Events

 

SARDA DEPLOYMENT - MARCH 27TH 2008

Victoria Police Search & Rescue deployed two Sarda Operational Dog Teams to search Mt.Dom Dom, east of Melbourne, to assist in a search for a missing bushwalker.  The terrain was extremely tough and the two Sarda dog teams searched from the base of the mountain to the top and cleared the area that they were given to search. 

The two dogs teams were deployed twice again by Vic Police S&R to search other areas of interest. No evidence of the missng bushwalker has been uncovered.

OCTOBER 2007 -  USAR/AREA-WILDERNESS BI-ANNUAL ASSESSMENT 

USAR/AREA wilderness bi-annual assessmentSARDA conducted their Bi-annual Assessments for the two operational SARDA K9 teams. Tom Middlemas from Scotland conducted the assessments and a training workshop over a period of 3 weeks with all SARDA members from both Victoria and NSW.

The first Usar Assessment was carried out over 4 sites provided by CFA and we would like to thank most sincerely CFA Instructor Myles O'Reilly & CFA members. All SARDA members, K9 teams and support undertook this Assessments with Tom Middlemas as the Assessor and Myles O'Reilly and assistants guiding the SARDA teams in correct protocol on rescue deployment. 

The second Usar/Area Wilderness Assessment was held over a 5 day period at TruEnergy -Yallourn Power Station and we would sincerely like to thank Mark Nash and his team for their assistance in making this fully operational site available to create an environment that the SARDA K9 teams would have to work in if required to deploy at a similar site. The K9 teams had to work in one of the turbine buildings which consisted of 16 storeys of grid mesh flooring, extreme heat, noise with an accute degree of difficulty.  The K9 teams and support were given tasks and scenarios and their strategy was also tested within the assessment guidelines as well as the K9 ability to locate and alert.   The area/wilderness search assessment was conducted around the exterior of the TruEnergy Yallourn Power Station which consisted of bush, river and pondage. 

The third Usar Assessment was conducted at Mount Royal Hospital (Royal Melbourne Hospital) and we would sincerely extend our thanks to RMH Administration for their assistance in making this site available for SARDA Assessments. This Usar Assessment was conducted as a Usar/building search which the K9's found extremely interesting and a degree of difficulty as well.  This is where the search strategy is critical which the K9 teams and support utilised accordingly.

The two SARDA Operational K9 teams passed the above Assessments which gives them International Accreditation for another 2 years.  The Accreditation is for Level 3 Full Search Dog plus Advanced Usar. Our newest  K9 team,16week old puppy "Flite" (black Labrador) who was exposed to all the above to neutralise and condition her for her future as a sardog. Thank you to SARDA members who assisted in all aspects of the Assessments and workshop and to Tom Middlemas for his expertise and guidance in conducting the training workshop as well as the Assessments.

Pics of the above Assessments will be posted shortly.

SEPTEMBER 2007 - DEPLOYMENT

SARDA K9 teams were called to a housefire in NarreWarren to help locate a suspected deceased person in the remains of the house fire.  After discussing with Victorian Police, CFA, SES & Vic. Police Forensic that SARDA K9's are trained to locate & alert on breath and bacteria it was decided to allow the dogs to search the site. Bacteria from a deceased person can be detected for up to 36 hours (depending on weather conditions).  Two SARDA K9's searched the site with no result. Later in the day CFA & SES cleared another area of the site and one SARDA K9 team was called back to search the area that was unavailable the previous day.  Nothing was found at the site and one week later the person in question was located in NSW.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22372376-2862,00.html     

 

 MAY 2007 -USAR CAT. 1 CERTIFICATION

Seven Sarda members, along with members from the CFA and SES all successfully completed their Urban Search & Rescue Category 1 Certification.  This course was conducted over a 2 day period at the CFA Training Facility, Fiskville, Victoria.  

Visit to Sarda from NSarda Chairman Harold Burrows MBE from Sarda/Wales

 

 

In October 2006, Sarda had the pleasure of receiving a visit from

(Pictured are Harold Burrows with Sarda “dog” team members including 2 NSW members.)
 

National Sarda Chairman and Sarda/Wales Mr.Harold Burrows MBE to assess and get an overview of the standard of Usar/Wilderness sardogs here in Australia.  The three days spent with Harold was invaluable as he saw the potential that sardogs in Australia is able to achieve. 

 Training Camp at Culcairn NSW (2) - 7/09/2006

Training at Michell Tannery outside Culcairn provided challenges to the dogs simulating the disaster scenario.  As pics show, the area was contaminated with treatment and this is exactly what the dog teams will encounter upon deployment.

Thanks to Peter Hassell & Kade Godde for their assistance in providing an excellent training facility for the Sarda dog teams and support crew and spectators.

All attendees were given an overview of how the search dog team works a building inside and out.
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  Training Camp at Culcairn, NSW (1) - 31/08/2006

On August 19th & 20th the Sarda Vic team travelled to Culcairn, NSW to conduct a combined training camp with the SardaNSW members. Mary-Jane and Jade did a great job of finding suitable training areas - disused tannery, operational quarry and 4,000acre farm at Gerogery, NSW.

The spectators invited came away with a better knowledge of the efficiency of the search & rescue dog team and all who participated enjoyed the challenge.

Andrew  & sardog Gus with his support crew person SardaVic member Judi, improved their coordinating skills with the base operator SardaVic member Pat Richardson.  These skills are being tested on every training exercise. Julie & sardog River alternated between Sarda NSW members Jade, Cindy & Kristy.  Kristy, Cindy & Robyn travelled from the Central Coast, NSW and Richmond, NSW.  The whole weekend was full of interest and sustained energy in initialising the interstate unit.
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  Various training areas - 19/08/2006

Sarda sardogs and handlers are given every opportunity to train the dogs in various situations and locations for area search and disaster search.

Organisations such as the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, CFA and the Australian Redcross provide assistance  in the continuation of our training. Southern Peninsula Rescue Squad for their cooperation with training the dogs in their helicopter. 
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  Disaster /Usar Training - 30/07/2006

We are constantly on the lookout for new areas to train our dogs in disaster.  From time to time these disaster sites become available and we are able to use this facility for a time. The Usar trained dog needs to be constantly challenged so different sites become of the utmost importance to their training.  We are always on the look-out for different sites and if there is anyone who knows of a possible disaster training site please contact Julie Cowan on www.sarda.net.au.