Category: Charities/Groups we support

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C.E.R.T. Charities/Groups we support

Support your Local C.E.R.T.

Does your town have a C.E.R.T. (Community Emergency Response Team)? These are your friends and neighbors who have volunteered to help your community in the event of an emergency or disaster, when first responders are overwhelmed or unable to respond immediately. These people also help the community by promoting awareness of hazards and disaster preparedness, assisting fire department and law enforcement, and even installing smoke detectors for the elderly and disabled. You can recognize them by their signature green and yellow vests.

So how can you help your local C.E.R.T.? Get involved. If you live in Small Town America contact your local town council or mayor’s office. If you live in a larger town or big city, contact your local emergency management agency. These people can direct you to the proper organization.

Don’t have a C.E.R.T. in your community? Make one. You can google it or go to https://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/ or www.fema.gov/community-emergency-response-teams to learn more. These websites have all the information you need to get started.

Another good way to support your local C.E.R.T. is to donate. You can donate supplies or any kind, such as rope, gloves, flashlights, etc. Do you have a friend or neighbor who participates as a member of C.E.R.T.? Show your support by buying them a CERT Starter kit. A good place to find C.E.R.T. equipment is here.

So go out there and show your support. Hopefully you and your family will never have to experience a disaster. But if you do, you can take some comfort in knowing that your local C.E.R.T. will be there to help.

 

By Jason M. Watts (Contributing Writer to 1800prepare.com)

 

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Charities/Groups we support Emergency Responders Personal Stories Preparedness tips Search and Rescue

Saving a life

 Very early on Tuesday November 2nd, my search dog saved a life. 

This is not something that happens to me every day, I have a very calm office job.  The usual crisis involves a mis-communication over email, nothing life and death.  My work with canine search and rescue is my volunteer work.  It’s something I do to keep three highly active dogs busy and just maybe, get to make a difference in the world. 

It’s something I have spent  thousands of my own dollars for training, thousands of hours of my time, thousands of miles on my vehicle, traveled to both coasts of the United States, and used lots of emotional/mental/physical energy.  I’ve also been in canine search and rescue for 10 years. 

It is worth every second/penny and more to know that my dog and I brought someones father safely home. 

The other interesting thing is, someone had thrown away my dog.  Dunder the Search Dog (aka Moses) was turned into the Animal Rescue League of Iowa in the spring of 2008.  The family wasn’t ready for a high energy, mouthy, barky puppy who was really pushy.  They turned him in at 16 weeks old.  Lucky for me, the Paws of Life Foundation has a program to find dogs such as this and then places them with working dog handlers.

I didn’t train Dunder by myself so can’t take all the credit.  I regularly work with other search teams here in Iowa, I have hundreds of people who have hidden for him, helped me troubleshoot my training and also provided advice.  Out on the search that night where people from three different fire departments, two law enforcement agencies, two different search and rescue teams and the military (that’s who I can think of off the top of my head). 

 A search like this is an emergency, the subject wasn’t dressed for the weather and with lows in the 40’s that night, could easily have succumbed to hypothermia.  We had plans to search all night. 

When we found our subject, Dunder was truly excited, I was flustered.  First, I forgot his toy, which is his reward for finding someone.  We ended up playing tug with my shirt while I was on the phone with the Search Manager to request an ambulance.  Second, we ended up removing our layers of clothes to help cover him to keep him warm until the ambulance arrived.  Dunder was constantly trying to get back to him, I think to check and see if he was okay.

For the past couple of days I’ve come to realize, this is sort of a big deal.  I see the world a little differently now, I also see my profession of a search and rescue canine handler a little differently.  It is a life or death job…the dogs we train do make a difference.

We need to step up and meet the responsibility.

Wags,

Robin Habeger and K9 Dunder

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Charities/Groups we support Earthquake Preparedness Preparedness Planning Preparedness tips

Today is The Great California Shakeout

At 10:21 a.m. today….millions of Californians will participate in the world’s largest earthquake preparedness drill. Its not too late to register. Just visit www.shakeout.org and sign yourself and/or your organization up.

