K-9 Searching Out Scent

Serving northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.

What is K-9 S.O.S.?

K-9 S.O.S. is a fully insured, all trained-volunteer, non-profit corporation established in 2004. Original members, both human and canine, have previous search and rescue experience. The team's main objective is to provide assistance to emergency agencies including, but not limited to local and state police, fire departments, county coroners, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Army Corps of Engineers.

The team currently consists of five handlers and seven canines. Handlers train their own dogs. Weekly training may include wilderness, disaster/ rubble, building, urban, and cadaver/human remains work. Water training is also scheduled when weather permits. K-9 S.O.S. has had successful body recoveries on land, in water, and in burned structures. All of our K-9 members have been instrumental in saving lives.

K-9 S.O.S. handlers maintain certification in First Aid and CPR (both human and canine), and AED, as well as search and rescue related coursework (Wilderness Search Responder, Basic and Advanced Grid Tactics, Map and Compass and GPS, Water Rescue, Scent Theory, and Cadaver). Other coursework and certifications held by members include: CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), ICS 100 and 200 (Incident Command System), NIMS 700 (National Incident Management System), and NASAR (National Association for Search and Rescue) certification (SARTECH III and SARTECH II).

Members attend many out-of-state seminars to enhance education of search and rescue methods and techniques. Handlers and their canines have attended seminars conducted by instructors from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. The team also attempts to train with other search and rescue teams in both Ohio and Pennsylvania on a monthly basis.

K-9 S.O.S. also is a member of the Ohio Federation of K-9 Search Teams, based in Columbus, Ohio.