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SAR Dog News June 2014 Published by the National Search Dog Alliance Vol. 8, No. 6
The Voice of K-9 Search and Rescue @ n-sda.org Founding members: K-9 Thor, Eileen M. Nobles, Susan Bulanda, K-9 Roo, Leslie Godchaux, Brian R. Hendrickson,
Continental Kennel Club, Inc., K-9 River, K-9 Persha, Jan Thompson, K-9 Cali, Peggy Ann Buchman, K-9 Geist
CONTENTS
Article page Insurance for SAR K-9s 1 BOD Meeting Dates 1 NSDA Facebook Page 2 NSDA Growth 2 NSDA Testing 2 New Officers 3 BOD Meeting Synopsis 3 OSO SAR K-9 weekend 4 Granite Mountain Avalanche 6 Seminar Instructor Profile 9 Injured Police K-9 Update 9 Smell Tests for K-9s 10 Careers for Dog Lovers 11 Calm Your Dog in a Thunderstorm 12 Kibbles and Bits 13 Trivia 15 Robotic Systems in SAR 16 Last Howl 19
NSDA Income & Expense 20 Training, Seminars 21 Atterbury Registration 25
INSURANCE FOR SAR K-9s
Volunteer Firemen’s Insurance Services, Inc. (VFIS) will be offering an option to their insurance policies to cover search and rescue canines. This option will not be available until August 1, 2014, and many agents do not have information relating to it yet.
It will cover the theft or death of a search and rescue canine when the dog is scheduled by name, breed and value. No deductible applies.
The K-9 ownership follows the canine; therefore the dog does not have to be the property of an agency.
Death of a SAR K-9 must be line of duty and result directly from participation in training or a search.
I’M GOING TO
ATTERBURY EVEN
IF I HAVE TO DRIVE!
OCTOBER 9-12
NSDA FALL
SEMINAR
Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana.
Registration form attached to this newsletter. For more information, contact [email protected]
2014 BOARD MEETING DATES
July 10 August 7
September 4 October 2
November 6 December 4
SAR Dog News, June 2014 Page 2
NSDA Facebook is up and running Take a look at our updated Facebook page. Ricki Mclaughlin, a long time SAR worker from Washington has offered to take on the job of monitor. When searching for us on Facebook, we are under “NSDA”. We show our logo with the dog wearing a vest. Do you have any photos or stories? Please send in information you think would be of interest to other K-9 SAR volunteers. NSDA is going ACTIVE
NSDA GROWTH In the last twelve months
We have retained an Executive Director. NSDA membership is up 36%. The number of NSDA Evaluators has increased by 29%. Our assets have increased 18%. All nine Board positions are filled for the first time in eighteen months
This last year, tests were conducted for handlers living in the following states: Alabama Indiana Oklahoma Alaska Florida Texas Arkansas Michigan Washington Idaho Missouri Wisconsin Illinois Montana
DO YOU WANT A TEST? You can:
1. Go to www.n-sda.org, Testing Information page and watch for a test. 2. Go to www.n-sda.org, Evaluator Information page and contact your closest Evaluator. 3. Contact Testing Coordinator, Jan Frazee at [email protected] to put your name on a list
or to arrange a test 4. If you have three or more testing, send in your Evaluator Expense Reimbursement
Application for up to $300 to our Treasurer. Soon to be posted on www.n-sda.org Testing Information page.
SAR Dog News, June 2014 Page 3
BOARD OF DIRECTORS The following officers were elected at the June 5, 2014, Board of Directors Quarterly meeting:
President: Norma Snelling, Washington
[email protected] 360-808-0894
Secretary
Julie Gibson, Idaho [email protected]
Vice-President
Terry Crooks, Montana [email protected]
Treasurer: Sherry Scruggs, Georgia
June Quarterly Board Meeting Synopsis The Quarterly Board meeting was held by conference call on Thursday, June 5, 2014. Executive Director Shayla Price, in conjunction with Sponsorship Chair Judy Otto, has been working on grants, sponsors and donations. The July Board Meeting date has been changed from July 3 to July 10 to accommodate the July 4th holiday. The Alliance Depot had $110 in May sales largely due to the purchases made at the Washington State Conference.
SAR Dog News, June 2014 Page 4
A motion for NSDA to have Disaster First Responder Types III and II, both live and HRD, and leave Type I open was approved. After lengthy discussions, the Disaster First Responder Live and HRD Type III were approved with the corrections discussed.
The new Board was seated and officers were elected. Susan Fleming of Pennsylvania was appointed to serve a one year term in Region 3 and Suzanne
Elshult of Washington State was appointed for Region 2. (Julie Gibson had been appointed previously to fill the vacancy of Robert Simon in Region 3.)
Romeo Mejias was approved as a Principal Evaluator in Area, Land HRD, Trailing and Water HRD. The PA SAR Council and Snohomish County SAR Air Scent standards were approved as comparable to NSDA’s.
Invoices to pay for NSDA insurance and reservations for the 2015 Camp Reed conference were approved.
Active Law Enforcement applying for an Evaluator position were exempted from the FBI background check required for that position by NSDA.
See the full minutes online at www.n-sda.org.
OSO SAR K-9 Weekend By Suzanne Elshult, Snohomish County
Volunteer Search and Rescue K9 Team
Airscent Facilitato
OSO SAR K-9 Weekend June 21, 22 hosted by Snohomish County
Volunteer Search and Rescue K-9 Team
Marcia Koenig & Raven, King County Search Dogs;
Oso, Washington mudslide
All SAR K-9 teams and K-9 field support that deployed on the OSO landslide are welcome to all three events at the OSO SAR K-9
Weekend June 21, 22. This will be an important opportunity to decompress, train, network and share lessons learnt together. Follow the link below for more articles that have been published since the beginning of the OSO mudslide (almost 1000 readers now) about the SAR K-9 deployment and on the slide in the K9SARYak Magazine: http://flip.it/wRFdp Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue K-9 Team has spent considerable time putting together a comprehensive list of K-9 teams and K-9 field support that deployed and it looks like some 60 SAR teams from half a dozen states (and Canada) participated. While we have been able to get e-mails for most, please forward this announcement to others in your groups to make sure we reach everyone. If you are traveling more than 200 miles and need to get a motel room, Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue K-9 Team may be able to reimburse
SAR Dog News, June 2014 Page 5
you up to $100 if you submit receipts and mileage. There will be three different events:
1. Joint K-9 Training Saturday, June 21 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. RSVP Here: http://www.celebrations.com/nf7hk7zskkbzdqvyq
This training will take place in the Armstrong Tract a couple of miles from the OSO landslide. There is a strong likelihood that several of the certified HRD teams attending will be deploying part of the day on the OSO debris field.
2. Dinner Saturday, June 21 6:30 pm-10:00 pm.
In addition to great food and an opportunity to connect and talk to your fellow K-9 handlers and field support, we will have a special OSO K-9 slide production, recognition and some other surprises.
