Search Teams

Our Search Teams

Baja California Task Force 3 (BC-TF3)

California Regional Task Force 7 (CA-RTF7) Ventura County

California Task Force 1 (CA-TF1) Los Angeles City

California Task Force 2 (CA-TF2) Los Angeles County

California Task Force 3 (CA-TF3) Bay Area

California Task Force 4 (CA-TF4) Oakland

California Task Force 5 (CA-TF5) Orange County

California Task Force 7 (CA-TF7) Sacramento

California Task Force 8 (CA-TF8) San Diego

Nebraska Task Force 1 (NE-TF1)

New York Task Force 2 (NY-TF2)

Oklahoma Task Force 1 (OK-TF1)

Utah Task Force 1 (UT-TF1)

Virginia Task Force 1 (VA-TF1)

Virginia Task Force 2 (VA-TF2)

Koda & Mark Schroeder

Koda & Mark Schroeder

Team Info

 

Task Force: Nebraska Task Force 1 (NE-TF1)

Level: Certified

 

 

Search Dog Info

 

Breed: Yellow Lab
Sex: Male
Born: January 22, 2016
Sponsor: The Joel and Dena Gambord Family

 

 

Koda was recruited by retired handler Jason Smith, an Oklahoma City firefighter and Oklahoma Task Force 1 member. Jason’s friend and fellow firefighter had adopted Koda from Oklahoma Lab Rescue several months earlier, but when they found out their family was growing, Koda’s off-the-wall energy was too much for them. Jason evaluated Koda and offered to help him find a great career in search and rescue, to which the couple agreed.

 

Koda was flown to California and tentatively accepted into our training program. He was very young and immature, and SDF trainers weren’t positive that his over-the-top energy wasn’t puppy energy that Koda would outgrow. A Kern County firefighter, Mike Perry, had been volunteering with our training team and agreed to foster Koda in his home with his family for a few months.

 

Quickly becoming a part of the Perry family’s household, Koda loved playing with Mike’s kids and benefitted from the one-on-one attention and structure they could provide. When he was old enough, Koda returned to SDF’s campus and, upon further evaluation, was officially accepted into our training program.

 

It didn’t take long for our training team to notice Koda’s physical changes. They watched him proudly trot off the rubble pile, a well-deserved toy in his mouth, signifying a job well done.

 

As graduation approached, Mike came to help train the candidates one last time. He spent the night in our Handler’s Lodge and had a sleepover party with Koda—one final guys’ night. The next morning, Mike left this handwritten note: “To Koda’s future Handler, Koda continues to show tremendous growth. He has stolen a huge piece of who I am. I am beyond excited for the person who gets to be his Handler. Best of luck to you and my boy, Koda!”

 

Koda graduated from our training program on October 26, 2018, and partnered with a California task force member. Unfortunately, that handler did not continue in the program long-term and Koda was returned to our campus to be partnered with a new handler.

 

On August 28, 2020, Koda was paired with veteran SDF Handler Mark Schroeder of Nebraska Task Force 1. Mark knew from the first moment of the Handler Course that Koda was the dog for him—another yellow Lab to add to the family! The team continued to train hard in preparation for FEMA certification, making them deployable when disasters strike across the country.

 

After lengthy delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mark and Koda secured a spot to test their skills at the federal level and ensure they met standards to deploy with the task force when disasters strike. The team achieved certification with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in November 2020.

 

Koda and Mark have deployed on the following missions together:

 

  • May 20, 2021 – Missing Person Search – Papillion, NE
  • August 5, 2021 – Missing Person Search – Omaha, NE
  • August 27, 2021 – Hurricane Ida – New Orleans, LA

 

Koda and Mark traveled to Puyallup, WA, in July 2023 and achieved FEMA re-certification. Teams must be evaluated every three years to prove their skills are up to par and maintain their active deployment status with NE-TF1.

 

Koda joined Mark at home as the third SDF-trained search dog to join his family. Mark plans to retire from disaster search, with Koda by his side, when they both finish a successful career together as a search team.

 

We are so grateful to Oklahoma Lab Rescue, Lieutenant Jason Smith, and the Perry family, who helped Koda find his renewed purpose in life as a thriving disaster search dog!