K-9 Training

All K-9 teams must fulfill the following requirements and pass the Mission Ready evaluation in order to achieve Mission Ready status and be deployed on a search.

Requirements for Mission Ready Air Scent Team:

I. The handler must do the following:

1. Meet all of the requirements for an active member.
2. Follow established guidelines for search procedures, strategy, and protocol.
3. Document K-9′s response to cadaver scent exposure.
4. Have equipment required for K-9 first aid.
5. Read all required materials.
6. Have participated in at least 5 searches as a flanker.
7. Demonstrate required K-9 obedience, agility and swimming.

II. The team must be able to locate victims in the following situations:

1. Single victim in the daytime in 40 acres of moderate to difficult terrain.
2. Multiple victims, up to 3, in 20 acres of moderate to difficult terrain with victims in different locations.
3. Single victim at night in 15 acres of moderate to difficult terrain.
4. Single victim in an area heavily contaminated with human scent.
5. Moving victim.
6. Concealed victim.
7. Unreachable victim.
8. Determine no victim is present

Requirements for Mission Ready Trailing Team:

I. The handler must do the following:

1. Meet all of the requirements for an active member.
2. Follow established guidelines for search procedures, strategy, and protocol.
3. Demonstrate required K-9 obedience, agility and swimming.
4. Document K-9′s response to cadaver scent exposure.
5. Have equipment required for K-9 first aid.
6. Read all required materials.
7. Participated in at least 5 searches as a flanker.

II. The team must be able to do the following:

1. Utilize scent from a variety of articles.
2. Cast to find a trail in heavily contaminated areas.
3. Follow a trail under the following conditions:
   3a. 12 hour old trail
   3b. Heavily contaminated
   3c. One mile long
   3d. Across a variety of surfaces
   3e. Four turns and/or corners of different direction
4. Locate victim at end of trail.
5. Recognize loss of trail.

Requirements for Mission Ready Cadaver Team:

I. The handler must do the following:

1. Meet all requirements for an active member.
2. Be a current mission ready air scent or trailing team.
3. Have participated in at least 2 searches as a K-9 handler.
4. Have all special equipment required to conduct cadaver search.
5. Properly document training.
6. Be knowledgeable about courtroom testimony.
7. Accompany Mission Ready Cadaver team on 2 searches.
8. Read all required materials.

II. The team must be able to locate cadaver material in the following situations:

1. Above ground in 10 acres of moderate terrain, aged 12 – 24 hours.
2. Under brush in 5 acres of moderate terrain, aged 24 hours.
3. Buried 6 inches in 2 acres of moderate terrain, aged 48-60 hours.
4. In area heavily contaminated with trash, people, and animal cadaver scent.
5. Area with false holes or negative aides.
6. No cadaver material present.

Requirements for Mission Ready Water Team:

I. The handler must do the following:

1. Meet all requirements for an active member.
2. Be a current mission ready air scent or trailing team.
3. Have participated in at least 2 searches as a K-9 handler.
4. Have all special equipment required to conduct a water search.
5. Properly document training.
6. Read all required materials.
7. Be knowledgeable about boat and water safety.
8. Demonstrate ability to swim 50 yards.
9. Observe from the boat MR team on actual water search.

II. The team must be able to do the following:

1. Current Mission Ready Air Scent or Trailing Team.
2. Demonstrate ability to swim 50 yards.
3. Locate submerged diver from a boat in 2 acre area.
4. Locate submerged cadaver aide from boat in 2 acre area.
5. Locate submerged cadaver aide from boat in 2 acre area with distractions of ducks, buoys, or boats.
6. Determine no cadaver aide in area.

Requirements for Mission Ready Light Disaster Team:

I. The handler must do the following:

1. Meet all requirements for an active member.
2. Be a current mission ready air scent or trailing team.
3. Have participated in at least 2 searches as a K-9 handler.
4. Have all special equipment required to conduct a light disaster search.
5. Properly document training.
6. Complete FEMA CSS training and FSA test or equivalent
7. Read all required materials.

II. The team must be able to do the following:

1. Demonstrate obedience.
2. Demonstrate directional control.
3. Demonstrate agility.
4. Demonstrate bark alert.
5. Locate and indicate 2 victim locations in rubble pile within 20 minutes.
6. Determine that no victim is present.