3. OSO – Experiences and Lessons Learned Discussion Sunday, June 22 8:30 am – 12:30 pm.
This will be an opportunity for all of us to share experiences and lessons learned. There are a number of questions we can address.
Donated items. we would like to share K-9 related items with attendees that were donated such as dog crates, snacks, toys and rain gear for humans.
Finally, I have very much appreciated getting e-mails from many of you sharing your
experiences and know that your deployment at OSO, in some instances, has been life-changing. Immediately after the event, I encouraged everybody on our K-9 team that deployed to write down and share their most meaningful and memorable “moments” with others. This turned out to be a therapeutic and profound experience for many of us and I encourage you to do the same. Please send me a paragraph or two of “your moment” that can be shared with others at our event. See below for a couple of examples from our group: Nothing can prepare you for the devastation we saw. Homes were not only wiped out, the foundation was buried under feet upon feet of mud, water, and clay. Huge trees were knocked down. Cars and trucks were sliced in half. That really just made you stop and stare with a slack jaw. I started sliding and sinking in the clay (which was being likened to quick sand).
Libby Lindell, K-9 Field Support I watched Keb climb up onto a debris pile of mud, broken house parts and other personal items from the many homes destroyed in the slide. She sat down on top of the pile, the perfect indication. A single bark from Keb brought everyone’s attention to the debris pile where the firefighters started carefully removing wreckage.
Dan Merrifield, K-9 Field Support
SAR Dog News, June 2014 Page 6
Granite Mountain Avalanche 3-22-2014 By Kevin Hugget
Granite Mountain sits just North of I-90, forty five miles East of Seattle in King County, Washington. An avalanche occurred Saturday, March 22, 2014 at approximately 1632 hours. he avalanche was a soft slab that initially broke due to human encroachment. There were two separate fracture lines that were unintentionally triggered by two skiers and a dog. The avalanche was medium-large relative to the path. It started close to the ridgeline on a south-southeast facing slope above tree line. It ran about 2600 vertical feet, and ended in a drainage gully terrain trap. The skiers and the dog left the Granite Mountain trailhead between 11-11:30 a.m. with the objective of reaching the lookout and skiing down. One skier was caught, buried and fatally injured. The other person skied out of the avalanche path and the dog took a 1,000 foot ride, was shaken but uninjured. Alpental BARK (Backcountry Avalanche Rescue K-9) teams with two dogs and six people arrived on scene at approximately 1742 hours. There were two King County SAR teams already in the field.
SAR Dog News, June 2014 Page 7
Two BARK members and I with my K-9 Jett headed up the Granite Mountain Trail. At the major switch back at 2200 feet, we noticed new debris about 100 feet above the switchback forming the
toe of the avalanche. We talked to the teams in the field and asked if anyone had searched the toe and received a negative reply. We searched with the dog and transceivers up to approximately 2500 feet. At 2407 feet, Brett Wozow located a ski pole. We were also getting sporadic transceiver signals in this area, but the signal was not consistent enough to follow. K-9 Jett also indicated interest in an area off the side of the path where water was flowing out. We pulled out with loss of daylight and with no definitive results.
Kevin Huggett & K-9 Jett
After discussion with the SAR Coordinator, it was decided to meet back at the trailhead to resume the search at first light. We arrived at the trailhead at 0500 hours. We had two dogs and four people from BARK entering the field with four people from King County SAR. Two King County SAR members went in high to set up safety while two others went across the freeway for better visibility of the avalanche path for our safety as well. BARK members started up the trail at 0525 hours and arrived at the 2200 foot switchback at 0621 hours. Ron Linde, K-9 Etta and Pete Severtson continued up the trail to search the upper part of the chute where Jackson, the subject’s dog, has been located. K-9 Jett, Bram Thrift and I waited for light and for the “safeties” to get into position. At 0655 hours, we headed onto the toe of the avalanche and worked up the hill. At 0735hours, K-9 Jett had a lot of interest in a four foot area at 2382 feet. I marked it on my GPS, flagged it and asked Thrift to probe the area while I continued searching. He did and, while probing, found a void in the snowpack. At approximately 0800 hours, Thrift shoveled to the void and looked in with headlamp. He saw the subject’s arm exposed in the void.
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We called in to base that we had located the subject and asked for the other BARK team and additional manpower and equipment to dig him out. We wrapped the subject and King County SAR members evacuated him to waiting transport. Lessons learned: Trust your dog and pay attention. Don’t always expect a classic indication. Due to the ice layers, tunnels under the snow and the subject buried and lying in a creek, scent did not present in a predictable manner. While K-9 Jett showed interest the first night in areas off to the side where the water was flowing, the scent wasn’t strong or concentrated enough to inspire a full-on indication. However, K-9 Jett did not want to leave the area. The water flow changed during the night. Thus, the scent picture changed and more scent was able to work its way through the snow and reach the surface. Rechecking the area in the morning allowed K-9 Jett to successfully locate the subject.
The author, Kevin Huggett, is a Kittitas County SAR Dog Group Leader, an NSDA Avalanche Evaluator and an Alpental BARK Avalanche K-9 Handler. He is a Snoqualmie Pass Fire Rescue EMT, Jett Lzl’s Avalanche in Black CGC, SAR-W, is certified in SARDUS AirScent and in NSDA/BARK Avalanche.
SAR Dog News, June 2014 Page 9
INDIANA IN THE FALL Join NSDA in Edinburgh, Indiana, at Camp Atterbury for the October 9-12, 2014, Fall Seminar. See the registration at the back of this newsletter. Below is the biography of another Instructor at the Fall 2014 NSDA Seminar.
Area Sharon Jones
Virginia Search and Rescue Council
Sharon joined DOGS-East, Inc in 1989. Since then, she has responded to over 400 searches. She works with dogs in all areas of air scent search – wilderness, cadaver, water and disaster standards for air scent teams. She is an evaluator with the State of Virginia as well as for DOGS-East. She teaches live air scent, cadaver and land navigation at seminars and conferences throughout the country. Sharon provides instructional search information to law enforcement as well as search & rescue teams. She is currently President of DOGS-East and working her fifth SAR dog – Hugo, a Border collie. Watch for biographies of the other Atterbury instructors in future issues of SAR Dog News.
UPDATE: K-9 JAKE
Stabbed Arizona Police Dog Fully Recovered
Mesa, Arizona, Police K-9 Jake, who was stabbed during a standoff in late April, has completely recovered from his wounds. K-9 Jake's handler, Officer Scott Callender, said that his partner has made a full recovery after undergoing emergency surgery.
Jake was stabbed several times during a confrontation on April 26 with Chad Bogle, who died from gunshot wounds following an exchange of gunfire.
Mesa officers responded to a home for a reported a burglary in progress. A neighbor told police that he confronted Bogle, who pointed a gun at him.
