On September 28-29, 2019, canine disaster search teams from across the United States joined veteran handlers and instructors Teresa MacPherson (Virginia Task Force 1) & Deborah Burnett (Tennessee Task Force 1) at the National Training Center (NTC) for the third in a series of four disaster search workshops in 2019. Attendees arrived from Alabama, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Washington to utilize much of SDF's 125-acre campus to hone their search skills and challenge their canines and themselves in preparation for deployment with their respective task forces.
Saturday morning began with skill assessments at SDF’s bark barrels under the covered training arena. As all teams participating are at different levels of experience, it allowed instructors to provide better search scenarios and feedback throughout the course.
Then, teams moved on to Direction & Control, where a boat was placed on the field to add an additional level of difficulty. The day ended with search work on the beginner rubble pile and building searches in Search City.
At night, handlers and instructors enjoyed a catered dinner and continued to learn together as they inevitably discussed canine training well into the night. This experience of continued training conversations after the workshop day is officially over is very unique to the National Training Center as handlers are fully immersed in learning the entire weekend.
Sunday kicked off with a rotation through two stations in the upper tiers of our campus – from the car park and a small search with distractions, to the advanced rubble pile in Industrial Park. After lunch, the searching continued on the basic rubble pile in Search City, with fun hunts to keep the dogs amped up before closing out with bark barrels and tunnels.
It was a fun and exhausting workshop that left every dog and handler feeling as though they had learned something, from the basics to the advanced skills practiced through the weekend. We look forward to more workshop series like this to help our nation's search teams prepare for deployment when the call comes.
