# We want to start...but how?



## Hilde Van Durme (Feb 9, 2010)

Together with some dogtrainers of Santo Domingo, we are talking about putting together a SAR group for the DR but...a great but.

We want to do it right, correct and completely in a structured way but...again but.

We lack :

Experience in training
Where can we get the necesary training in order that as the group should grow, we would be able to pass that knowledge on, so training for ourselves but also training to become an instructor.
Experience in how to put up such a structure and we want it well organised
Experience in what is needed for forming such a group, aswell in assets as in knowledge

What do we have :

Good dogs
Good handlers (one is a fireman, we ourselves and others have para medical backgrounds)
The will to proceed with it
The need for such a group (and that comes from local authorities)
There is already contact with local authorities and governement 

Basically we need a plan how to proceed step by step so that eventually we can become a well organised SAR group which has qualified people who are trained in the correct manner with the right dogs who had the correct training in good communication with the governement or local authorities and other organisations.

Who can set us on our way?

Thx

Hilde


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

I won’t even bust on this one…. It can’t be real, it’s got to be setup.


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## Hilde Van Durme (Feb 9, 2010)

Chris McDonald said:


> I won’t even bust on this one…. It can’t be real, it’s got to be setup.


I do not quite understand your answer, can you explain a bit more please?


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

It is hard to say how to get started. It is a tremendous amount of work. 

I think your best bet is to figure out the direction you want to take [wilderness or disaster not both, not to start]. 

If disaster, I think your government could help you by seeing what info FEMA, US may share. 

If wilderness, I think you should spend find some established and respected teams in the states....get on the SAR groups on yahoo [do a search for search and rescue on yahoo groups; there are several, then PM the moderator]......then research like mad any teams you find because everyone can be an expert on the internet ......and see if one of them will mentor you. 

Realize they are volunteers and spending incredible hours just keeping their own teams going. Get every book you can buy - they will conflict with each other. Check out NASAR [lot of folks don't like them but there is a lot of good info there] and National Search Dog Alliance. 

That is all that comes to mind right now. Expect a LOT of work - . Our team is 9 years old and still having "growing pains" ....


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## Jennifer Michelson (Sep 20, 2006)

You can also start researching the standards you wish to certify your members under--that might help you start to focus. Also if you decide to certify under a certain agency (ARDA, NASAR, IPWDA, etc) you can then contact those agencies and get some help. NJ has a SAR Council which is trying to centralize call outs/liaise between teams and LE, if your state has something similar it might help to contact them.

Some issues are insurance, leadership structure, becoming a 501c3, SOPs, training schedule and standards and all the other legalities involved.

Good luck


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## Michele Fleury (Jun 4, 2009)

If you have the $$, you should consider bringing in an experienced instructor. There is just way too much to learn to do it on your own from books and articles.


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## Hilde Van Durme (Feb 9, 2010)

Michele Fleury said:


> If you have the $$, you should consider bringing in an experienced instructor. There is just way too much to learn to do it on your own from books and articles.


Any advise on who? Its true what you say, reading books and articles works fine for a while but we are coming at the stage that we want to progress. We are not really stuck since one of the members is a fireman who has experience and managed to participate in some seminars abroad and we are training with him but its all on the practical side which is fine but now we need to go further than that and actually starting to "manage" the group and building out a good foundation and get it together who will be doing what in the group.

thx!


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Hilde Van Durme said:


> Any advise on who? Its true what you say, reading books and articles works fine for a while but we are coming at the stage that we want to progress. We are not really stuck since one of the members is a fireman who has experience and managed to participate in some seminars abroad and we are training with him but its all on the practical side which is fine but now we need to go further than that and actually starting to "manage" the group and building out a good foundation and get it together who will be doing what in the group.
> 
> thx!


You have to decide what type of SAR you'd like to focus on (as Nancy mentioned above - wilderness, disaster, etc.) in order to determine what instructors would best meet your needs. There are instructors who also can help you set up the team or manage the group.


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## Hilde Van Durme (Feb 9, 2010)

Konnie Hein said:


> You have to decide what type of SAR you'd like to focus on (as Nancy mentioned above - wilderness, disaster, etc.) in order to determine what instructors would best meet your needs. There are instructors who also can help you set up the team or manage the group.


The decision has already been made within the group that we would start with wilderness. Its common sense to start with that.
How do you see that Konnie, an instructor that would manage the group? Someone from abroad who will instruct us and coordinate things such as training requirements, setting up a manual, sop's etc...?


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

There are definitely instructors here in the US who would travel to you to help you set up a team structure, SOPs, certification procedures, etc. 

Let me know if you want recommendations. I'm sure the other SAR folks on here could give you some names as well.


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## Jennifer Michelson (Sep 20, 2006)

Within wilderness, you need to decide how to proceed. Will you have air scent (area search) dogs, trailing dogs, cadaver, scent specific etc. That will help you determine what trainers you want to focus on.

My wilderness team has air scent live find dogs. I think we should add trailing dogs and that would take finding outside trainers.


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## Hilde Van Durme (Feb 9, 2010)

Jennifer Michelson said:


> Within wilderness, you need to decide how to proceed. Will you have air scent (area search) dogs, trailing dogs, cadaver, scent specific etc. That will help you determine what trainers you want to focus on.
> 
> My wilderness team has air scent live find dogs. I think we should add trailing dogs and that would take finding outside trainers.


At the moment we have two air scent life find dogs, one trailing dog (has a background of IPO) probably will be used as the confirmation dog and one air scent life dog who is training already for cadavers.


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