Police said that the suspect came out of the home several times and ignored officers' commands. Bean bag rounds were fired
SAR Dog News, June 2014 Page 10
at the suspect before they ultimately sent Jake after him.
Jake bit Bogle but the suspect dragged the dog into the house where officers believe he stabbed Jake multiple times before releasing the canine out the front door. The dog's handler picked him up and drove him to the veterinarian. “As it was happening, I felt very
helpless because I knew there was nothing I could do to help him," the officer told a local news station.
Despite his recovery, Jake was already set to retire and with not return to duty.
Source: Officer.com News
Smell Tests for K-9s
Gregory Berns, director of Emory’s Center for Neuropolicy, led a team of scientists to conduct the first brain-imaging study of dogs as they responded to biological odors. The experiment involved twelve dogs of various breeds that had been trained to enter an MRI scanner while awake and unrestrained.
As the dog’s brains were scanned, they were presented with five different scented gauze pads. The scent samples came from the subject dog, a dog the subject had never met, a dog that lived in the same household, a human the subject had not met, and a human that lived in the dog’s household. All five scents elicited a similar response in the parts of dogs’ brains involved in detecting smells. The responses were much stronger for the scents of familiar humans and the odor of a familiar dog produced the next strongest brain response.
“While we might expect that dogs should be highly tuned to the smell of other dogs, it
seems that the reward response is reserved for their humans,” Berns said in a news release. “Whether this is based on food, play, innate genetic predisposition or something else remains an area for future investigation.”
Berns also discovered that dogs that had received service or therapy training showed greater activation in the caudate region of their brains than dogs that had not had this type of training. In humans, the caudate region is associated with decision-making, motivation and emotions. It’s unclear if this difference is genetic or if it’s a result of the dogs’ training.
Berns said his team plans further research.
Source: Mother Nature Network, Idaho Statesman
SAR Dog News, June 2014 Page 11
Careers for Dog Lovers
Many people who love dogs want to turn that caring into a career. The main question to answer first is are you looking for a true career, a full-time job, a part-time job, or a volunteer position such as search and rescue or therapy dog work. Fortunately, there are many opportunities for doing work with canines.
Veterinarian: Imagine caring for dogs and other pets all day long, helping them heal and lead happy, healthy lives. It's a dog lovers dream job—if you have the time, the financial means, and the
aptitude to be a doctor. To become a DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine), you need to complete an additional four years of veterinarian training after a four-year undergraduate program (and more if you want to specialize). Veterinary Technician/Veterinary Assistant: These positions are just under DVM in the pecking order. To qualify as a licensed veterinary technician, you will likely need to complete a two- to four-year program. Veterinary assistants perform many duties in a DVM's office, but don't require the multi-year school commitment of a veterinary technician. A quick search on the Internet will reveal a list of schools that help people train as veterinary assistants. Before enrolling, investigate their curricula, history, placement services, and business practices. Your vet may be a good source of information if you want to pursue a career as either a technician or an assistant. Dog trainer: There are many kinds of
professional dog trainers from behavior experts who help dog owners correct their
pet's behavior problems to "celebrity" trainers who work with dogs that appear in movies, TV
shows, and in live performances. All successful and respected dog trainers have a keen understanding of how dogs learn and understand the world around them. It is important to remember that there is a big difference between training your own dog and being able to shape the behavior of other people's dogs. If you feel you have the aptitude and patience to become a dog trainer, you can start by reaching out to professional dog trainers in your area for guidance and maybe a chance to learn from them as an apprentice. Dog groomer: Top dog groomers develop a loyal following because they are equally good with dogs and their owners. Groomers are creative professionals who have the skill to transform a messy dog into a stunning showstopper. For many potential dog groomers, the first step is to assist a professional in their local community. That's a great way to see if you have the talent to groom and to learn from an expert.
All the dog-related careers listed above require a serious commitment of time to learn a complex and demanding profession. So if you want to work with dogs but do not have the time or funds to do the above, there are still many
SAR Dog News, June 2014 Page 12
other jobs that you can consider. These include, but are not limited to: Working in a pet shop Animal control officer Pet sitting/walking Performing clerical work
in a veterinarian's office Volunteering or working
in a shelter Volunteering to help a
service dog association Professional dog
handler/assistant dog handler
As those in SAR know, the importance of volunteering cannot be overstated. Shelters and breed rescues in just about every community need dedicated, dog-loving volunteers to help with a wide range of chores. Ready to get involved? Look for volunteer opportunities near you at www.volunteermatch.org.
Source: Pedigree.com
Thunderstorm Tips to Calm Your Dog
Thunderstorm anxiety affects many dogs and can often increase as they age. With
symptoms ranging from barking to chewing to self-injury, it can be a serious problem for both dog and handler. Not only is the loud noise of thunder frightening, dogs can hear it at a much greater distance than humans can. The smell of the air also changes when a storm approaches and the keen nose of a dog detects this early. Also the air pressure changes and a dog's ears are more sensitive to pressure changes than people. In some cases, it might even hurt them. 5 tips to help your dog weather the storm: 1. Stay calm. Adopt a neutral, matter-of-
fact attitude. Dogs can quickly pick up on any unease or fear.
2. Don't comfort your dog when he acts afraid. Giving him hugs or special attention will actually reinforce his fearful behavior. Speak to the dog in a happy, playful voice to give him confidence. Never punish him for his fearful behavior. If you can get your dog to play with you during a storm, all the better.
3. Provide your dog with a safe indoor place during storms. It can be his crate, a bathroom or closet-anyplace as long as he feels comfortable there. If you have a designated "safe indoor space" for your dog, be sure to leave the door open to it so he doesn't feel trapped. Many dogs have been lost when they ran from their fenced yards in terror during storms so try not to leave your dog out when a storm is coming.
4. Buy a CD of thunderstorm sounds. Start a thunderstorm "conditioning program" by first playing the CD on extremely low volume while you go about your day-to-day activities. If your dog acts afraid again, don't pay attention to
SAR Dog News, June 2014 Page 13
the fearful behavior. Redirect him to a pleasant activity such as playing with a toy. Gradually increase the volume until your canine can handle a more realistic sounding storm. This process can take several days to a few weeks.
5. Give your dog medication. If your dog is extremely agitated during thunderstorms, you may want to consider medication or a natural remedy for pets. Your veterinarian can help with this. Ask him or her for medications that may help. Over all else, be kind and patient with your dog throughout the thunderstorm. Do whatever you can to calm your dog without adding to his panic.
If your canine needs a dark room, let him have it. If he wants to lean against your leg, let him. If he follows you from room to room, just go with it. You will be providing the comfort he needs to weather the storm.
Source: Pedigree.com
Bucky says: The sofa is a great
towel!
