March 7, 2003

PRESS RELEASE
To: Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Asst. to the Fire Chief
Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2411, page: 675-2137

Going to the Dogs - Regional Training Conference Brings Best Search & Rescue K-9's to Shreveport

Some of the best search and rescue K-9's in the country and their handlers have em"barked" on Shreveport for a five day training seminar hosted by the Shreveport Fire Department. The seminar started Wednesday evening and runs through this Sunday.

The working conference will have the four-legged firefighters and police officers performing human remains detection, live disaster search, wilderness search, and tracking/trailing. Areas to train will include rubble piles to simulate a collapsed structure, large brush piles, a lake on site, and a 6-8 story warehouse. The seminar will include mock scenarios focused on disaster searches, independent skills training, and lectures, as well as evening events such as lectures and an auction.

Search and rescue K-9's have played a major role in human detection in the Oklahoma City bombing and World Trade Center terrorist events. The Shreveport Fire Department Search and Rescue K-9 Task Force was formed and became operational in 2001 with a five dog team. Two dogs which are dedicated to finding live persons are the backbone of the team. Whether it is a collapsed building or a horrific storm, these dogs will search and locate only those persons that are still alive. Additionally, the team assists law enforcement with the search and detection of human remains and missing persons. Recently, the Shreveport team started training with a Blood Hound whose primary responsibility will be to find the children or elderly persons who wander away from home or care facilities. Trained in the urban environment, this dog will be capable of following the path of this individual through busy city streets and through the crowds and traffic that come with such an environment.

Members of the Shreveport Fire Department K-9 team donate their time and expertise to
this discipline. ###