Preparing for possible emergencies is one of the best things you can do. By participating in drills like these and discussing with your family and friends you with be better prepared should a real event occur. You should also consider getting supplies or survival kits so you have some of the items you may need.

The drill will only take a few minutes out of your day, will be fun and will be something that could save your life down the road. At 1-800-PREPARE.com we strongly encourage you to sign and and participate.

GREAT JOB….SHAKEOUT TEAM!!!

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Charities/Groups we support Emergency Responders Search and Rescue

Search and Rescue Dogs

I just had the pleasure of spending a couple hours at the FEDSAR Spring Conference that was hosted by Long Island K-9 Search and Rescue. It was great to actually get to meet some of these amazing search dogs and their handlers. These handlers and their dogs are extremely dedicated to their training. They are all committed to learning the skills necessary to respond to emergencies and disasters that require their specialized talents.

Most people are unaware of what these amazing teams can do. I think many of us take for granted that there are search and rescue teams out there that stand ready, willing and able to assist us in our times of need. These teams are the quiet heroes who come in, do their job and then return back to their own lives. Often they receive (nor do they ask for) credit for what they do.

Search dogs and their handlers train for such things as: searching for missing or lost children, hikers, alzheimer’s patients and others, quickly searching disaster areas for survivors as well as searching for the remains of people who have been died.

Through our association with Robin Habeger, a NASAR evaluator for area search, trailing and HRD we are currently helping to support her and her dog Moses (aka DUNDER). Our goal is to make DUNDER the most well known search and rescue dog in the world.

At 1-800-PREPARE.com we are committed to helping raise awareness for these dogs and their handlers. They are such an important component of our country’s rescue community that we need to do what we can to support their efforts.

In the next few days we will post some photos and videos from the training conference.

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Charities/Groups we support General Preparedness Personal Stories Preparedness Planning Uncategorized

Preparedness for Pets

Sometimes being prepared is not fun.

Prime example is getting a phone call at 7am from a friend who NEVER calls me at that time of day.  We also happen to be on the search team together so I thought he was calling me for a deployment but it turns out, he needed the after hours contact for our vet, he also has dogs.  This was not a usual question for him and on the way to my fridge (yes the fridge)  I asked him what had happened.    Turns out his retired search dog had fallen and hurt herself.

I keep two (yes two) magnets with the office and after hours office numbers for my vet on my fridge.  They have been in the same location for the past 5 years.  I don’t move them, not even when I clean.  You see, in a panic, people don’t think, they just do.  I’m sure my friend could have easily looked up our vets number in the phone book, or maybe he had magnets on the fridge and was sitting with his dog and didn’t want to leave.  For him in that moment, it was his first thought to call someone who could find the number for him.  I was that person.

I’ve had to use those magnets myself when one of my search dogs went down with a seizure 4 months after moving into the house.  The magnet was in that same spot then as it is now.  Every person who I might have watch my pets knows where those magnets are, I show them in person when they come in to pet sit.

Those magnets or contact numbers are as important to your pet as the poison control hot line is to your small child.  Make sure the family knows where the numbers are and that they don’t move.  I also have my vet’s information programed into my ‘in case of emergency’ function on my phone.    Under “other” it lists:  In case of a car accident please look for my search dogs.  The number of their vet is…..

Many of us view our pets as a part of the family, make sure you treat preparing for an emergency your pet  might have the same way. You also should have a pet preparedness kit that you can use to treat minor injuries.

Unfortunately, the injury that my friends’ dog sustained would not allow her to make a full recovery.  That day he had to make the decision to end her pain.  My thoughts are with him and his family.

Robin and K9 Dunder
Paws of Life Foundation

Categories
Charities/Groups we support Emergency Responders General Preparedness Humor Personal Stories Uncategorized

First Responders Also Need to be Prepared

For the last two years as Dunder, my search dog, and I have been going through training, most of the time has been spent on him and getting him up and going as a certified search dog. We accomplished that task this last January in California which was a huge relief to me (I still get testing anxiety). But recently it sort of hit home as to how prepared the ‘people’ portion of the team, meaning me, also needs to be prepared.   I was talking with a friend of mine about how long it takes me to ‘get out the door’ after being deployed.