KIBBLES & BITS by Susan Bulanda
Editor’s note: Anyone having questions regarding SAR, training, animal behavior, etc., please submit them to [email protected] Teaching the “All Clear Signal” This is a new concept for most dog handlers. The “all clear” signal should be taught to all SAR dogs no matter in what discipline they work. It is a difficult concept for handlers because they are teaching the dog to give a signal for something that is not there. However, to the dog it makes all the sense in the world. After all, they do tell us through body language that they did not find what they have been taught to find. If handlers think about it and study their dogs, they will see that in some way, through a look, a
body position or lack of, their dogs do indicate that nothing was found. From the dog’s point of view, they know they told the handler that nothing was found and they also realize no reward comes for doing so. Therefore by giving the dog the ability to “tell” us they did not find anything, they will get a reward and not be tempted to give a false alert.
Before you can teach the all clear signal, your dog should be able to do a find, refind and alert. This is important because you want to teach your dog one concept – find and tell me – before you introduce another concept. It is confusing to try and teach both concepts at the same time
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Also, your dog should be solid in his understanding that he is to find a person. In early training you do not want to set up a problem for your dog where there is no volunteer to find. Before you teach the all clear signal, you must teach the dog what that signal is going to be. It should not be the same signal as the alert. For example, if your dog comes and sits in front of you for his alert, you will not use that for the all clear signal. It must be different enough from his other alert(s) so that the dog will not get confused in the training. The good thing is that you can use the same all clear signal for all disciplines. All clear means just that, no matter what the dog was looking for. After your dog is thoroughly trained and has had time to practice to the point where you are confident in the dog’s ability to find a missing person, set up a problem where there is no scent in your search area. This may not be easy since in reality you have no idea if some hiker passed through just before you arrived to the area, but you can pick places or times where there is a good probability that no one was there. If you start your problem and the dog finds a stray person, that is OK. Treat the problem as if the dog had a find and move on to another area or wait until the scent cools down. Send your dog out to look for a person the same as you would for the next step after a runaway. Indicate to your dog to look in a specific spot rather than a whole area. For example, send your dog into a cluster of bushes, the same as you would on an actual mission where you want your dog to search a particular spot. If your dog has trouble understanding this, go back to short problems where a person hides in brush but the dog does not see them runaway. You want to show your dog that he is to look in a small area.
After a few sessions, send your dog into a clean cluster of brush where there is no one hiding. After the dog finishes looking and returns to you, ask for the all clear signal. Every dog learns at a different rate, but it should not take very long for the dog to catch on. When you feel that the dog has mastered the concept, you can mix up your training with finds and all clear (no people to find). As the dog gets the idea, you can expand the search area
so that the dog does not associate the all clear signal with small areas only. The all clear signal is an important lesson for your dog because in reality most dogs have more no finds than finds. The all clear signal will be utilized more often than any other signal. Equally important, it will make the handler feel confident and learn to trust his dog. Because the dog gets a reward for doing his job, no matter what the outcome, there will be no need for false alerts.
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Triva Baloney, also spelled boloney, used as in “you’re full of baloney.” An unsuccessful presidential candidate, (1928), Al Smith who was governor of NY helped popularize the expression when he said, “No matter how you slice it, it’s still baloney.” Baloney is also used instead of “bunk.” Such as “you’re full of bunk.” Some people say that the term, in this sense, has nothing to do with boloney sausage but goes back prior to the 1800’s as a corruption of the Spanish word pelone, which means “testicles,” which meant nonsense the same as the term “balls” or “all balls” and “nerts.”
Queen Ann’s Lace – is actually Daucus carota and is a wild carrot. It was first brought to Virginia by colonists to use in their formal gardens. How it got its name is up for debate. Some say it was named for the rather homely Anne of Bohemia who married Richard II of England in 1382. One story says that a servant of the queen used the flower as a tatting (making of lace) pattern and the queen liked it so much that she allowed it to be named after her. Another story says that the Queen challenged her ladies in waiting to a contest to see who could embroider the flower the closest and the Queen won.
Yet another story says that the flower/herb was named after Saint Anne, the Queen of Heaven and the grandmother of Jesus. This Anne is the patron saint of lace makers.
Seamy Side of Life – means the worst, most degraded side of life. The term dates back to Shakespeare’s Othello (most likely earlier) where Iago’s wife Emilia says that her husband’s wit has been turned “the seam side without.” The thought is that the phrase refers to the underside of clothing where crude seams, rough edges and coarseness of the material shows. However, another theory says it refers to the carpet and tapestries where the threads show on the back.
"A DOOR IS WHAT A DOG IS PERPETUALLY ON THE WRONG SIDE OF"
OGDEN NASH
SAR Dog News, June 2014 Page 16
Robotic Systems in Search
and Rescue By Larry Bulanda, MSEE
The face of search and rescue has been undergoing changes with the advent of robotic systems operating in ground, air and water environments. While it is doubtful that the role of canine and handler teams will be replaced by robotic systems, they will serve in complementary roles to canines. As handlers, support staff and search managers, we will need to adapt to those systems and learn how to both implement and work alongside them. Over the next several articles, I will cover some of the robotic systems that are being used in search and rescue so that SAR personnel can understand them and how they fit into SAR missions. Unmanned Aerial Systems, Not Drones Anyone who has been keeping up with national and international news is aware of the use of “Drones”. Although the media insists on using the term drone, anyone in the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) community knows them more properly as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) which are a part of an unmanned aerial system or “UAS”. At a minimum, a UAS consists of the UAV, a payload, a ground control station (GCS), a communications link and an operator. The UAV alone cannot function without all of the other components that make up the UAS. The military has found widespread use for UAS in missions that are labeled as “dull, dirty or dangerous”. Their use has kept our troops out of harms way and has saved lives in countless situations. In some cases, weaponized versions of UAVs have been used to take out “high-value” Taliban targets and
these events routinely make front-page news. Much more frequently however, the UAS is used for “ISR” missions – Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance”. In this role the UAS is used to “watch” a road, an enemy camp or other area of interest or to check out an area for the purposes of mission planning. These activities, while performed in combat environments, are also very useful in search and rescue since searching for lost persons requires the surveillance of high priority areas and reconnaissance of unknown or potentially hazardous areas. The concept of the UAS is not new. In fact the military has used them quite extensively throughout the last century. In the civilian world, the hobby of building and operating remote controlled (RC) vehicles – including aircraft - has been around for years. It wasn’t until recently however that the market for small UASs intended for hobbyists and emergency responders has flourished. The result is that more platforms have become available and at lower costs. Manufacturers have also made them easier to fly and have
included features that were previously available only on their big brothers. Types of UAVs There are two general types of UAVs: fixed wing and rotary wing. Fixed wing aircraft are sometimes known
as conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft and have a wing that does not move but uses air passing around the wing to provide lift. Traditional aircraft such as Cessnas, Piper Cubs, Learjets and Boeing 777s are all fixed wing. They are longer range aircraft that travel at higher speeds and are capable of flying at higher altitudes. CTOL aircraft require a runway and some pilot skill in making a successful landing. Some small fixed wing UAVs may not
SAR Dog News, June 2014 Page 17
have landing gear and employ “belly landings” in lieu of a wheeled landing but they still need an open area to land. Rotary wing aircraft are also known as vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. They employ a rotor (or rotors) that move through the air to create lift. This allows the aircraft to remain aloft and stationary in a hovering mode or move forward, backwards or sideways in flight. All helicopters are VTOL aircraft and an aircraft such as the hybrid tilt-rotor V-22 Osprey can transition from VTOL to fixed wing operation in flight. VTOL UAVs can have several wing configurations ranging from a single rotor to multiple rotors. Quad-copters (4 rotors), hex-copters (6 rotors) and octo-copters (8 rotors) are common configurations seen in small VTOL UAV platforms. While both CTOL and VTOL UAVs can be used in search and rescue, the VTOL aircraft usually finds greater utility on missions. Their ability to hover allows them to loiter above an area while its camera scans the terrain below. They can also be deployed in rugged areas where a runway is not available.
