Mobile Rescue Dog Receives FEMA Certification

Jan 9th, 2007

Mobile Firefighter-Driver Phillip Richardson, 41, a 20 year veteran of the department and his dog Jake, a 4 year old Yellow Lab returned Monday, January 8, 2007 after successfully passing the FEMA Certified Disaster Search Canine test given on Saturday, January 6 at the Florida State Fire Academy in Ocala, Florida. Seven dogs from across the country took part in the test and only 3, including Jake passed the rigorous certification test. Richardson and Jake are members of the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department’s Alabama Task Force 1 Urban, Search and Rescue Team.

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.

It takes years of training for a search dog to reach basic certification. Many good search dogs never receive advance certification.