# Training kit



## Jay Quinn (Apr 1, 2012)

Hey folks sorry if there is already a thread on this but I went back until I hit posts from 2011 and couldn't find anything... 

I am very lucky that my USAR group is attached to our local Fire and Rescue service and as such we have regular access to their rubble pile to train... I have only been involved for a few months now and am still learning a lot... My dog seems to be a natural searcher so he has been allowed to work on the pile fairly quickly... But his handler is still lagging in the learning department lol... 

Most of my other team members have a bumbag / hiking belt type arrangement that they use, and I'd like to start setting myself up a similar bit of kit...

So two questions:

What do folks use to carry their gear? Some cheaper options for deployment would be nice too (can use something expensive during training as the chances of contamination are almost zero, but if we ever actually deploy and I have to ditch my pack/belt for whatever reason I'm going to be mighty upset if it was really expensive!)

And of course what do folks keep in their kit just for training? Water and some kind of receptacle for the dog to drink out of are a given, but what else should I include?

Thanks heaps in advance!!


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## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

Most folks in training may carry a camel back for hydration purposes for themselves and the dog. But not always. They normally don't carry full backs because its training and if emergencies arise, the cars are close by.

The only suggestion I do make is that if you are new to this field is to carry your full pack during training to aquaint yourself to the weight and issues of dealing with the swing and bother of it. I know a lot of folks who throw a bunch of stuff in there with the anticipation of using it only to come back and chuck out half of it as unnecessary.


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## Jay Quinn (Apr 1, 2012)

Thanks. I'm not sure I would be allowed to wear a full pack on the pile, and being USAR if we were to deploy would likely be based from a command centre... I need to talk to members of my group and ask what is in our caches and if they have any sort of deployment list that we would be required to pack... This is not a priority for me right now as neither myself or my dog are certified so there is no way we are getting deployed any time soon... Once we start passing assessments (yet to undergo any) I will start getting a pack together... 

For the time being though I need to start at least carrying water during search training, but I'm not sure how much other stuff I should add? Small first aid kit? Etc....


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## Rob Maltese (Jan 8, 2014)

Company called Tactical Baby Gear offers a backpack w/ hydration bladder for $65.00 plus shipping, seems to have a decent amount of storage and has MOLLE webbing on the front to attach extra storage and or first aide kit.


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## mel boschwitz (Apr 23, 2010)

I don't do USAR but for me and my trailing dog I use a fanny pack with water for me and dog, small first aid kit, gloves, extra collar. I usally train in urban area so if something really bad happened I could get help easy. If im training rural way out then I carry my full pack (larger first aid kit, extra water, extra phone battery, gps, etc).


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