VTOL Quadcopter The characteristics of these aircraft and their applicability to SAR missions will be covered in greater detail in following articles. The Legal Landscape Before we dive into the technical aspects of UASs, we need to deal with the legal aspects of operating an unmanned aerial system.
Recently there have been almost daily news reports about UAVs and the regulation of US airspace by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The drama that is playing out before us with respect to these issues is monumental and will impact the future use of UASs in search and rescue. Why is the FAA involved in the regulation of small UAVs? The role of the FAA is to ensure the safety of the national air space (NAS), which begins at ground level and continues to 60,000 ft. Flight in the NAS was limited to manned aircraft (with the exception of model aircraft) but in 1990 the FAA authorized use of the NAS by unmanned aircraft. Since then the FAA has authorized limited use of UASs for “important missions in the public interest.” Then in 2012 the Congress passed the FAA Modernization and Control Act of 2012, which, among other things, directed the FAA to integrate unmanned aircraft into the NAS by 2015. Integrating both manned and unmanned aircraft into the world’s busiest airspace while maintaining a high degree of safety is a trip into uncharted territory. This effort is currently underway and much of the discussion in the media has been a result of stakeholders voicing their opinions and attempting to influence the integration process. Lawsuits against the FAA and judicial decisions have become part of the process as well. What Does This Mean For SAR? Currently there are three ways for civilians to legally operate UAVs. The first way is to fly UAVs for recreational purposes. This applies to the remote control hobbyists who fly small model aircraft. These models are considered UAVs but have been granted a separate niche that goes
SAR Dog News, June 2014 Page 18
back many years. Advisory Circular AC 91-57 governs recreational flying. The Circular stipulates that model aircraft operators must fly a sufficient distance from populated areas, cannot fly higher than 400 ft., fly within line-of-sight of the operator and they must notify the airport operator or tower if they are flying within 3 miles of an airport.
Second, you can obtain an experimental airworthiness certificate to conduct research and development, training and flight demonstrations. Obviously this option has a limited audience.
The third way for a civilian to fly a UAV is to apply for a Certificate of Authorization (CoA). The rub with this option is that only public entities can apply for a CoA, private citizens cannot.
Congress and the FAA recognize that civil use of UASs by public entities such as law enforcement and emergency services personnel is vitally important and the 2012 law includes provisions for those agencies. Section 334 of the law allows “government public safety agencies” to operate unmanned aircraft with the following restrictions:
Aircraft must weigh 4.4 lbs. or less The aircraft must be operated within
the line of sight of an operator The aircraft must be operated during
daylight conditions The aircraft must be operated within
Class G (uncontrolled) airspace
The aircraft must be operated outside of 5 statute miles from any airport, heliport, seaplane base, spaceport or other location with aviation activities
Those public agencies wishing to fly UAVs
need to apply for a CoA (also known as a Certificate of Waiver) with the FAA. The process is rather involved and is beyond the scope of this article but it involves completing an application, defining the types of missions, flight procedures, operational altitudes, communications, emergency
procedures, pilot, flight crew and observer qualifications, training requirements and more. CoAs are obtained in phases and the entire process takes several months. Once obtained, a CoA allows an agency to use a defined block of airspace with special provisions unique to the proposed operation. CoAs are typically issued for a specific period, up to two years. As of December 2013, there were 545 active CoAs. At present, those are the legal options for civilian operation of UAVs. Keep in mind that things are changing rapidly and what is true today may very well be different next month. There are reports of UAVs being flown in support of SAR missions in the United States and it is questionable if they are being flown within the regulations stated above. As search managers employing UAVs on searches or as search team members who are involved or are contemplating getting involved with UAVs for SAR, must understand the rules and the implications involved. With the legal aspect behind us, the next article will cover UASs in more detail and how they can be used to assist in search missions.
SAR Dog News, June 2014 Page 19
THE LAST HOWL
By Sue Wolff
Opinions expressed in this column are
those of the author and not necessarily
those of the National Search Dog
Alliance.
