Throughout August Bank Holiday, Scottish Charity, Specialist Search Dogs held their annual Multi agency training event.

 

This event consisted of working through a range of different training protocols, exercises and lectures, for multiple emergency services, including themselves.

 

Within their large-scale event, they had guest speakers for theory-based lectures, to support their handling and training, as well as a range of trainers attending for continuous training for their handlers and other agency workers, including K9 Fire Investigation Unit, Dublin Wicklow MRT and Wexford K9 Search and Rescue.

 

Across the 3-day training event, the attendees worked through realistic training scenarios for all dog training aspects within tracking, trailing and Cadaver dogs, in who worked through some of their modular submerged search protocol.

 

The attendees also worked through water rescue training including training with pieces of equipment that can enhances their work, including the aqua eye.

 

The large-scale event ended on their last day of training on Sunday 25th August. Multiple agencies had great knowledge and training to take away with them.

 

A comment from Rod Stoddart, MBE and SAR Dog Handler

 

“It was firstly a great pleasure to meet you all. Wonderful people good dog handlers with good dogs. The training was excellent and quality. It was well organised and everyone who took part blended in well together. Teamwork was superb. I haven’t seen that in ages. The atmosphere was amazing and friendly. As a team we learnt loads and our team is a new team has got a great path to tread based on the high standards of your team. I’m on 48 years of SAR work. But this weekend really was impressive. If I wasn’t a team leader of Wexford, your team would have an application to join your team now. Thank you to everyone. It was just an event I will never forget. Thank you”