Arizona Search Dogs Inc

Arizona Search Dogs

Arizona Search Dogs trains, certifies, and develops Canine Search Specialist teams to be mobilized with FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Teams.

Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) involves the location, rescue (extrication), and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in confined spaces.  Structural collapse is most often the cause of victims being unable to escape, but victims may also be trapped in transportation accidents, mines, collapsed trenches and most recently in their own homes and businesses secondary to a hurricane.  Urban Search and Rescue is considered a "multi-hazard" discipline, as it may be needed for a variety of emergencies or disasters, including earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons, storms and tornadoes, floods, dam failures, technological accidents, terrorists activities, and hazardous materials releases.

The dog as a tool

Disaster canines are trained to locate live victims and indicate the position where the strongest scent is found with a focused bark alert.  Because of their light weight and agility canines may be asked to search areas that are unsafe or simply not big enough for a human to enter.  Once an alert has been given search camera and electronic listening devices can be used to further pinpoint the location and position of these people.  Another advantage the dog has over technology is that once a victim has been identified rescue specialists can initiate extrication and the dogs can continue to work the remaining area.  With electronic devices immediate rescue activities would have to be delayed until the entire area was surveyed.  A dog's nose will still work whether a jack hammer is next to a second victim or 100' away.  A dog can also clear an area that is deemed unsafe by structural engineers or firefighters.  A common example is when an unsafe area is suspected to contain people that may be trapped or unconscious.  To enter that locatin with electronic devices puts the rescue and search specialists at great risk.  Clearing the area with a canine allows crews to concentrate their efforts on victims that are already identified.  This allows a better and safer utilization of personnel resources.  Common sense would dictate that a 70 pound dog with their weight distributed over four paws will be less likely to cause a weakened structure to collapse when compared to a number of  200 pound firefighters and their equipment