Disaster First Responder. What does that mean? First Responders are exactly that: trained professionals, paid or unpaid, who take action before anyone else. Disaster First Responders would be answering the call to a hurricane, tornado, mudslide, any calamity whether natural or manmade. NSDA’s purpose in implementing a Disaster First Responder, Live and HRD, is to offer the SAR handler an alternative to the FEMA standard. This will also give handlers who have no access to task force training an opportunity to obtain a disaster certification. Most trained, non-paid professionals will be responding long before the government has even decided to send a FEMA Task Force. These First Responders will probably be from a locality near the disaster site or will be from states nearby. These responders will be able to confidently present the NSDA certification at Incident Command and will be ready to offer immediate assistance. Both the Live and HRD Disaster First Responder have three levels of certifications. Type III is the entry level covering basic disaster functions. Type II is closely aligned with the FEMA prerequisite test and Type I, a more
advanced certification, will be written in the future. The Type III Disaster First Responder, Live and HRD, were approved by the Board at the June 5, 2014, Quarterly Meeting. Beta testing will begin shortly. These standards are not meant to preempt FEMA but to fill a void between a local team and a federal and/or state task force. By implementing Disaster First Responder certifications, NSDA is again striving to support the SAR K-9 handler in every field. Board of Directors—
Norma Snelling, President, Washington [email protected] 360-808-0894
Terry Crooks, Vice-President, Montana [email protected]
Julie Gibson, Secretary, Idaho [email protected] Sherry Scruggs, Treasurer, Georgia
[email protected] Suzanne Elshult, Washington
[email protected] Susan Fleming, Pennsylvania
[email protected] Gloria Howard, Florida
[email protected] Jan Meyer, Missouri
[email protected] Robert Noziska, New Mexico
Advocacy Council Susan Bulanda
Frank Hancock
Lisa Higgins
Marcia Koenig
Carol Ann Namur
Larry Welker
Dee Wild
Arthur E. Wolff
National Search Dog Alliance 2014
Statement of Financial Income and Expense
06/02/2014
January 1 through June 2, 2014
Cash Basis
Total
Ordinary Income/Expense
Income
43350 · Olympic Senior Care 500.00
43360 · Amazon Smile 14.33
45030 · Interest-Savings, Short-term CD 141.75
45040 · Interest - Checking 0.25
46420 · Inventory Sales (Merchandise) 518.78
46430 · Certification Field Test 1,075.00
46440 · On Line Certification Testing 360.00
47210 · Membership Dues - Individual 3,800.00
47230 · Membership Dues - Team 1,440.00
49061 · 2014 Pennsylvania Seminar 2,325.00
Total Income 10,175.11
Cost of Goods Sold
50700 · Cost of Inventory 109.75
Gross Profit
10,065.36
Expense
65010 · Business/Financial Software 653.37
65020 · Postage, Mailing Service 284.00
65021 · Shipping for Alliance Depot 82.06
65040 · Office Supplies 22.64
65070 · Web/Trng Sites and Hosting Fees 13.57
65075 · Hosting Fees 54.28
65080 · PayPal Cost-Membership Dues 96.10
65090 · PayPal Cost-Inventory Sales 10.86
65100 · PayPal Cost-On Line Training 22.92
65130 · Other Misc Costs 35.00
66200 · Evaluator Admin Supplies 77.84
66400 · AKC Grant - Evaluator Travel 265.08
66500 · Evaluator Travel (Non Grant) 1,148.94
66000 · General Test/Training Cost - Other 20.00
67330 · 2014 Pennslyvania Seminar 2,341.74
68100 · BOD meeting/travel 108.43
Total Expense 5,236.83
Net Ordinary Income 4,828.53
Net Income
4,828.53
TRAINING, SEMINARS & CONFERENCES
REACH OVER 1,300 SAR K-9 HANDLERS. LIST YOUR TRAININGS, SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES IN THE
SAR DOG ALERT. Contact Editor Sue Wolff at [email protected]
May 16, California Narcotic Canine Association Regional Training and Certification day, Rio Lindo Adventist Academy, 3200 Rio Lindo Ave., Healdsburg, CA. For more information contact [email protected] May 16-18, K-9 Tracking/Trailing Seminar, Harriman, TN. Classes are limited. For more information, contact Janet Besanceney at [email protected] May 21-25, North Star K9 Training Association Spring Seminar, Seymour, IN. Water, Land HRD and Trailing. Register and more information at www.nsk9ta.com May 30- June 1 (Date CHANGED), Basic Tracking Dog Seminar, Morinville, Alberta, Canada. For more information, see http://www.precisionsearchdog.com/2014-Seminars.html June 5-8, Penn Vet Working Dog Conference, “Whole Dog Health: An Integrative Approach to Building a Stronger Team”, Philadelphia, PA. Focus on current best practices and new techniques for maintaining the health and longevity of working and performance dogs, minimizing injury, rehabilitation, and preventive care. For more information, see http://pennvetwdc.org/education/conference/
June 5-8, Penn Vet Working Dog Conference, “Whole Dog Health: An Integrative Approach to Building a Stronger Team”, Philadelphia, PA. Focus on current best practices and new techniques for maintaining the health and longevity of working and performance dogs , minimizing injury, rehabilitation, and preventive care. For more information, see http://pennvetwdc.org/education/conference June 7-8, Scenarios Workshop for Search Dog Teams, Cody, WY. Search scenarios will be conducted in wilderness and urban areas to simulate actual searches for missing persons. Human remains detection, airscent, evidence and trailing dog disciplines will be utilized for large area and urban search for the types of cases SAR handlers usually respond to such as Alzheimer subjects, missing children, drowning victims, suicide searches as well as crime scene. For more information, contact K. T. Irwin at [email protected].
Training, Seminars & Conferences Continued June 7, K9210 -Basic Land Cadaver Techniques for K9s, Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. For more information call Lillian Hardy at 812-526-0013 or e-mail [email protected]
June 8, K9200 –Basic Air Scenting Techniques for K9s, Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. For more information call Lillian Hardy at 812-526-0013 or e-mail [email protected] June 19-22, SAR Conference, Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. For more information call Lillian Hardy at 812-526-0013 or e-mail [email protected]
June 20-22, Basic Search Dog Seminar, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. For more information, see http://www.precisionsearchdog.com/2014-Seminars.html June 20-22, HRD Seminar near Cody, WY. Bill Dotson, Ann Christensen and Ben Alexander will rotate through three groups of beginning, intermediate and advanced teams with 8 teams per group. For more information, contact K. T. Irwin at [email protected]. June 20, California Narcotic Canine Association Certifications for Narcotics, Explosives and Patrol, Delhi, California. RSVP to Mark Taylor by phone or text at (209) 564-1965 or e-mail at [email protected] June 21-22, 5th Annual Water Workout Weekend, Whitney Point Reservoir near Binghamton, NY. For more information, see http://waterworkoutweekend.org
June 21-22, OSO K9 Weekend. All SAR K-9 teams and K-9 field support that deployed on the OSO landslide1. Joint K9 Training Saturday, June 21 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Dinner Saturday, June 21 6:30 pm-10:00 pm. OSO – Experiences and Lessons Learnt Discussion Sunday, June 22 8:30 am – 12:30 pm. (see article on page 4 for more information.)
