja Heritage and Canine Recruitment Manager and Trainer Darrell Wilkerson to Tulsa to observe the teams and give advice to advance the teams’ deployment readiness. During the three-day course, the teams’ skills were put to the test through a variety of search scenarios: a rubble pile, a pallet pile, a seven-story building, a warehouse, and wide-area searches.
Disasters will happen. It’s not a matter of if, but when. Giving these Task Forces the opportunity to bond and get to know each others’ strengths will be invaluable when they are called upon to respond to the next disaster.

 

Sonja training in Tulsa

“I am so impressed with how our teams performed! We set-up difficult search scenarios with purpose, in order to challenge the canines and their handlers, and it wasn’t easy for them. This is serious business and I’m happy to say the dogs looked strong, fit, and were hitting the scent like we expect them to be able to out in the real world. The handlers did a very nice job of letting their dogs do what they do best, and I think everyone walked away having learned something.

The wonderful thing about a regional training like this, is that these multiple teams are bonding and getting to know how one another works. When another major disaster inevitably occurs, like the tornado in Moore, OK in 2013, these teams will already know one another. That’s a big leg up when it comes to a massive search and rescue operation that requires so many players. They’ll be hitting the ground sooner and feeling more secure about the team standing shoulder to shoulder with them. I want to thank OK-TF1 and the Tulsa Fire Department for hosting us. It takes a lot of people-power to make something like this happen and we sure appreciate the opportunity!

Thank you for your support of these teams which allows them to do the amazing work they do!” – Sonja Heritage, SDF Master Trainer

Participating Search Teams:

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Oklahoma Task Force 1
(Oklahoma City)
Brent Koeninger & Moxie
Justin Lechman & Ocho
Andrew McCann & Jagger
John Spicer & Hurley (non-SDF)
Dane Yaw & Salsa

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Oklahoma Task Force 1
(Tulsa)
Jeff Leon & Justice
Vincent Stoops & Magnum
Adrienne Seibel & Gunny

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Texas Task Force 2
(Dallas)
Derek Chaky & Scout
Keri Grant & Tucker
Robert Grant & Rocky
Patti Krafft & Billy
Laurel Pitman & Sonic

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Tulsa training teamsTulsa training teams

Keri Grant & Tucker, TX-TF2:

“Multi-victim searches are the most difficult scenarios to train on at home with the limited time we have. Attending regional trainings with other handlers provides not only new territory to search, but new ‘victims’ to find and priceless objective feedback from others who can see what I may not. Constructive criticism is invaluable to our success as a team! I always learn new techniques, strategies and get advice that I can add to my toolbox. Tucker and I really enjoy the true one-on-one time we get too, away from all the distractions of our busy, chaotic world at home!”

Adrienne Seibel & Gunny, OK-TF1 (Tulsa):

“I thought the training went very well. I think all the teams were challenged and learned something from the week. I had a great time seeing all the teams work! It’s always a great learning experience every time we get together. Thank you to the teams and trainers for coming out and working hard – the dogs look great! A special thank you to my teammates on OK-TF1 for helping to host our friends in this region.”

Derek Chaky & Scout, TX-TF2:

“It was good to get a ‘multiple victim search’ in, with a couple of the victims stacked on top of one another. Blending the three teams allowed us to watch and learn from handlers we are not usually around. Our canines got to search on multiple new structures and piles. ‘No Rules’ search made us, the handlers, implement our own search plan and make sure the search area was cleared.”