My answer, about 45 minutes.  (but that includes driving home from my work).

You might think that’s not a very long time but I have a 10 minute commute home (that’s if I hit all the red lights). I have to change my clothes, grab my two ‘go bags’ and get out of the house.  I also check to make sure I have fresh water and food for the dogs in the truck.    Doesn’t seem like it should take that long but it does (I also usually have a hard time finding the right socks for some reason, which is odd since I own 5 pair of the ‘right socks’).

After doing search and rescue work for about 10 years, I have this all down to somewhat of an art but it’s taken me about 8 of those years to NOT forget anything.  I also have to go through every spring and fall and rotate out what exactly is in my go bag for clothes.  I live in a climate that in the winter we need something to keep you warm in -10 degree weather and in the summer you need to have extra socks/pants/shirts  because the ones you are wearing are sweaty and wet.  In essence, you have to be prepared for anything when you walk out of the house.

However, I found myself on the phone today talking with my mom to find out when I had my polio shot.  Turns out the FEMA level task force I am hoping to be a member of requires my “shot record’ along with my dog’s.    This is part of me being prepared for deployment.  I also found it humorous to be wracking my brain to try and remember what year I had the chicken pox.

However, the one good thing I did find out, I’m probably do for a tetanus booster.  I would encourage everyone to check the status of your ‘shot record’ with your doctor….it’s part of being prepared.

Wags,

Robin Habeger and K9 Dunder

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Charities/Groups we support General Preparedness Preparedness Planning Preparedness tips

Making sure your kids are prepared for hiking

As we move into spring, more and more people will be spending time outdoors in the wilderness.  Parents should make sure all members of the family are prepared for what might happen if one, or the whole party, happens to loose their way.  Below are listed a few items that everyone should know:

1)  Each person should always carry a small fanny pack or pack with a trash bag, bottle of water, granola bar, a bright colored bandanna and whistle on a hike or camping trip.  You can make a hole in the side of the bag to use as a makeshift ‘poncho’ (make sure kids know how to do this so they don’t suffocate).  This will keep you warm and dry while waiting for people to find you.  A whistle can be heard further away than a human voice and takes less energy to use.  The water and granola bar will help you get through a couple of hours of waiting.  The bandanna can be used for either first aid type of situations or to use as a flag for attracting attention.

2)  Your fanny pack should also include basic first aid supplies.  Such things as band aids, hand sanitizer, gauze and antibiotic ointment is best.  This will handle any small scrapes and cuts that may happen while you are on the trail.

3)  If you happen to get lost, STAY WHERE YOU ARE.  One of the best things you can remember is to hug a tree.  Even small children can find a tree and sit down next to it and rest.  If you stop moving, the people who are out looking for you won’t have to chase you down!  When explaining this concept to small children, tell them to find a tree and hug it.  That tree will be their new friend until other new friends (searchers or search dogs) find them.

4)  Make sure your children know that they are not in trouble for getting lost.  “My parents won’t be mad at me”.

5)  If they hear searchers or someone calling their name, they should respond, but stay where they are.  Even if it is dark, most wild animals will be more scared of them.  If they hear something they should make a loud noise but stay where they are.  The animal will run away and hide.  Many children are scared of the ‘lions, tigers and bears’ which results in them running from noises in the dark.  This increases the chances they will get hurt and increases the chances that they are actually running from searchers.

6)  Before you leave on the trip, footprint your child.  If they do happen to get lost, having a clear copy of the tread of the child’s shoe will assist searchers in finding them faster.  This is a 5 minute drill which could make a significant difference later.

Many of these seem very common sense, but unless you talk about it with your children, they don’t know what to do.  A great program to help kids and parents be prepared is “Hug a Tree.

Be prepared.

Be safe.

Categories
Charities/Groups we support Emergency Responders General Preparedness Personal Stories Preparedness Planning

Search Dogs in Haiti — coming home

As the efforts rescue efforts in Haiti wind down and the recovery phase begins,  think about what happens to all of the personnel who responded to the call for assistance, including the search dogs.  All will return to their ‘normal life’ back at home, whether it be a full time job as a firefighter or for many of the search dog handlers, going back to that ‘office job’.  As for the dogs, they go back to training and normal every day dogdom of eat, sleep, play, train (play and train since they should be the same thing).

