Training and Deployment of USAR Dogs with Kimberly Holley
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This week we take a look at what it takes to train and deploy with USAR dogs during disasters. Dr. Joe Holley’s better half, Kimberly comes by to talk about her work with the FEMA team from Memphis, Tennessee. She currently had two trained dogs (one live find dog and a human remains detection dog), Kimberly is currently training a third for live search and rescue.
Kimberly goes over the training process and the breeds that are best for the hard work of searching in difficult environments for hours on end. The Tennessee team has an excellent training facility with multiple rubble piles, tunnels, and simulated collapsed structures.
This type of training goes a long way but doesn’t completely prepare the dog and handler for working in the field at an actual disaster site. In those situations, it falls to the handler to be vigilant to the safety of the situation and watch the dog for cues that a break is needed.
Dr. Joe Holley was also on the call and our episode was hosted by Sam Bradley and Jamie Davis.
Scroll down for Podcast Discussion Summary
Thank you as always to Paragon Medical Education Group for their long-term support of the Disaster Podcast. Dr. Joe Holley and the team at Paragon continue to provide excellent and customized disaster response training to jurisdictions around the U.S. and internationally as well.
Podcast Discussion Summary
Kimberly’s Search and Rescue Journey
The team welcomed Kimberly, Joe’s wife, who is involved in dog training and search and rescue. Kimberly explained how her interest in search and rescue dogs was influenced by Joe’s FEMA activities and her background in animal rescue. She also mentioned their three certified search and rescue dogs and a new dog, Leo, who is in training for live find.
Evaluating Dogs for Search and Rescue
Kimberly discussed her process of evaluating dogs for search and rescue, emphasizing the importance of drive and temperament. She shared an example of how she identified Leo’s potential as a search and rescue dog. Sam asked about specific breeds and how to know if a dog is suitable for search and rescue. Kimberly explained that drive is the key factor, and certain breeds have different types of drive.
She also mentioned the importance of training dogs in various environments to prepare them for different search scenarios. Jamie asked about training dogs for search in difficult environments, and Kimberly explained that they have a training site with various props to expose dogs to different environments.
Search and Rescue Dog Training
The discussion focuses on search and rescue dogs, their training, and deployment. Kimberly explains that they train dogs for either live find or human remains detection, with different traits suited to each role. Live find dogs need to be comfortable with human interaction, while human remains detection dogs often work more independently.
Kimberly emphasizes the importance of rewarding dogs during deployments to keep them engaged. The team discusses maintaining the dogs’ health in the field, with handlers playing a crucial role in day-to-day care.
Joe mentions that task forces have veterinary resources and that medical team members receive specialized training in canine care. Kimberly explains the certification process for search and rescue dogs in the Federal system, which involves rigorous testing every three years.
The conversation concludes with a discussion on how handlers manage stress during deployments and the ongoing need for new handlers and dogs in search and rescue programs.
More SAR Dogs Needed
Kimberly discussed the growth of the need for search and rescue dogs in both live find and human remains detection, highlighting recent deployments in Hawaii, Maui, California, and Fort Myers. She noted the increasing use of canines in disaster responses due to refined research and resources.
She shared her most memorable deployment experience, which was her first disaster response in Cookville, Tennessee in 2019, where she and her dog partner, Ed, a human remains detection Labrador, witnessed the devastating effects of a tornado that took 19 lives.
Canine Training in Team Operations
Joe discussed the importance of canine training in their team’s operations, emphasizing the significant decisions made based on the findings of these dogs. He expressed skepticism about other teams with dogs that can find anything, as he doesn’t know what that means.
Jamie highlighted the importance of training and commitment to training within their systems, including FEMA and local resources. Joe mentioned upcoming training in Florida next month.
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