Mounted search and rescue

[SARCRNA@aol.com]

TJ,

 

We are located in Houston and are putting together our mounted unit.  We currently have search dogs and have been around for 8 years as a K9 team.  We have a seminar Feb. 28, 29 with Alexandra Kurland on clicker training for horses.  If you are interested in that I can forward info.  Also we have several people on our team with Nasar certifications in Sar Tech II and one guy that is great at setting up a compass course for practice (he has done trekking in the outbacks of Alaska and learned from his father-in-law who does that every summer.  We will be putting together an advanced sar tech course in the fall probably, and we plan on having a seminar on air scent training for horses.  The head of our mounted unit has taken the Sheriff's Dept. Mounted Patrol course and we have members that have joined the newly formed Airport Ranger program at intercontinental airport.  We would love to get together and train with you.  We have access to several thousand acres of land (thick in areas), but workable once this rain stops.  We have several riders on our team who want to use their horses with their dogs so you would get an opportunity to experience search dogs working. 

 

We have a vet on the team experienced with horses and dogs who could do a field class on emergency first aid, we have paramedics and ER nurses who could do something with emergency first aid for humans and CPR, we also have several people experienced in training all types of animals including exotic animals as several of our people work at the Houston Zoo and Moody Gardens.  We have members on the Texas Task Force disaster team who could help with education on disasters--(more natural occuring disasters here in Texas).  We have access to the Houston Fire Dept., Hazmat team, Heavy Rescue, and the Fire Academy for training.  We have done rope rescue courses and could put another together since we have several new people who also need those skills.

 

If others in Texas are interested, perhaps the teams could get together for a series of courses.  We would also like to do an air scenting class with Terry but wanted to get some ground work finished prior to him coming down.  

 

Susan Martinez     

Greater Houston Search Dogs