I didn’t go to Haiti, Dunder and I have yet to be certified by FEMA. However, for the past two weeks I have had someone either stop by my office or send me an email  every day asking if I was going to get deployed.  I even had several people call to confirm meetings.  We will hopefully be attempting our FEMA certifications this summer, putting us on the roster to be deployed.  Dunder and I are now wilderness certified so we do respond that way. 

I know several handlers who were/are in Haiti and think about them every day.  In my experience as a search dog handler, there have been multiple day deployments which result in an almost euphoria filled feeling that when you get home, you go through something of a ‘aderinline crash’….meaning that you were so busy, you knew the job you were doing was incredibly important and getting home, back to the routine of your life, is some how a needed relief but incredibly anti climactic.  For me it often results in long bouts of sleep followed with the emotional release of a good cry.  (everyone handles it differently)

Guess what, dogs go through that too. 

In the case of Haiti or any other type of long term deployment, the dog was the center of their handlers attention, getting to go out and search (or for them, play) for hours with their handler, getting the attention of everyone else in the area and even checked regularly by a vet.  They also serve as an emotional balm to victims, other volunteers, the members of their own team and their handler.  Not to mention having the press follow them, random people asking to pet them and in general, being the center of the universe.  When the dog gets home, guess what, it’s back to just them and their handler and the every day routine of ‘just being a dog’.

One of the things as a handler we actually are trained to do, is watch out for ‘depression’ in our dogs.  This has more too do with the dog being so used to the attention, that when they get back home, they think that type of attention should continue.  We have to make sure they have an adjustment period.  In addition to trying to recover ourselves, we also have to help our dogs recover.  One of the best ways for us to make sure our dogs are mentally sharp is to continue to have them work, but to do as many fun things as possible in training.  Keeping up the motivation to train is sometimes very hard when you think no one cares several weeks after that big deployment is over.  We as a nation have a very short memory.  Don’t let these hero’s, whether they have two or four legs, be forgotten.

If you know someone who is a search dog handler or who went on this deployment to Haiti, the best thing you can do is thank them…then ask if you can hide for their dog to do a fun motivational search problem.  Also, thank them, agian in a month, and ask to hide for thier dog, agian.  Many, if not almost all of the handlers that went on the deployment to Haiti from the USA are volunteers, yes even those with the FEMA teams.  Some of the handlers are full time firefighters.  Most are volunteers who put their own personal life on hold to answer the call.  They are adjusting to being home, getting their life back in order, and having someone who will ask to be a victim can be a motivating tool for the handler.

If you are interested in becoming or learning more about becoming a search dog handler, you can go to www.k9handleracademy.com.  You should also spend some time and learn how to be prepared yourself for the type of natural disasters that are common in your area, have supplies stored.

As always, if you have questions, please ask.

Wags,

Robin and K9 Dunder  (NASAR Type I Area Search Team)

Categories
Charities/Groups we support Emergency Responders Fire Preparedness/Safety Uncategorized

What it takes to be a search dog

Just recently, I have taken in a new foster dog that might make it as a search dog.  Mack is a 10 month old GSD/black lab mix that was just too much of a handful for his current owner.  Due to his constant digging and barking, they moved him to the back yard when he was about 5 months old and he had very little play or structure since then.  He’s currently 76lbs and definitely has his own idea on how the world works.  The majority of dogs get a new name when they go into a program to help give them a new lease on life, we named him Mack because he was so big and pushy…as in ‘Mack Truck’.

So what did I see in Mack to make me think he might make it as a search dog?  First, when he got out of the car, in a strange location, he walked right up to me and said hi.  He showed a little bit of leeriness, which is perfectly fine but no barking at me in fear or avoidance.   I picked up one of the many frisbees that I have and guess what, he wanted to play with me!  This is fantastic!  He was not overall dependent on his owner for courage, meaning his desire for his toy was greater than him being afraid of me, or of the location he was in.  He also would play tug with me, which is the best thing that could have possibly happened.

