The members of Buckeye Search and Rescue Dogs have up to 10 years experience training and working in canine search and rescue. During that period, team members have logged many hours working in call-outs for . . .
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| Dave and Bart on Indiana SEMA Rubble Pile. |
BSARD trains as a complete unit twice every month in all weather conditions (except active lightning) and on terrain prevalent in our working area. This includes rural forest and fields, hills and valleys, streams, lakes, urban, suburban, and collapsed structure settings. We train under as many diverse conditions as possible.
During each training session at least one simulation scenario is set up and worked as if it were an active callout. In addition to the simulation, dogs and handlers work specific exercises designed to enhance and broaden their experience. All training sessions end with a self-critique debriefing and feed-forward meeting. Often sessions are preceded or followed by supplemental training in first aid, compass and map reading, GPS, search protocols, first aid for dogs and wilderness survival. Guest speakers and groups are sometimes brought in.
At least once each year a special session is set aside for classroom training in first aid, CPR, and the Automatic External Defibrillator. Once a year the entire team cross-trains with the United States Marines and Navy Medical Corpsmen with emphasis on wilderness search, recovery/transport, and first aid.
In addition to the team training, individual team members and their canine partners train on their own as frequently as they can. Team members also attend regional and national seminars on a variety of topics focused on expanding our knowledge of search and rescue.