U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Federal Emergency Management Agency

Resource: Canine Search and Rescue Team – Avalanche Snow Air Scent
Category: Search and Rescue (ESF #9)
Kind: Team
Minimum Capabilities (Component) Minimum Capabilities
(Metric)
Type I Type II Type III Type IV Other

Dog Team:
1 Dog
1 Handler
1 Support Person

Search Capabilities

Capable of self-sustaining and searching for 24 hours in extreme weather and terrain conditions through avalanche debris fields canadadrugcenter.com

Capable of self-sustaining and searching for 24 hours in snow-covered environments in extreme weather conditions and moderate terrain

N/A
Knowledge and Equipment for Avalanche/Snow Search Dog Teams  

Personal snow travel equipment and gear to
self-sustain for 24 hours; Equipped to include cross-country skis or snow shoes, poles, probe poles, snow shovel, and avalanche beacon; Training, including avalanche safety and winter survival, including building snow cave, First Aid for both human and dog, personal/ dog safety, and radio communications

Personal snow travel equipment and gear to
self-sustain for 24 hours; Equipped to include
cross-country skis or snow shoes, poles, probe poles, snow shovel, and avalanche beacon; Training, including avalanche safety and winter survival, including building snow cave, First Aid for both human and dog, personal/ dog safety, and radio communications

 

N/A

Comments:

Note:  Many of these resources are capable of searching in a disaster environment, such as a wilderness team in outlying areas of a tornado zone, etc. It is critical that canine management personnel, knowledgeable in multiuse of canine resources, are available to Incident Command. This will not necessarily be reflected in this document.



National Mutual Aid & Resource Management Initiative
Search and Rescue