| Hudson Fire Department |
| Hudson Fire Department K-9 Search and Rescue (formerly East Texas K-9 Search & Rescue, Inc.) is an all volunteer non-profit organization formed in 1996 that utilizes both people and dogs to help locate missing and lost persons in the greater East Texas area or anywhere we may be called to serve. We serve Law Enforcement to give them trained man power in the case of a search at no cost to them. Our team's operating guidlines allow us to only take call-outs from Law Enforcement officials or other search teams. So, who makes up the Hudson Fire Department K-9 Search and Rescue? People just like you! All with a common goal to "bring em home". Members come from all walks of life to form a team dedicated to training for the unfortunate event when we receive that unexpected phone call. That call normally means leaving our jobs or families to help someone else's family. Many of our call outs end before we even leave the driveway en route to a search. This is a positive note meaning that the person has been found and our services are not needed. After all, we would rather be called out and not needed then needed and not called out. Most may not consider the extensive training and skills that a member is expected to become proficient in. How much training does it take to look for someone? Just some of the training includes Search Tactics, Map and Compass Reading, First Aid and CPR, Lost Person Behavior, Communications, Search Management, Incident Command Systems, Man Tracking and Crime Scene Preservation along with other subjects. The training does not stop there. Members spend time both in a classroom as well as outdoor training such as mock searches to give everyone a sense of reality. Outdoor seminars are encouraged and new members are required to pass the National Association for Search and Rescue test within eight months of joining the team. That brings us to the Stars of the team. The Dogs. How do we use dogs to locate people? Consistent training often from an early age by the handlers often yields a dog that is mission ready in about a year. Many people want to know the best dog for SAR but there really isn't one. Mixed vs Pure Breed is not necessarily a question but working breeds such as German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, Dobermans, Labrador and Golden Retreivers, Rotweillers and Border Collies are some of the more common ones seen. Dogs are as individualistic as humans are and not every dog will make a SAR K-9. But don't forget the handlers. They have to go through all the afore- mentioned training for themselves, purchase equipment and take care of vet bills and unkeep. Search and Rescue is not inexpensive. Hudson Fire Department K-9 Search and Rescue operates on small purse strings relying on out-of pocket expenses from it's members, public donations, the annual car show and grants to continue service to the community. We were recently able to purchase a vehicle for conversion into a mobile icident command post to better coordinate searches. Your monetary donations will help us acquire needed equipment and training and to provide Child Identification Kits at no cost to the public. |
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| K-9 Search & Rescue - About Us |
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