Canine Search and Rescue Team Disaster Response

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

Resource: Canine Search and Rescue Team Disaster Response
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	A disaster search canine that has successfully completed the DHS/FEMA Disaster Search Canine Readiness Evaluation for both Type II and Capable of national and international responses leadmedic.com	A disaster search canine that has successfully completed the DHS/FEMA Disaster Search Canine Readiness Evaluation for Type II only; Capable of national and international responses	A disaster search canine that has successfully completed Disaster Search Canine Readiness Evaluation through an organized disaster task force non-FEMA; Capable of national and international responses	A search canine with minimal exposure to disaster search; Capable of local/regional response only; No task force participation
Knowledge and Equipment for Search Dog Teams		All requirements as set forth by DHS/FEMA National US&R Response System	All requirements as set forth by DHS/FEMA National US&R Response System	All requirements as set forth by organized task force for availability for national/international response	Agility; Obedience; First Aid-Human/Dog, HazMat, Disaster, Environment Exposure minimal; Initial responder readiness through local agency

Comments:

Please note that 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