“As the minutes tick by, more and more folks are being accounted for. So proud to be a part of the rescue operations, a part of Oklahoma Task Force 1, and part of the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation.” —Jason Smith
.........................Jason Smith & Jagger
Two of SDF’s five Canine-Firefighter Teams based in Oklahoma City — Brent Koeninger & Huck and Jason Smith & Jagger — have been deployed to Joplin, MO, as part of Oklahoma Task Force 1 to search for survivors of the tornado that has devastated the area.
.........................Brent Koeninger & Huck
May 24, 2:49am Central time
text message from Brent Koeninger
"We're done searching until first light. We were searching debris piles for missing people from an apartment building - checking in the trees, on roofs, etc. We had to start limiting the area we used the dogs to search, because the area was just too big."
.........................Mark Edwards & Taz
.........................Dane Yaw & Salsa
.........................Chet Clark & Elvis
SDF is training 21 new Search Teams in 2011. Four Los Angeles teams were partnered May 10th. Four new Tulsa handlers and one Dallas handler begin their training today in Santa Paula, CA at the site of SDF’s future National Training Center. They are working with veteran SDF dogs, learning the skills they’ll need to respond to future disasters in the tornado zone. They’ll be partnered with their own dogs next week, and will then begin the year of training to become certified and deployment-ready.
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SDF is forming 21 new Canine Disaster Search Teams in 2011 to meet the critical demand for this life-saving resource, at a cost of $15,000 per Canine-Firefighter team. Click here to make a secure online donation to turn a rescued dog into a rescuer, help form our 21 new teams in 2011, and provide the highest level of training and support to our existing teams.
Thanks to Tom Reinvention: The Journal of a Dog-Lover, Book-Reader, Moviegoer, and Writer for inspiring me to do this post.
Please visit The National Disaster Search Dog Foundation Web Site.
