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.

ELEMENTS

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1

Prepare for search

1.1

Interviews and site assessment are conducted to establish an appropriate search strategy

1.2

Risks contained in the search area are identified and assessed and appropriate safety procedures are implemented

1.3

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

2

Handle and control canine

2.1

Work is undertaken with canine in a safe and appropriate manner

2.2

Control of canine is maintained, at all times

2.3

Canine search specialist encourages willingness to work independently in the canine, which is demonstrated by the canine, whilst maintaining control

2.4

Canine search specialist maintains control whilst, commands are responded to by the canine, in the presence of distractions

2.5

Assistance is provided by canine search specialist to canine throughout the search, where appropriate

3

Conduct search

3.1

Canine search specialist deploys canine off lead and confirms appropriate actions and indications by canine to ensure search area is covered

3.2

Canine search specialist interprets canine demonstration of location is acted upon

3.3

Actions and indications of canine to correctly identify the presence of live human scent are correctly interpreted by canine search specialist

3.4

Search area is covered by canine search specialist and canine within required timeframe

4

Provide search debriefing

4.1

Relevant information is recorded accurately, in accordance with organisational procedures and legislative requirements

4.2

Sketch of search area showing alert locations is provided to relevant personnel on completion of search

4.3

Recommendations are provided to relevant personnel on completion of search

5

Maintain canine welfare and safety

5.1

Appropriate care, safety and welfare procedures for canine and canine search specialist are followed, in accordance with organisational policies and procedures and legislative requirements

5.2

Basic care of canine is implemented and completed, in accordance with organisational procedures

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

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.

Not applicable

Search and Rescue