February 9, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (SH2010-06)
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
R. Steve Huffman
Public Information Officer
(251) 208-2857/Fax: (251) 208-2861
E-Mail: huffman@cityofmobile.org
LOCAL CANINE SEARCH TEAM TO BE RECOGNIZED BY CITY COUNCIL
It takes years of training for a search dog to reach basic certification. Many good search dogs never receive advance certification but Bella, a yellow lab and her handler Keith Everett have accomplished what few have been able to do. Everett, a Mobile Firefighter and his canine companion Bella, both members of Alabama Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Task Force One, based in Mobile, recently tested for and received their Type I (Advanced) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Canine and Handler Search Certification. Both will be recognized by the Mobile City Council today Tuesday, February 9 at the regular Council Meeting at 10:30 a.m.
Type I Advanced Certification is the highest level of certification that FEMA gives to search canines. Bella and Everett became Type II (Basic) Certified in December of 2008 and recently made the trip back to Toms River, New Jersey to test for Type I certification.
There are approximately 200 Type II Certified Search Canines in the United States and Mobile has two of them. There is only a handful of Type I Certified Canines in the U.S. and Bella and her Handler, Everett became the first and only team in the State of Alabama to reach this level.
US&R task forces are supported by highly trained canines and canine handlers. All of FEMA's US&R task forces have canine/handler teams, nearly all of which are certified in urban search-and-rescue strategies and techniques.
Each canine/handler team must pass rigorous national certification in urban search and rescue. Canine/handler teams must be re-certified at least every two years in order to participate in search and rescue operations.
For the handler, certification includes written and verbal tests regarding search-and-rescue strategies, briefing and debriefing skills, and canine handling skills.
For the search-and-rescue canine, certification includes proper command control, agility skills, barking alert skills to notify rescuers of a find, and willingness to overcome innate fears of tunnels and wobbly surfaces under the guidance of the handler.
There are two levels of certification for search-and-rescue canine/handler teams.
• Basic certification (Type 2) requires the search animal to perform to specific standards under the handler's direct supervision and guidance.
• Advanced certification (Type 1) requires the search animal to perform to those standards outside the direct supervision and guidance of the handler, and to successfully search more difficult rescue simulation courses.
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