Collapsed Structure Search Dogs
In 1999, Neil assisted the UK Fire Service Search and Rescue Teams which were
deployed to the Turkish earthquakes by the UK Government. They attended the
first major earthquake in August of the year and returned to help at the second
one in August.
The dogs are trained to the highest standard to locate a trapped person in
rubble and to indicate the find by barking at the scent source. All the dogs are
chosen for this work because of their very high play and hunt drives and for
their friendly, sociable natures with people and with other dogs. Neil’s dogs Cracker and Dylan have both been to Turkey, where they were involved
in many searches and where people were located alive in the rubble. For their
heroic work there, both dog were awarded the Dickins Gold Medal for
gallantry and devotion to duty.
Charco and Sam are Neil’s two new dogs, both of which are part of the British
International Rescue Dogs Association and are members of the Search and rescue
Dogs, Ireland North. Sam and Charco are also attached to the Northern Ireland
Fire Service, Specialist Urban Search and Rescue Team and are on pager standby
for any major building collapse in N Ireland. Charco has already been to a major
earthquake in Pakistan where he successfully helped locate one trapped survivor.
Neil has now been joined by Raph O'Connor and hos search dog Jay as volunteer
members of the NIFRS. Raph and Jay are also members of BIRD and as such are
available for International call out in the event of any major disaster
tthroughout the world.
Since becoming attached to
the NIFRS USAR Team, Charco, Sam and Jay have assisted at several collapsed
structure incidents.