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Show t i foe Salt Like Trlbnnc Wednesday, September 12, 1984 & rfo. k6oS 00 kA SNIFF -- i-t Barbara Altum, Alta Ski Resort dog, Jingo, practice loading on helicopter. Search. & Rescue Their paradoxical enthusiasm is emblazoned on their Support Search and Rescue Dogs . . . ' Get Lost. As much as members of the Rocky Mountain Rescue Dogs Inc., teams hate to see people lost in the wilds or in natural disasters, the thrill and satisfaction of the search and find are what both humans and canine in this group thrive on. Fourteen teams comprised of a handler and a dog make up the squad, commonly known as RDI. They are dispatched out of the Davis County Sheriffs office through the offices dispatch service and are an arm of Wilderness Finders (WOOF). The teams are dispatched to disasters and searches all over the United States and were called this summer to South Carolina after a tornado. They also frequent finds in Idaho and Wyoming Teton Mountain searches. In the wildflowers and waist-hig- h foliage of Alta, Utah, the group recently convened for their monthly seminar to discuss business, laugh a little and do more of what they already do night and day spend time with their dogs. These people have more than the feed and walk the dog relationships with their animals. The dogs, which include German shepards, a collie and a are part of their families and receive the same parental protection as any other family member. g one here, Youre the smartest and said Vicky King of South Ogden to her 2 Collie, Andy, when someone commented on the dogs long nose. Youre the best, arent you, son? she said. In the cool cf the afternoon at the seminar, dogs slept, panted, growled at one another occasionally, and played between search drills which had both dog and master running the hills, slopping through water, climbing trees and withstanding the deafening rumble and winds of a Hill Air Force Base helicopter. The dogs are trained for a variety of searches on a spectrum of terrains. The duos search after floods, earthquakes, and tornadoes. They are also called out to search for missing children and elderly people. Members of RDI live all along the Wasatch Front and come from a variety of occupational backgrounds. Like most search and rescue organizations, RDI is volunteer and But unlike other groups, RDI has the confidence and approval of state search and rescue organizations. RDI is independent and has demonstrated its capabilities, said liaison officer Lt. Mike Wilson of the Salt Lake Police Department Search and Rescue. Lt. Wilson said police call the group as a last resort and have been very impressed by RDIs work. Theyre a valuable tool and it definitely is a feather in their cap that they have been accepted by state organizations. The dogs can begin the program at eight weeks old and are first initiated to socializing with other dogs n, best-lookin- tug-of-w- ar e Stanton Steuri looks back to squad before approaching the His looks up for reassurance. German shepherd, Magie, helicopter. training search-and-rescu- non-prof- "220 Story Andrea Otanez , it j- Hartmann Salt Lake Tribune Staff. r v i'lu ' Photography A1 X and people and learn the basics of searching. At this stage the dogs are level one dogs. On level t vo, the '' dogs are tested on their drills and are sent on cases with other teams. . .. At level three, the dogs and their handlers both certified to track alone and must have two three-d- a searches under their collars before they are called oqj searches. Ms. King said the rewards, in the forms of games and affection, are the most essential part of the training. When they locate a victim, that moment has to be filled with gratification in order to make ther ' experience positive for the dog. I The dog has to know that there is something fun lots of games at the end, she explained. These": dogs are working hard for the end. For example, on a split search, two RDI member r start a drill on the same route, eventually splitting into different directions. The handler gives a phero-- j d article, usually a piece of clothing, td . the dog. At the command, Track, the dog takes a few minutes to accustom himself with the terrain; distinguishes the specified scent and is off. Aside frotm brief hesitation where the mock-searc- h victims..,, split, the dog, Andy in this case, leads Ms. King and few straggling reporters and photographer right to-;- ' X : the victim. Good boy! screams Ms. King as she jumps into the ' ditch and rewards Andy with a rambunctious game of low-dang- er . P . mone-drenche- a5 . ; These seminars are essential because they keep the dogs going, explained Nancy Hachmeister, a RDI ' veteran and mother of two German shepards, Aja-- ; and Kallie. She said the searches are not enough to keep the dogs keen to techniques because they are far ; and few between. How many searches do they go on a.., .; year? As many as we can, Ms. Hachmeister said. Although its the animals instinctual supremacy-- , which sniffs out the victims, its the handler who car-- v v. ries all the bivouac supplies, equipment, radio an ,?; food for the team. The handler has to secure carabi-'v- -; ner and webbing when the team is lifted by helicop-'.-. ter. And its the skilled survivalist who trains, leads. and then eventually follows the dog. So, like the dog, ' the handler must pass a series of toughness tests be? fore human and beast are certified to search. Most of the handlers are EMTs emergency medi- -' cal technicians, and theyre all trained in mountain--' eering through the National Ski Patrol, Ms. King ;-explained. They must pass a series of physical fitness', tests and have compass and radio knowledge. t Above all, Ms. King said, we have to have com-- . 7 mon sense for the sake of the teams and the victims.:4 A handler has to know how far the dog can go. '5 She said they run the dog hardest when looking for lost children. Most of them never go on searches whenV V. they know firearms are involved. The group raises funds for its projects and equip-- " ment through donations at demonstrations or disand from funds plays in local fairs, by selling v from various philanthropist groups. Jr: an cn r -- ,- V? Vi - Tom Shirley encourages his Dalmatian, Pati, with some reassuring words before search drill. i U f I . iA handler has to know v the far jhow dog can go. Vicky King tells her Collie, Andy, to stick with the scent during a f Jr trial search. |
