OED, are you heading down?

garden_lover · Post by **garden_lover** » Sep 02, 2005 7:58 am

OED, is your group heading down to the south to help with the search and rescue efforts?

Old earth dog · Post by **Old earth dog** » Sep 02, 2005 9:56 pm

Probably not. The group I reciently left is having a lot of internal problems. The team I'm looking into joining is on alert to go but, being a newby to that team, I would have to go through a 6months probation period. Part of that means, no search work till Thunder and I get fully certifyed by that team. I did call my former team and make the offer IF they get called. I was told it doesn't look likely though.
As in 911 and Oklahoma, FEMA teams are usually the first to go in because they are predominantly a "live find" organization. Many people feel that a dual purpose (live and cadaver) dog would be drawn to the strongest scent (Cadaver) and might miss a live find. This idea probably came from poorly trained dogs/handlers. I proof Thunder on that scenario all the time. He has no problem.
Unfortunatelly, LA will probably be over run with well meaning, but unprofessionel teams. I was talking by email with the son of a good friend of mine. He drove down there from S Carolina to help out. He was formally with the Special Forces and has done two tours in Iraq. He said Iraq was a walk in the park from what he saw in New Orleans. I wont go into what he saw, but this will be the absolutly worst natural disaster this country has ever seen. From his description, a cadaver dog would be in overlode.

newtohosta-no more · Post by **newtohosta-no more** » Sep 03, 2005 10:39 am

Oh my. I knew it would be bad. My DS called last night and told me that his SAR team is being sent down to Miss. on Tuesday.

They are expected to be gone one week, so he is attempting to contact his professors at school and get assignments early, so he doesn't fall too far behind. I asked him if he was ready for this and he said he hoped so. This will be the first time he has gone out with the team. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers...as well as all the other people who are there to help. My DS roommate is also being sent to La. because he is with a Natl. Guard unit.
Also, two of my DS's roommates are from La. , as well as his roommate from last year. Apparently their families are okay. They live about an hour from New Orleans and did sustain damage to their homes.
OED.....I don't know whether to be glad that you don't have to go, or sad that you won't be going with Thunder. Such mixed emotions. I hope you understand what I mean. You and Thunder would be very valuable to the efforts now, but I hate the thought of what you would find there.

lazygardner · Post by **lazygardner** » Sep 03, 2005 8:00 pm

"overload"... gotcha. Very sad indeed.

Old earth dog · Post by **Old earth dog** » Sep 04, 2005 1:22 am

Two of the firefighters on the team I just left have been deployed to LA with their dogs. They are going as firefighters with trained dogs, not as team members on the SAR team. Thank God, these are two team members and dogs that I trust completely.
One side of me desperately wants to go, but having seen some of the things I have already in SAR, I know this will be a tough one to get over.
New 2 hosta! Is your DS trained for live search only, or cadaver, or both. Having been in on many "finds" myself, and having been to the Body Farm in Knoxville Ky for training, I wish the very best, with prayers, for your DS. Please tell him what a wonderful thing he's doing to help bring closure to some of these families. Knowing that has helped me get through more than one nightmare.

newtohosta-no more · Post by **newtohosta-no more** » Sep 04, 2005 7:59 am

OED....I think he has been trained in both. He has been with the team for two years and they were expecting a call soon to look for a missing person, who the police recently got tips on.....apparently tips that indicated the person had been murdered and the body dumped in a wooded area. This is not a recent case, but one many years old. He had planned on participating in that search , so I would imagine he has had some cadaver search training. My son is young....20 at the moment....and of course inexperienced with stuff like this, but he respects many of the older members of the team and feels they have done a good job training the newer members. I just don't think anyone , who hasn't seen something like this before, can even imagine what it will be like. It's going to be a tough assignment. Today they were all meeting with the Red Cross.

Linda P · Post by **Linda P** » Sep 04, 2005 3:03 pm

Joan, I will say a prayer for your son. I have already been thinking of all the people who will have to go in for the cleanup. I can only imagine how horrendous it will be. I know it's also quite stressful for the dogs. When you talk to your son, please pass along my good wishes and my thanks to him and his entire team.
I heard this morning that they are calling in the morgue service from one of the branches of our armed forces.
OED, I thought that you would be feeling the pull of duty. I"m glad that you called the old unit and offered your services. Be sure to let us know if you are going.
Linda P

Old earth dog · Post by **Old earth dog** » Sep 04, 2005 11:30 pm

Joan, at 20 yrs old, just dont let your son try and be tough about what he may see. When he returns, have him talk about his feelings. I suspect he and his team will just be finding and marking locations. The recovery will/should be done by the proper groups.
Linda, Yep! I'm going a little crazy here know I could do something to help. I've contacted more than just the old team but regulations probably wont let it happed.

newtohosta-no more · Post by **newtohosta-no more** » Sep 05, 2005 8:36 am

My son called last night and said he may not be going afterall. They did meet with the Red Cross and spent all day loading trucks with supplies to be taken down there. But he said that it appears as if his team is NOT being asked to do the actuall search and rescue afterall???? He said he was told they would just be unloading trucks all week? He's going to talk with a team leader about it, because he doesn't want to miss class if he doesn't have to. He does realize that any help is important, but they all assumed they would be doing what they train for. He's supposed to be coming home sometime today to return the car and pick up the truck, so I'll let you know what he says.

I know that all jobs are important, but I guess as a slightly protective mother, I would rather he be unloading trucks in this instance instead of looking for bodies.

I hope you all understand why I say that.

Old earth dog · Post by **Old earth dog** » Sep 05, 2005 11:47 pm

Joan, I know your son is probably dissapointed, but, from expierience, I really believe the search and recovery work would have been one he(( of a rough way to get expierience with cadaver. I COMPLETELY understand, and agree with your instincts.

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Sep 06, 2005 6:01 am

{{Joan}} we all understand someone HAS to this Gosh Awful work, but you feeling this way about really not wanting your ds to go is certainly understandable. No one 'wishes' ANYONE that horrendous job. Certainly not a child of our own.

Prayers for all of the people who will have this clean up job for the months to come. I'm certain it will take months to execute a complete find of all those missing. Good gosh, entire buildings were found 3/4 miles from where they started. Can you imagine the next several months/years ahead there? Just horrendous!

newtohosta-no more · Post by **newtohosta-no more** » Sep 06, 2005 6:38 am

Thank you all for being so supportive. It's almost too much to take in when you hear the estimates in the news. Anywhere from a couple thousand to up to as many as twenty thousand dead. Some victims may never be identified. I will continue to pray that God comfort them and strengthen them for what is yet to come.