Wrangell dog gets search certification

One of Wrangell's canine residents finally received its search and rescue certification, after four long years of training.

"Katilli," a golden retriever handled by owner Steve Prysunka, took her final exam in Texas last week. Through an ongoing training and certification process, the dog has been deployed for search and rescue efforts on behalf of Wrangell Volunteer Fire Department.

"This is what we've been working for for the last three and a half years," said Prysunka. "This was her test for her national certification through the National Association of Search and Rescue."

Lots of preparatory work went into the three-day trip, made March 22. Prior to heading to the Dallas area for the NASAR testing, Katilli has been through four Federal Emergency Management Agency examinations, a hazardous materials course, and a variety of courses through organizations such as Southeast Alaska Dogs Organized for Ground Search.

Prysunka had to have a number of certifications as well, such as for handling bloodborne pathogens, crime scene preservation and first aid. "Some of the stuff I'd already taken for the fire department," he explained.

There was a written test as well, covering general knowledge on dogs and search protocol. Prysunka passed his portion on Thursday, but the main exam was in the field. There were additional challenges to contend with, getting the dog acclimated to the 80-degree daytime temperatures, and navigating rough terrain with mesquite bushes and bramble thickets.

"It was just awful, and I was just dreading that this would be the kind of terrain that I would be testing her in," Prysunka recounted.

The actual testing grounds were more wooded than the practice grounds had been, encompassing 50 acres. Katilli and Prysunka were tasked with finding one person who was hiding on the grounds. To demonstrate tactical knowledge and in part to show it wasn't down to luck, Prysunka also had to outline their search strategy beforehand.

"I had an hour and a half to find that person," he added. "During the search I had to articulate what I was doing, like how I would change my tactic if the wind changed." Covering ground in a grid, Katilli poked through hollows and navigated brambles, but after around half an hour had found her man successfully.

The biggest thing being tested for was canine control, said Prysunka, a skill the NASAR examiners give feedback on throughout the exercise.

"That really is the essence of the exam," he said. "She did really well with that. Controllability is one of her strong suits."

With her national-level certification secured, Katilli is now the first of four search dogs in development that are at Wrangell's disposal. The NASAR certification mirrors FEMA standards, Prysunka explained, though that federal certification would need to be acquired separately.

Over the past four years the fire department and Stikine Sportsmen have helped support the burgeoning search dog program, and Prysunka pointed out it was already showing itself to be useful.

"In the last year, the team has had four times when we were called out," he recounted. On two of those occasions, the situations were resolved prior to deployment of the dog. Another had been a search for a missing hospital patient, and another was to rule out an area for a possible missing person.

"That's a fair amount of call-out for the dogs," Prysunka noted. For instance, the Dallas-Fort Worth area has about 40 dogs at its disposal, covering an area with a population of 6,000,000 people, and gets about eight calls per month, he said.

The certification is no time for Katilli to rest on her laurels, and Prysunka said the training and practice will continue on a regular basis. "We train pretty faithfully, once a week when we can."