Category: Emergency Responders

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Disaster Kits Emergency Responders General Preparedness Personal Preparedness Preparedness Planning Survival Kits

Northeast Snow Storm

By now..most people in the Northeast have power back in their homes and have dug out from the freak storm that hit our area. Due to the time of year and the trees being full of leaves….this storm was particularly devastating. There were severe power outages due to the large number of trees and limbs that came down. This caused major breaks in power lines and a large number of transformer fires. All this adds up to a pretty terrible event and one that hopefully taught us all some lessons.

1. Emergencies can and do happen all the time. Even when we don’t expect them to.

2. These events create very dangerous scenarios: live downed power lines, falling debris, loss of power, slippery roads, fires, etc.

3. Emergency response personnel become overwhelmed and can’t get to every emergency immediately

So…this once again should teach us that we all need to be better personally prepared. We need to all learn to become our own “first responders”.

*Did you have the kits and supplies you need?

*Did you have a plan in place of where to go and what to do?

*Did you know what resources were available to you?

My true hope is that each time we face these events…we learn something and more importantly we take action. Take at least one step now towards better preparedness and I can assure you that the next emergency (and their will be one) will be just a little bit easier for you to get through.

In the meantime…be well and be safe.

Paul Faust

1800prepare.com

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Emergency Responders General Preparedness Personal Preparedness Personal Stories Preparedness tips

Auto Guardian

As the owner of a preparedness kit/supply company and a volunteer firefighter….emergencies seem to find me (or maybe I am just paying more attention and looking for them). As such, I tried to be as prepared as I can be so I can help if I run into a situation. In my personal vehicle…on top of my firefighting turnout gear I also keep an auto survival kit, a regular survival kit, an auto guardian rescue flashlight and assorted other supplies. There have been numerous times where I have used the items that I carry both for my own problems and to assist others.

Last week in our town we had 3 different fire department calls at once. I was responding to one of the calls when I came upon a small car accident. The accident involved 3 cars but luckily no one was injured. One of the vehicles sustained damaged and their was debris in the road. The accident occurred right near an intersection so there was also the risk that someone rounding the corner would hit the vehicles already involved. I knew that there were other first responders on their way to the alarm call and I realized that this accident could prove a hazard to them as well.

The first thing I did was pull my car up ahead of the accident to a safe spot on the shoulder of the road. (If you are going to stop and help  at an accident…make sure you don’t become a victim. Park in a safe place and always be aware as other motorists as they tend to tunnel vision on the accident and may hit you). I then called our dispatch to notify them so they could alert the other responders. I quickly checked on the people involved to make sure they were alright. I then took my auto guardian tool which is a 5 in 1 device and placed it in the road about 20 feet behind the accident. I turned on the flashlight L.E.D. lights so oncoming traffic would see the accident. This item works great as a replacement to a road flare.

After I set down the auto guardian…I quickly swept the debris out of the roadway so it wouldn’t affect other cars, jumped back into my car and headed to assist at the call I was on my way too. Hopefully….when the accident was cleared..someone threw my auto guardian into their car so they could have it for themselves.

It never ceases to amaze me how many times I actually use my own products. Whether its supplies from a first aid kit or just a flashlight….I like knowing that I can both take care of myself a little better…and also assist others who may be in need.

If you have stopped to help someone in trouble…please share your story here.

Thanks and stay safe

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Emergency Responders General Preparedness Personal Preparedness Personal Stories Preparedness Planning

Saved by my Own Auto Safety Product

As the owner of a preparedness kit/supply company I am always preaching to people the need to be prepared for everyday…what if’s. Preparedness isn’t just about being ready  for major events such as earthquakes, hurricanes, terror attacks, blackouts, etc. There are things that can and do happen everyday that we can be better equipped to deal with. These things can range from the simple need for a band aid or other first aid supply, the supplies needed to deal with a flat tire or an escape ladder to get out of a burning home.

Tonight I responded to an automatic fire alarm as I am a volunteer with the Somers Fire Department. The call turned out to be a false alarm so we all packed up to head home. I just happen to be the last car to leave. For some strange reason…my car battery was dead. Here I was in the middle of the night…stuck with a dead car. Now…I could have knocked on a door and called a garage or asked someone to give me a jump start as I was in a populated area. But…what if I wasn’t. What if it was my wife and the car was in a parking garage late at night or some other secluded area?

Two weeks ago…I decided to get a portable jump starter that I could keep in my car. I thought it would be good to have both for myself and so I could help a stranded motorist if I came across one. I had the product shipped from my warehouse and left the box in my office for a few days. On Monday I thought it was silly to have ordered it and not taken it out of the box…so I unpacked it, read the instructions and plugged it in to charge. On Wednesday I put it in my car (it takes 40 hours to charge the first time).

Well…tonight it came in handy. I pulled it out of the trunk, connected it to my battery and had my car started in less than 60 seconds. Now….I thought this device would come in handy one day. I just didn’t know it would be the day after I put it in my car.

