|
Air
scent vs. Cadaver/HRD Dogs
The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component
in responding to law enforcement requests for missing people.
Dedicated handlers and hard working, well-trained dogs are required
in search efforts to be effective in their task. Search and rescue
(SAR) dogs detect human scent. Although exactly what this means to
the dog is not known, it may include evaporated perspiration, skin
rafts, respiratory gases, or decomposition gases released by
bacterial action on human skin or tissues.
These dogs are trained to follow diffused or wind-borne scent back
to its source, return to the handler and indicate contact with the
subject, and then lead the handler back to the subject. Handler
technique, terrain, environment (vegetation), and atmospheric
conditions (wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity)
determine the area covered although a typical search area may be
10-160 acres and scent sources can be detected from a distance of
1/4 mile or more. Human Remains Detection (HRD) or cadaver dogs are
used to locate the remains of deceased victims. Depending on the
nature of the search, these dogs may work off-lead or on-lead. A
good air scenting dog should be cross-trained as a cadaver dog as
well or at least be introduced to the variety of cadaver scents
(Tissue, blood, teeth, bone, fluids) through this cross training,
the handler can then recognize a dogs behavior change even if there
isn't a trained alert to cadaver scent, which then alerts the
handler to allow for additional or more intense coverage of the
search area.
The scent the dog detects is clearly of a different nature than
that detected for live or recently-deceased subjects. Cadaver dogs
can locate entire bodies (including those buried or submerged),
decomposed bodies, body fragments (including blood, tissues, hair,
and bones), or skeletal remains; the capability of the dog is
dependent upon its training.
A recent study showed the accuracy rates of cadaver dogs in winter
weather conditions. The study showed the dogs capabilities to
discriminate between animal and human remains. It indicated that an
accuracy rate of almost 100% can be achieved through careful and
directed training.
Presently NORSAR has one HRD certified
K9 and six air-scent certified K9's
|
|
Join
our Team
We are accepting applicants.
We are an all volunteer, non-profit Search and Rescue group
serving the Pacific Northwest. As a volunteer branch of the
Sheriff's department, we come to the aid in rescuing those lost
and/or injured in the outdoors. No
experience is needed
We will provide all the needed training to accepted
recruits.
You must be 18 years of age + pass a criminal background
check. For further information contact
Ariel
Salzman
or
Sonja Hultsman
|
|
Generous donations provided
by:
|
|
|
|
|
Welcome Friends Of
NORSAR...
 Every couple months we like to inform you of
happenings and updates at North Oregon Regional Search and Rescue
(NORSAR).
If this is something you do not want to receive on a periodic
basis then you may unsubscribe at the bottom of this page otherwise
read on !
|
|
Member Spotlight
 This month we
highlight the efforts of Becky Irving. Becky has been a search and
rescue volunteer for 20 years. In those 20 years she has trained,
participated and certified in the areas of First Responder, Outdoor
Emergency Care, disaster, avalanche, and SAR scene management. Her
true passion in search and rescue lies with the canine specialty.
She has trained, worked and certified 3 dogs in the areas of
Wilderness Air-scent and Wilderness and Urban trailing. Becky and
her various canine partners have participated in over 500 missions.
In her personal time she's a full time Veterinary Technician at
Rock Creek Veterinary Clinic and also a single parent of 2 great
kids. Her non SAR time is spent attending school functions and
sporting events with her kids, showing bloodhounds and serving as
the President of the Pacific Rim Bloodhound club. Currently She has
a 5 year old male Bloodhound named Brodie which is certified for
the OSSA in Urban trailing. He also holds title as Conformation
Show Champion and is titled in Man Trailing in the American
Bloodhound Club.
Becky also has a second dog that she is training. Ava is a 1 year
old female German Shepherd. Ava is currently in training for
Wilderness Air-scent and Article and Evidence searching.
|
|
|
An insight into Alzheimer's and
Scent
Alzheimer's
patients can and do smell different than people we (canine handlers
and SAR dogs) routinely train on.
