The Search Teams are Home! Nepal Deployment summary:
From the Search Dog Foundation:
The six SDF-trained Search Teams who deployed to Nepal as part of Team USA are home now after a long, challenging 18-day mission. Now that they've had time to rest and recuperate, we wanted to share their reflections with our family of supporters who made this possible.
During the deployment, the teams helped rescue a teenage boy buried beneath the wreckage, and "cleared" scores of buildings, giving closure to families and letting rescue crews know they could move on to other areas.
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The skill of the canines was critical in "clearing" the piles - confirming no survivors were left behind in the wreckage. They performed dozens of "hasty" (generalized) searches to determine whether there was any live human scent coming up from the rubble. If scent was detected, a more detailed search would have been conducted to pinpoint the location of the survivor so rescuers would know exactly where to use their equipment and resources to extricate the victim. Throughout the operation they worked with Nepali police, military and paramedics to coordinate the search operation, identify the search sectors, and direct resources where they were needed most.
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On April 30, while Ripley was searching, a radio dispatch let the teams know a victim's voice had been heard beneath the wreckage. Andy, Jason and their teammates responded immediately, and also heard the voice calling out. U.S. and Nepali teams confirmed the location and pulled a 15-year-old boy out from under several collapsed floors. Pinned behind a crushed motorcycle, the boy had enough space to survive the collapse. Our teams gave him immediate medical care and he was taken by ambulance to the Israeli field hospital. The Search Teams and local people celebrated the rescue!
Search Dog Foundation is a wonderful organization.