This event simply reinforced to me the concept…that unfortunately…things happen. AND…that by taking some simple steps…we can be better prepared to deal with them. I am not saying that everyone needs to go out and buy every product, gadget, rescue device on the market. Just take a few moments to think about the things that can occur in your everyday life and then see what steps you can take to better deal with all those…what if’s.

Stay Safe,

Paul

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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 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 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 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)

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Emergency Responders

What it takes to be a search dog….part 2

So, in the last post I talked about a dog that I was evaluating for search work, Mack.  One of the interesting things about dogs is that they do change according to their surroundings, just like we learn to adapt.

In the last post, I talked about how he would play tug and run up on the pile like a champ, how he even started barking for a toy.  But wouldn’t you know, getting him into a routine, in a household where he knew the rules, and they didn’t change, his drive dropped.  Drive you say?  You mean he could drive?  No, this is his inherent willingness to do the work….basically, what is that internal ‘thing’ that would make him want to do ANYTHING for the opportunity to play with a toy.  Once most of the stress was reduced in his life, his willingness to work for a toy also dropped.  Why?  My guess, most of his willingness to play with a toy came from stress.  It was one of the ‘safe’ ways he had learned to let out some of his frustrated energy.  AND he now could garner attention through just being a pet, having someone play with him like a regular dog and he didn’t have to focus all of his energy into the 5 minutes a day when someone would play with him.

Now, Mack is happily in a new pet home, with a mom and dad of his own where he’s very spoiled.   I actually get to talk to his new owners about 3 times a week and even saw pictures of him today.   He might not be what we look for in a search dog, but he’s very happy having the job of being someone’s pet.  That’s also a very important job for a dog.

Moses was sad to see his friend go, but Moe and I spent the weekend at a FEMA search dog testing.  We learned a lot and got to watch all of the different elements of a US&R test.  There were 7 dogs testing and only 2 passed the entire test.  These dogs are highly trained and in one day we asked them to work closely with their handler doing obedience and agility to working far away from their handler on a rubble pile they’ve never seen before to find someone buried in the rubble.  Moe and I didn’t test, we weren’t ready.

However, I did get to hide for some of the dogs which was fun.  If you can imagine laying in a concrete tube on a sleeping bag, under 6 feet of rubble as fun.  (I read a book while 3 of the dogs searched for and found me).  Moe and I did get to play a little bit later in the afternoon, I was very happy how he moved over the new piles and found his person.

Dogs are very situational, they do not generalize well.  This is the main reason why people have great dogs in the kitchen, but once you get them outside they have no idea what you are talking about if you ask them to sit.  It takes a long time to generalize a behavior for a dog, your kitchen is different than your bathroom, which is different than your back yard.  The fact that I can take my dog, drive for 6 hours, stay in a hotel, then ask him to run onto a rubble pile that he’s never seen before and he will search for someone he’s never met, sometimes amazes me.

Wags,

Robin and K9 Moe

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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

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Emergency Responders General Preparedness Personal Stories Uncategorized

The Best Gift of the Evening

My daughter is one of those kids for whom it is always difficult to buy a gift. I say “kid,” but she is 23 years old, a Flair Bartender (think Tom Cruise in “Cocktail”) and a Paramedic. She has been self-supporting for years and as a single working woman, has the luxury of being able to buy, what she wants cash when she wants it. When her birthday came around this year, she told me she wanted a toolbox (with Sears Craftsman tools) and a 72-hour Go-Pak.

Now before you think that this is a set-up, you must realize that I am the author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Disaster Preparedness” (www.TheCompleteIdiotsGuide2DisasterPrep.com) and my youngest child has had a 72-hour Go-Pak since he was 5 years old. My daughter’s interest was not in just any Go-Pak, but in the best one that I had reviewed while I wrote the book. As an author and researcher, I also never write product endorsements, only factual reports.

As soon as my daughter opened her gifts, the Go-Pak had everyone’s attention. The backpack was opened and everything in the Go-Pak passed around by her firefighter colleagues. The Go-Pak she received was the 1800Prepare/Guardian adult 3-day disaster kit. This kit comes in a substantial bright red backpack. The Go-Pak comes “out of the box” with everything except your important documents, prescription medications and spare clothing. I do recommend adding 2 additional chem-lite sticks and a USB data drive for photos and medical records. The 1800Prepare website (www.1800prepare.com) has a complete inventory of the items in this Go-Pak. For me, the coolest item in the kit was the “Tube Tent.” This tent does not require poles and can be used as a tarp, tent or even a rain poncho should the poncho included in the Go-Pak be lost or damaged.

My daughter got her toolbox (with tools) too. Although she loves to tinker and her firefighter friends plan to borrow her tools often (at least so they said at her party), the best gift of the evening was her 72 hour Go-Pak. Every firefighter at the party asked me where they could get one like it and plan on giving them for gifts this year.

For years, I have encouraged everyone to give 72 hour Go-Paks to every family member as a gift. I am proud to say that as the result of this one gift, one major city’s fire/rescue service will begin giving this most important gift of preparedness.