Search and Rescue

Any members here in the SAR world? I’m currently involved with 3 different units. Cave Rescue, Canine SAR, and a water rescue squad.

 

I used to train my late Pooch for SAR thru CARDA here in Kalifornia. Got to where training during the week was too much a hit to my income, taking a few hours off per week, could not afford that. We were up to maybe a one acre search, somehow got him to understand what I wanted him to do for his "alert". Lady working with our group went on to get certified and participated in some searches. Alerted as a cadaver dog, but no body found until a few days later in same spot.
Duane

 

It’s amazing watching the dogs work. I don’t have a dog myself but am partnered with a pup and his handler. During the summer we do Tuesday nights and the rest of the year do all day Saturday trainings.

 

I volunteer with a group. We are really more search than rescue. We all have first responder training which qualifies us to assist EMT's No specialized high angle rescue, water, or cave rescue ability. We usually provide extra manpower to assist LE or fire dept personnel who take the lead on stuff locally.

In addition we are often asked to assist around the Southeast when manpower is needed to search for missing persons. Usually cold cases where we are searching for remains or clues over a large suspected crime scene. Our team was asked to assist in a search in the Holly Bobo case several years ago. We drove from GA to Darden TN and assisted in that search shortly after her disappearance.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Holly_Bobo

This group also had a team there.

https://ncmissingpersons.org/

They conduct searches all over the country for missing persons and since meeting with them they call us and ask for our help several times each year. We specialize in ATV support for their searches. We use the ATV's to scout larger areas and to move ground support and dog teams into more remote places. Of course we dismount and search on foot once we arrive in search areas.

In the last 6-7 years I've traveled from Miami to Kokomo Indiana for searches. We've done several for a missing woman near Cullman Alabama and one near Piedmont. I've been to NC, SC,TN, and multiple trips to FL. We have searches planned in the next few months in both NC and Louisiana. Since these people presumed dead for more than a year we are waiting for fall, cooler weather and less brush.

Most of our searches end up looking for suicides who walk into the woods to kill themselves. We usually find those, although it may take a while. The 2nd most common is folks high on drugs who wander off into the woods, those are usually not found alive either. Next is older adults with dementia. Some are found alive, some too late.