We normally don't talk much about our team and our successes.  However, all of our funding comes from public donations so we feel a responsibilty to report back to our sponsors, supporting partners, and the public to keep them informed of how the money they have donated is making a difference.

 

 

SOUTHWEST PANHANDLE SEARCH AND RESCUE

K-9/EMOTIONAL FIRST AID TEAM

 

2009 SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1. Participated in 4 civic functions:  BRACE Hurricane Expo, Pensacola, FL; Earth Day, Fairhope, AL; The Gathering, Foley, AL.; Pensacola Naval Air Station Fire/Safety Expo, Pensacola, FL.
2. Answered 37 call outs versus 29 in 2008, 6 of which were 2 or more days in duration
3. Participated in searches outside our  "home territory" by going to Birmingham, AL; Chipley, FL; Jacksonville, FL; Paris, TN; plus an Emotional First Aid Team request for assistance from Braintree, MA, to which we responded.
4. Started our Alzheimer's Education Program by joining the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, sending out hundreds of questionnaires to other SAR teams and performing a K9 demo for an Alzheimer's care center in Fairhope, AL.  We were also added to the www.missingpatient.com website.
5. Joined South AL Rescue SAR and participated in their meetings; met with numerous law enforcement agencies in AL and FL/T.A.S.K. Force 1 in Mobile/ the US Coast Guard in Mobile and briefed all of them on our Team's capabilities.
6. Our Team is a member of: National Association of Search & Rescue (NASAR), Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies (BRACE, Escambia Cnty., FL); Support Alliance for Emergency Readiness (SAFER, Santa Rosa Cnty., FL)
7. Our Team members participated in 5 National seminars during the year including one run by Community United Effort (CUE).
8. Our Team was featured in three Foundation newsletters: American Kennel Club Companion Animal Rescue, Open Meadows and Tony Stewart Foundation.
9. "Vision", one of our Human Remains Detection K9s, was selected as runner-up in the AKC 2009 ACE of the year contest for SAR K9s.
10. "Zeta" our Aussie puppy acquired in late 2008 passed her Canine Good Citizenship Class and attended her first NOCDS/Human Remains Detection (HRD) seminar;  "Shiloh" our Vizsla puppy and  "Quest" our Aussie puppy were acquired in 2009.  Shiloh will be trained as a therapy dog to work with our Emotional First Aid Team while Quest will train for HRD work.
11. Our members were active teaching others: "Lost Person Behavior" and "Components of SAR & Search Strategies" in Escambia County, FL.  One of our members is doing an apprenticeship program under a NASAR instructor in order to prepare searchers for their  SAR Tech II test.
12. Santa Rosa County Florida Sheriff's Department donated a 16' boat, 90HP motor and trailer for our use on water searches.
13. Through the generosity of our donors, we acquired much needed equipment and field gear to enable us to be a first class search and rescue team.
14. 12 different foundations/corporations supported us with grants.
15. Distributed hundreds of donated, stuffed animals to a women's shelter, assisted living facilities and nursing homes.
16. 93% of our expenses were Program Expense versus 84% in 2008.

 

 We hope to have another successful year in 2010!  Thanks for your support!
 

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