The presence of medication can alter scent. Given that a major
trigger for wandering is a change of medication (increase or
decrease of dosage; addition of another medication, a change in
time when given medication; self-neglect of medication; deliberate
withholding of medication by a caretaker, etc), any of these may
give a different scent picture than a scent article from the
day/week/etc before. Again, think of how quickly asparagus or
garlic or alcohol enters the bloodstream and is excreted through
pores, sweat, lungs, breath, genital mucosa, etc. There are
cognitive alterations in persons with Alzheimer's (or a
similar/related dementia) which may lead to a lack of fear
(adrenaline, cortisol, blood coagulation properties, etc), however,
that is not a disease-wide norm, and equally, you will see
patients/wanderers who panic at normal, everyday stimuli which
can/will also alter the scent picture (variance depending on
stress/fear/physical response, etc).
It's also important to consider other factors: does this person
live in their own home ? Are they in a new environment (one of the
highest predictable factors in wandering)? Do they live in a group
communal environment (predicable and standard/common diet - did
everyone have asparagus for lunch today)? Does communal sharing of
personal items, belongings, clothing occur? Does the wanderer layer
clothing? Of their own? Of others? How is the individual's clothing
laundered: with their own items and no one else (common in private
households, esp when the patient is fecal incontinent, or, are the
clothing items communally laundered in commercial machines where
you may get a "norming" of facility scents) ? Because of these
factors, and others, it has been a recommendation for many years
that SAR handlers also work their dogs in a (trained) facility or
therapy dog situation, to expose their dogs to the scents of
Alzheimer's (and related dementia) patients, as well to familiarize
themselves (the handlers) with speech patterns, behaviors,
etc.
- Article contribution courtesy
of Kimberly R. Kelly
|
|
Calendar
of events
September/October - SAR Academy
September 11 - CRESA 911-Vancouver, WA
September 12 - Warrior Dash, Hillsboro, OR
October 14-17 -Northwest SARcon -Welches,
OR
October - Rocky Butte cleanup -Portland,
OR
December - Holiday Party
|
|
Past missions &
Requests
NORSAR is proud that so many
of our team have responded to the Kyron Horman search.
We have logged over 500 hours devoted to searching for
Kyron.
7/2 Clark Co., Missing family on river.
7/8 Multn. Co. Trailing dog request: missing 12 year old
possible drowning Sandy River Troutdale.
7/15 Multn. Co. HRD, Kyron Horman Search
7/15 Wash.
Co. Trailing and air scent dog request for missing Alzheimer out of
Forest Grove/Banks. Brodie found subject 1/2 half mile from
residence.
7/21 Multn. Co. HRD, Kyron Horman search
7/25 Clack. Co. Missing 57 year old camper from Timothy
Lake
(high Rock area)
7/26 Clack. Co. Timothy Lake search continued
7/27 Multn. Co. HRD, Kyron Horman search
7/27 Clack. Co. HRD continued Timothy Lake search
7/29 Clack. Co. HRD continued
Timothy Lake search7/29 - 8/1 Washington county Fair dog
demos Butch, Becky & Brodie
7/30 Clack. Co. HRD, continued Timothy Lake search
8/3 Clack. Co. for National night out PR event
8/3 Multn. Co. Missing male medical issue from Blue Lake
area
8/3 Multn. Co. Missing hikers Larch Mtn.
8/5 Multn. Co. Trailing dog for missing 64yr old Alzheimer's -
Woodstock neighborhood
8/7 Multn. Co. HRD, for Kyron Horman search
8/8 Multn. Co. HRD, for Kyron Horman search
8/14 Wash. Co. HRD for Kenneth Theiss Search
8/14 Wash. Co. Missing hiker, Stub Stewart State Park
8/21 Mock SAR with Pacific North West SAR Team
8/31 Wash. Co. for missing 78yr old Male dementia from 196th
in Aloha. Brodie had major assistance in finding subject in hotel
room on 198th and TV HWY
8/31 Wash. Co. Trailing dog request for missing woman.
|
|
|
|
