LIHUE — Kauai’s rugged terrain and precarious trails can be a challenge for even experienced hikers, and the island’s K-9 Search and Rescue Team is often called into the ranks when one wrong move ends in disaster.
These dogs are trained to navigate steep hills, thick brush and fallen trees to find missing people, and in October both canines and handlers on Kauai earned top certifications from the National Association for Search and Rescue.
“This (gives) the Kauai K-9 Search Team an additional certified SAR Tech II member and two certified canine teams,” said Debra Gochros, with Kauai K-9 Search and Rescue Team. “Both canine teams certified to the highest NASAR test possible.”
Gochros is one of five people on Kauai certified with NASAR, and two of those people are part of certified canine teams with dogs Avi and Seva.
Michelle Ng achieved her National Association for Search and Rescue SARTECH II level certification, the intermediate level for SAR personnel.
All of the dogs involved in Kauai K-9 Search and Rescue Team are different breeds, which is usual among SAR dogs.
The main qualification for SAR canines is that they be toy-motivated, according to NASAR, and the entire team is comprised of volunteers.
October certifications happened because the Kauai K-9 Search and Rescue Team invited a national evaluator from Idaho to the island to test individuals as well as canine teams, an effort funded by the Kauai Visitor Industry Charity Walk sponsored by the Hawaii Lodging &Tourism Association.
During the October testing, individuals were given the SAR Tech II test. That consists of a written test and hands-on skills application in areas such as navigation using map and compass, ropes, tracking and clue awareness.
Canine teams were tested on their ability to locate people in large areas day and night.
Kauai K-9 Search and Rescue Team frequently puts their canines and humans through drills similar to the NASAR certification tests, and training happens all over the island at places like Stone Dam and Loop Road.
Drills include working together to find missing people and walking or treed subjects, learning tracking tactics and how to navigate wildlife and agricultural animals, and learning basic survival skills.
While the Idaho SAR evaluator was on-island, Kauai’s K-9 Search and Rescue Team invited teams from Oahu and Maui as well in an effort to bolster SAR efforts statewide and provide in-depth training to partners on other islands.
“We wanted to let other teams have an opportunity to train and test with a national evaluator, and we wanted to bring some unity to the SAR teams in the state,” said Noelle Hamilton-Cambeilh, a Kauai canine handler.
Certifications help the Kauai team advance their skills, prepare and be able to deploy.
“We want Kauai to know that we will provide assistance for missing people and we are always improving on our skills,” Gochros said. “The National Association of Search and Rescue says their goal is ‘so others may live,’ and our team on Kauai is committed to that goal.”
More info, or to get involved: kauaik9searchandrescue@hotmail.com or 346-3317