Next, we loaded him back up in the car, drove to a different location and got him back out.  We then pulled out two tennis balls and started throwing them in tall grass.  All he wanted to do was run after them and hunt for them in the tall grass, not giving up until he found one.  This is also a great sign!

So based on those couple of tests and his overall temperament we decided that if he didn’t make it as a disaster dog, he would be okay as a wilderness search dog.  So I loaded him the truck, with my 3 other dogs, and took him home!

The next day, I took him out to the rubble pile to see how he did.  Wouldn’t you know, he surprised me and chased a frisbee up onto all different aspects of the pile!  I don’t think he realized he had four feet but that didn’t keep him from running up there to get the toy.

We actually have a scoring system for how the dogs react and a specific directions, but I won’t bore you with those.  If you really would like to see them they are located at www.disasterdog.org.

In the last week, we’ve been working on him barking for a toy, which he now will do without a problem.  He even will bark at me for the toy, which is laying at my feet!  He also has some food guarding issues which we are working through.  However, I do think all the components are there and with some work, they will come shining through.

Dunder and Mack are playing well, I’ll be taking them both out to the rubble pile to train and work on skills.

Wags,

Robin

Categories
Charities/Groups we support Emergency Responders

Disaster dog handler — what it takes

Greetings all,

One of the things I thought I would touch on is what it takes to be a search dog handler in a disaster setting.  Usually on tv or in the papers you see these people walking around with nicely trained dogs in a horrible setting and think, ‘wow, that would be cool, going out there with Fluffy to find people.’  There is a lot of training that goes into the dog and the handler to prepare them for that type of a situation.

A disaster search dog handler has to sit through classroom training, yes, it’s not always about working with a dog.  You do have to understand things about safety, collapsed structures, rope systems, hazardous materials, marking systems for buildings that are not safe, how to communicate in the command structure as well as all of the information you need on how to train and handle a search dog.  This type of training is what professional firefighters also go through to prepare them for their career(the basics anyway).  So as a canine handler, you have to understand how to fit in that structure, how to keep yourself and the rest of your team safe, help the person you are looking for AND handle the dog.  This takes a lot of time.  My team training for this weekend is actually the maintenance of my CPR/First aid certification through the Red Cross, which has NOTHING to do with training my dog but is part of my responsibility for keeping my skills as a first responder current.

So yes, you do have to spend a lot of time on ‘non dog stuff’ in order to be a disaster dog handler.  Keep in mind, FEMA has a 40 hour class that all disaster dog search dog handlers MUST go through before you can be deployed.  This is not a class that is open to the general public, you have to be part of a FEMA team in order to take the class.  You spend 1/2 a day in classroom learning about such things as building markings, how buildings collapse and the safety precautions you have to take as well as dog training things.  You then spend the afternoon out training, HARD.  In addition to this 40 hour class, the other classes include:  your hazardous materials class is usually 16 hours of classroom, the ropes class is also 16 hours, the CPR/First Aid is 8-12 hours, then you also have the incident command classes which run anywhere from 4 to 32 hours of classroom.  That’s a lot of time in the classroom and very little spent working your dog!!!!!

So then, you add your dog training time on top of that.  You and your dog have to train in obedience, agility, rubble search and having the dog take directions on which way to search.  So while you are sitting in class learning all sorts of new things, at some point you have to make time to train with your dog (remember, the cool part about searching with Fluffy).    First and foremost, you have to see if Fluffy has the ability to do this work.  (which is a whole different post).

Am I trying to talk anyone out of doing this type of volunteer work, NO!  It’s great, I love it and my dogs love having a job.  But then I’m the person who got up at 4am on Saturday, drove 3 hours, to sit in class for 6 hours, train my dog for 1 hour, train other people’s dogs for 2 hours, drive home for  3 hours (got home at 8pm) and spent my own money to do it.

Just have an appreciation for how much time, sweat and training those cool dog handlers have put in when they make their job look easy.

Wags,

Robin and Dunder (search dog in training)