June 25-27, Detection Dogs with Mike Suttle, Mottville, New York. Topics addressed will include operant conditioning, scent wall training, building and capping drive, dog selection, odor recognition, a solid commitment to the dog's target odor, development of a solid final response, proper reward presentation, and troubleshooting. This seminar will be limited to 20 dog/handler teams and unlimited observers. Please contact Lynn Packard at [email protected] or 734-320-2288 for additional information. June 27-29 All Breed Mantrailing Seminar in Laramie, Wyoming. Albany County Sheriff's Search & Rescue is sponsoring this seminar featuring Sleuth Hounds master trainers Marshall Thielen and Colin Thielen. For more information contact Cathi Carr-Lundfelt at [email protected] or call (307) 742-6399 or (307) 399-6147. July 7-11 Lost Person Behavior Train-the-Trainer in St. George, Virginia (just north of Charlottesville, VA). The course will allow you to instruct the Lost Person Behavior class or use parts of the class in your other trainings. Much more information can be found on the website. www.dbs-sar.com
Training, Seminars & Conferences Continued
July 15-19, FireHouse Expo, Baltimore, MD. For more details and to register, see www.FirehouseExpo.com July 11, 12, and 13, First Annual AWDA (American Working Dog Association) Water HRD Seminar, Lake Lenape, Mays Landing, NJ. Hosted by MARSAR, Mid-Atlantic Regional Search and Rescue, Inc. Instructors Jimmie Canfield, Greg Daugherty, and Gordon Fietsam. Facebook event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/615546711866903/ July 12-13, GSAR 400– Ground Search (Technician), Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. For more information call Lillian Hardy at 812-526-0013 or e-mail [email protected]
July 13-15, 2014 Police and Military Working Dog Conference, Gaylord Opryland Resort, Nashville, TN. For more information, visit www.K9copmagazine.com July 19-20, K9300 -Intermediate Air Scenting Techniques for K9s, Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. For more information call Lillian Hardy at 812-526-0013 or e-mail [email protected]
August 2, SAR100 -Crime Scene Operations – Blood Borne Pathogens, Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. For more information call Lillian Hardy at 812-526-0013 or e-mail [email protected]
August 3, K9 Pretest, Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. For more information call Lillian Hardy at 812-526-0013 or e-mail [email protected]
August 8, 9 and 10, Airscent/Trailing seminar near Cody, Wyoming. The instructors will be Janet Wilts and Beat Marti. Please go to www.WindRiverK9.org to view their bios or to sign up or e-mail Janet Wilts at [email protected]. August 23-24, SAR200 – Ground Search Operations, Level I, Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. For more information call Lillian Hardy at 812-526-0013 or e-mail [email protected]
August 30-31, K9410 –Advanced Land Cadaver Techniques for K9s, Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. For more information call Lillian Hardy at 812-526-0013 or e-mail
[email protected] Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. For more information call Lillian Hardy at 812-526-0013 or e-mail [email protected]
September 6-7, K9650 –K9 Credentialing Test, Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. For more information call Lillian Hardy at 812-526-0013 or e-mail [email protected]
September 12-14, 2014, 2014 Montana State Search & Rescue Rendezvous, Flathead County Fairgrounds, Kalispell, MT. Register Online at: http://sar911.com/rendezvous.html September 19-21, PACSAR Pennsylvania Canine SAR is hosting another AWDA wilderness K-9 SAR Seminar, Denver, PA. Deborah Palman, and Jimmy Canfield will be returning as lead trainer and evaluator for the field work. Anyone interested please email Mike Surabian at [email protected]. Limited to 32 teams: 16 air scent and 16 track/trail.
Training, Seminars & Conferences Continued
September 20-21, SAR200 – Ground Search Operations, Level II, Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. For more information call Lillian Hardy at 812-526-0013 or e-mail [email protected]
September 28-October 3, CSAR Seminar, Camp Lakewood, Potosi, MO. For more information, see www.csar.org September 28-October 3, 2014 Fall Workshop, Holiday Lake 4-H Camp, Appomattox, VA. Old Dominion K-9 and Sumner County (TN) Emergency Management. For more information, see http://www.olddominionsar.com/instructors.html
October 9-12, NSDA Fall Seminar, Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. Registration form attached to this newsletter. For more information, contact [email protected]
October 11, SAR101 – Skills day, Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. For more information call Lillian Hardy at 812-526-0013 or e-mail [email protected] Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. For more information call Lillian Hardy at 812-526-0013 or e-mail [email protected]
*** If you would like to certify at this event, your full registration MUST be received BEFORE August 1 ***
NSDA Area, Disaster, Trailing and Land HRD Seminar Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana
October 9 – 12, 2014
Registration Fee if postmarked on or prior to September 1, 2014: $385.00 for Non-Members $200.00 without a K-9 One dog per registrant $290.00 for Members $150.00 without a K-9 No Partial Registrations Registration Fee if postmarked after September 15, 2014: $385.00 for everyone with a K-9; $250 without a K-9
Lodging Wednesday through Saturday; Meals Thursday breakfast through Sunday breakfast; Classes Thursday AM through Sunday noon.
Name & K-9 name will be on certificate as written here. Please PRINT ALL so I can read it!
Name: __________________________________Address__________________________ City/State/ZIP: _____________________________________Phone #_________________ NSDA Membership # _____________________ Expiration Date: ____________________*
*For membership information, contact [email protected]
Affiliation: ________________________________________________________________
Email (PRINT LEGIBLY): ___________________________________________________
Canine Name & Breed _______________________________________________ M / F
I will be staying: on-site I will be staying off-site
Indicate class you would like to attend - check only one: Area Search Beginning Intermediate Advanced *** Land HRD Beginning Intermediate Advanced *** Trailing Beginning Intermediate Advanced *** Disaster Area Beginning *** Intermediate *** Required to work on pile: steel or composite toe boots, Disaster HRD Beginning *** Intermediate *** knee pads, gloves, long sleeves, helmet *** K-9 required to perform a consistent, recognizable, trained final response. The Beginning
Disaster classes are for those K-9’s proficient in Area or HRD and wish to move to disaster training. Previous training, a trained final response and appropriate equipment are required by the instructors to work the pile.
EVALUATIONS NSDA will offer evaluations/certifications on Tuesday, October 7 and Wednesday, October 8. All evaluation slots will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis based on receipt of registration. All of the testing prerequisites, standards and instructions can be found on the website at www.n-sda.org on the Testing/Evaluator Information page. Any candidate unable to provide copies of their prerequisite requirements to the Evaluator at the time of the test will not be able to test. No exceptions. We will not be able to accept any evaluation requests once all slots are full. We will keep you posted on the website as to when the classes fill or when all evaluation slots are full. Evaluations will begin at 8:00 am on Tuesday and Wednesday for all disciplines. Those attending the seminar will be given testing preference. If you would like to certify, a fully paid registration must be RECEIVED PRIOR TO AUGUST 1, so we can determine how many evaluators will be needed. Evaluation fee: $35.00 members $75.00 non-members Include fee with registration. I would like to test Area I Tuesday Wednesday Dog Name __________ I would like to test Area II Tuesday Wednesday Dog Name __________ I would like to test Land HRD Tuesday Wednesday Dog Name __________ I would like to test Trailing II Tuesday Wednesday Dog Name __________ I will need a bunk on Tuesday night because I am testing. Yes No
A bunk will be provided Tuesday night at Camp Atterbury for those who will be testing. You may have to move on Wednesday to your permanent location for the seminar. Meals will not be provided on Tuesday or Wednesday. Only one (1) dog may be tested per handler per day. If you would like to test one dog in two disciplines, it would have to be on separate days.
ON-SITE ACCOMMODATIONS Included in the registration price will be individual rooms with a community bathroom in each building. Each room will have one set of bunk beds. We will make every effort to house one person in each room, but at this time we are unable to make that guaranty. You will need to provide your own sheets, pillows, blankets, soap, toilet paper, etc. Also, you will need to sweep out each building, empty the trash and clean up on Sunday before you leave.
Dogs in crates allowed in rooms.
SEMINAR T-SHIRTS (Be sure to mark # of t-shirts and circle size(s)) I would like to order _____ seminar t-shirt(s) @ $10.00 each – Size: S M L XL 2 XL (Add cost of t-shirt(s) to registration check.)
