Canine Disaster Search Teams are deployed when natural disasters strike. These amazing dogs partner with firefighters and volunteers to find humans buried in the wreckage often searching in stressful situations. The Northwest Disaster Search Dogs (FEMA Certified) are some of the best in the nation.
The dogs are searching for live human scent, and that scent will rise up no matter how deeply someone is buried in the wreckage. Once the dog finds a victim it will bark and stay with that victim until the handler gets there to reward the dog, said Kent Olson, President of the Northwest Disaster Search Dogs.
Search and rescue dogs are trained to find live human scent through piles of wreckage, snow, water (they can locate drowning victims in a lake or pond), and even thin mud.
The human body puts off scent all the time and these dogs have such a powerful nose that they can detect that. They've got sometimes seven thousand times more ability to smell than humans do, so dogs will locate even the smallest amount of scent, said Olson.
The Northwest Disaster Search Dogs are a 501(c)3 non-profit that is funded by members and donations and provide their services to fire departments and disaster zones for free. It takes approximately $10,000-$15,000 in time and gear to get a search dog ready to deploy to a disaster scene.
For more information on NDSD visit Christie Johnson's blog at www.christiejohnsonking5.blogspot.com
