Services
Ground Teams
All KERT personnel are trained in ground search techniques such as line-searching, route-searching, hasty search and basic mantracking. KERT ground searchers can be utilized to thorough-search areas, to check "track-traps" for footprints or to provide team leadership for civilian line searches. In addition they provide support for K-9 teams, assisting with navigation, communication and clue awareness. All KERT members are certified SAR Technician II with the National Association for Search and Rescue.
K-9 Teams
Urban Search and Rescue/Recovery K-9's must undergo extensive training above and beyond the basic wilderness search training that all KERT K-9's receive. From climbing ladders to negotiating unstable surfaces, all KERT USAR K-9's must meet or exceed standards that are equivalent to those used by state task forces all over the country.
KERT USAR handlers also must receive specialized training in areas such as structural collapse, confined spaces and ropes rescue. KERT has the only handlers in Wisconsin that have actual K-9 disaster search experience; these handlers have deployed with their dogs on seven different disaster incidents in four states.
Air-scent K-9's are most commonly used to search large, uninhabited sections of land, including woods, fields, swamps and heavy brush. These dogs are taught to range out ahead of the handler and to "alert" whenever they detect the scent of a human; they then follow this air-borne odor to the source of the scent. Air-scent dogs may be "generic" (following any human scent) or "scent-specific" (following only one specific human's scent). Although the term air-scent is generally used to refer to K-9's that are searching for live humans, these dogs will also locate deceased victims- many are cross-trained specifically for cadaver search.
Human Remains Detection K-9's or cadaver dogs are specially trained to "alert" to the odor of decomposing human tissue, and then follow that scent to the source of the odor where they perform a trained indication. These dogs are particularly useful in locating clandestine graves and disarticulated body parts. They may also be utilized to search buildings and vehicles for trace amounts of tissue and blood. HRD K-9's must be trained on all types of tissue from bone to organ to blood, and a variety of sample sizes and states of decomposition.
Water search K-9's are trained to "alert" on the scent of a human underwater which rises to the surface and is then carried on the wind. These dogs may be worked from a boat or from the shoreline, when the wind is favorable. Water search dogs may have their basic training in live-find wilderness search, cadaver search or both. They may also be used to search for victims underneath the ice if the handler has the training and equipment to do so safely. The biggest advantage to using water search K-9's is to limit the size of the area that must be searched with other resources, especially divers.
Evidence or article search K-9's are trained to locate and indicate on articles that have human scent on them. They may be "generic" (locating articles with any human's scent) or "scent-specific" (locating articles with only one specific human's scent). Scent-specific evidence K-9's can also be used to help confirm that a certain article was touched by a certain person. This can be very useful when potential evidence is located by searchers. Article search dogs must perform a "passive" indication such as a sit or down, which will not disturb the evidence.
KERT USAR handlers also must receive specialized training in areas such as structural collapse, confined spaces and ropes rescue. KERT has the only handlers in Wisconsin that have actual K-9 disaster search experience; these handlers have deployed with their dogs on seven different disaster incidents in four states.
Air-scent K-9's are most commonly used to search large, uninhabited sections of land, including woods, fields, swamps and heavy brush. These dogs are taught to range out ahead of the handler and to "alert" whenever they detect the scent of a human; they then follow this air-borne odor to the source of the scent. Air-scent dogs may be "generic" (following any human scent) or "scent-specific" (following only one specific human's scent). Although the term air-scent is generally used to refer to K-9's that are searching for live humans, these dogs will also locate deceased victims- many are cross-trained specifically for cadaver search.
Human Remains Detection K-9's or cadaver dogs are specially trained to "alert" to the odor of decomposing human tissue, and then follow that scent to the source of the odor where they perform a trained indication. These dogs are particularly useful in locating clandestine graves and disarticulated body parts. They may also be utilized to search buildings and vehicles for trace amounts of tissue and blood. HRD K-9's must be trained on all types of tissue from bone to organ to blood, and a variety of sample sizes and states of decomposition.
Water search K-9's are trained to "alert" on the scent of a human underwater which rises to the surface and is then carried on the wind. These dogs may be worked from a boat or from the shoreline, when the wind is favorable. Water search dogs may have their basic training in live-find wilderness search, cadaver search or both. They may also be used to search for victims underneath the ice if the handler has the training and equipment to do so safely. The biggest advantage to using water search K-9's is to limit the size of the area that must be searched with other resources, especially divers.
Evidence or article search K-9's are trained to locate and indicate on articles that have human scent on them. They may be "generic" (locating articles with any human's scent) or "scent-specific" (locating articles with only one specific human's scent). Scent-specific evidence K-9's can also be used to help confirm that a certain article was touched by a certain person. This can be very useful when potential evidence is located by searchers. Article search dogs must perform a "passive" indication such as a sit or down, which will not disturb the evidence.
Search Planning and Management
KERT has trained search management teams that can provide assistance to the local AHJ in organizing and planning search operations. All personnel are trained in Missing Person Search Management and Search Tracker as developed by Rick Slatten of WoodsTalk and utilized by the St. Louis County Minnesota Rescue Squad.