In Case of Emergency
Contact: ________________________________________ Tele #: ___________________
Registration Fee ___________ Mail to: T- Shirt Fee ___________ NSDA 2014 Seminar
Evaluation Fee ___________ c/o Jan Meyer 1123 Eagle Creek Road
Total Check Enclosed ___________ Wildwood, MO 63005
AGAIN THIS YEAR: If you know someone who would like to attend and be a helper (runner,
subject, etc.), NSDA will provide meals and a bunk for that person and there will not be
registration fee charged. Please distribute to friends, family and teammates. This will be on a
first come, first serve basis. Helpers will be expected to help all day on Thursday, Friday,
Saturday and till noon on Sunday. Ask each helper to fill out form on page 6 and return to
[email protected] or snail mail to the address above.
REGISTRATION
Mail copy of registration form along with check payable to NSDA, current canine shot records (a minimum of Rabies, Distemper/Parvo, Bordetello vaccinations or titer within last month) and a signed NSDA Hold Harmless Form to: NSDA 2014 Seminar, 1123 Eagle Creek Road, Wildwood, MO 63005. Your registration will be acknowledged by email within two weeks of receipt. No registrations will be accepted after October 1, 2014, or after the classes are filled – whichever occurs first. Check or money order only – no PayPal accepted for registrations. No refunds after October 1, 2014. No partial registrations accepted. NSDA Area, Trailing and HRD Seminar, Camp Atterbury, October 9 – 12, 2014 Land HRD Lisa Higgins, LaSAR Area Sharon Jones, Virginia Search and Rescue Council Kim Veldheer, K-9 ONE Search and Rescue Trailing Mark Holmes, Detective CID Port Arthur, TX K-9 Handler Corbin Hodge, Instructor, United States Mantrailing Association Disaster Area Lillian Hardy, Indiana DHS, SAR Section Chief Ann Wichmann, SARDA Disaster HRD Deana Hudgins, Ohio Search and Recovery Canines
Check-in/Check-out Check-in and registration will begin Wednesday at 4:00 PM at the Search and Rescue Academy. Check-out will be 1:00 pm on Sunday. Address Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center; 3008 Old Hospital Rd.; Edinburgh, IN 46124
Valid driver’s license, auto registration and proof of current auto insurance required to enter Base. No one will be allowed on base if they did not register as an attendee or helper with NSDA. Auction If you would like to bring an item for the auction, please feel free to do so. Contact Information For additional registration information, please contact Jan Meyer [email protected]
RV Park
Driftwood Camp
Edinburgh, Indiana (812) 526-6422 $20 per night
Facility Type (Private)
No Tents
Pets Welcome
Sites Spaces Available (60)
Max Length (60)
30 Amp
50 Amp
Max Amps (50)
Back-ins (27 x 60)
Electric Hookups (12)
Full Hookups (48)
Grass Sites (30)
Gravel Sites (30)
Pull-thrus (12)
Pull-thru Size (27 x 60)
Side-by-Side Hookups
Site Length (60)
Water Hookups (12)
Other Amenities & Services Restrooms
Showers
Table At Site
Motels in Edinburgh
Check individual motels for information regarding pets.
All motels are on I-65 Exit 76
Best Western Hilton Garden Inn Hampton Inn 11780 N US Highway 31 Hwy 12210 N Executive Drive 12161 N US 31 Edinburgh, IN 46124 Edinburgh, IN 46124 Edinburgh, IN 4612 812-526-9883 812-526-8600 812-526-5100
Comfort Inn Holiday Inn Express & Suites 11711 N US 31 12225 N Executive Drive Edinburgh, IN 46124 Edinburgh, IN 46124 812-526-9899 812-526-4919
Acceptance of Risk
NSDA 2014 Seminar, October 9-12
Held at Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana
It is extremely important that you know and remember that your participation in search & rescue (SAR) operations and SAR-related training involves risk to you and your dog. The eventualities of personal property damage, bodily injury or death are real and so diverse that no one can specify everything that can go wrong. Please do not participate in these activities if you believe that they are perfectly safe. They are not!
I am aware and accept that during the course of the activities in which I am participating at Camp Atterbury under the
arrangement of NSDA or other individuals, organizations, corporations, or agencies coordinating activities with NSDA or their
representatives, whether volunteering, working or attending the NSDA Seminar, that certain dangers exist to me and/or my
dog, including the risks of injury or death.
In consideration of and for the right to participate in such activities, I do, hereby, assume all of the above-mentioned risks and
will hold and save harmless NSDA and its representatives, whether paid or volunteer, from any and all liability, claims and
demands of every kind and nature whatsoever which may arise in connection with my participation or the participation of my
dog in any of the above-mentioned activities.
Additionally, I hereby consent to the administration of any emergency medical treatment which may be required, as determined
by NSDA and its representatives, whether paid or volunteer, and will hold and save harmless, any person who procures or
renders such medical treatment from any and all liability, claims or demands of every kind and nature whosoever, which may
arise out of or be attributable to, the requesting of or performance of the above-mentioned medical treatment.
The terms of this acceptance shall hereby serve as a release and assumption of risk for me, my heirs, executor, and
administrator and for all members of my family, including any dependents or minors who accompany me or join me in
participating in the above-mentioned activities.
In executing this acceptance, I am not relying on any statements, promises, opinions or assurance, either expressed or implied,
by NSDA and/or its representatives, whether paid or volunteer, concerning the conditions or circumstances I may or will
encounter while participating in the above-mentioned activities.
Additionally, I hereby certify that all of the information that I have submitted is true. I am aware and accept that any false
statement made is reason for disciplinary action or termination of my right to participate in the above-mentioned activities.
Date:
Printed Name: ______________________________________________________________________________________
Signature: ________________________________________________________________________________________
In case of emergency contact: _________________________________________ Telephone: _____________________
NSDA Helper Form
2014 Camp Atterbury, Indiana
Please Print Legibly Name: Phone number: Address: City/State/Zip: Email Address: SAR Team Affiliation: In case of emergency please contact: Name/Phone number/Relation:
Please be sure to dress for the weather (rain gear, boots, gloves, long pants, bug spray, etc.). We may ask you to sit in the woods for several hours each day. Please wear muted or dark color clothing. Valid driver’s license, auto registration and proof of current auto insurance required to enter Base. You will not be allowed on base if you did not register with NSDA.
Email a completed form to [email protected] prior to September 15, 2014, or mail to NSDA 2014 Seminar, c/o Jan Meyer, 1123 Eagle Creek Road, Wildwood, MO 63005.
NSDA will provide you with meals beginning with Thursday breakfast through Sunday breakfast. We will also provide you with a bunk in which to sleep beginning Wednesday night through 1:00 pm on Sunday. You will need to bring your own sheets, blankets, pillow, soap, towel, shampoo, etc. Registration will begin at 4:00 on Wednesday, October 8, 2014.
Thank you, in advance, for your help and support.
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