Assessor Resource

PUASAR021
Search as part of a canine search team at USAR incidents

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: May 2024


This unit of competency involves the skills and knowledge required to deploy a canine search team to search for and locate multiple people concealed in a structural collapse and to manage a canine during the search. A canine search team consists of one disaster search canine and one canine search specialist.

Canine search teams must be capable of working together in disaster search operations to locate victims. A canine must be capable of searching independently and efficiently, as directed by the canine search specialist.

The types of incidents that may require an Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) canine search team, working as a member of a USAR task force, includes earthquakes, terrorist incidents, aircraft crashes, disasters or major structural collapses. The unit is applicable to canine search specialists intending to work with task forces actively involved in USAR incidents and disaster operations.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)


Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.

Non-essential conditions may be found in the Companion Volume Implementation Guide.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Interviews and site assessment are conducted to establish an appropriate search strategy 
Risks contained in the search area are identified and assessed and appropriate safety procedures are implemented 
Adjustments are made, where appropriate, to search strategy, in accordance with any changes in information, environmental conditions, search progress and current rescue work being undertaken 
Canine search specialist deploys canine off lead and confirms appropriate actions and indications by canine to ensure search area is covered 
Canine search specialist interprets canine demonstration of location is acted upon 
Actions and indications of canine to correctly identify the presence of live human scent are correctly interpreted by canine search specialist 
Search area is covered by canine search specialist and canine within required timeframe 
 
 
Work is undertaken with canine in a safe and appropriate manner 
 
 
 
Canine search specialist deploys canine off lead and confirms appropriate actions and indications by canine to ensure search area is covered 
 
 
 
Relevant information is recorded accurately, in accordance with organisational procedures and legislative requirements 
 
 
Appropriate care, safety and welfare procedures for canine and canine search specialist are followed, in accordance with organisational policies and procedures and legislative requirements 
 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

PUASAR021 - Search as part of a canine search team at USAR incidents
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:


Assessment Record Sheet

PUASAR021 - Search as part of a canine search team at USAR incidents

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: