Life in Australia Part 2

[Trackerdog]

Part Two.

I guess there would be not much difference between search groups around the world, from what I have read. We would all have some sort of bureaucratic red tape we have to overcome in trying to achieve what we want to do.

I am not familiar with funding in the UK for Search/Rescue dog/s Team/s but from what I have read I take it you all rely heavily on public donations. I am unsure if you can even obtain grants from your Government. The State Emergency Service, in Western Australia, from where the Tracker Dog, Search Dog Teams originate from are funded differently. Every land owner pays a levy through their Shire Rates, E.S.L, Emergency Service Levy which covers, in short, the training of all personnel, purchasing of all equipment including digital radios, vehicles, dog trailers, uniforms and safety equipment in fact any thing and every thing you could possible want to run the Emergency Service.
As well as being part of the Tracker Dog Team, most of our members are trained in basic general rescue along with a host of other courses that we can participate in and obtain qualifications. You can say we are multitasked.
A brief list of courses available:
• First Aid
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Map Reading and Navigation
• Land Search Techniques, Leadership & Management
• Storm Damage Techniques
• Chainsaw
• Flood Boat Rescue
• General Rescue
• Radio Communications
• Team Work
• Leadership
• Local Unit & Training Management
• Driving Vehicles for Emergencies
• Road Crash Rescue
• Single Rope Technique (Abseiling) and Vertical Rescue
• Observation from Aircraft
• Ground Support for Fire Services

That is just a small insight into our S.E.S. now its time to talk doggie business.

Not too many people think about harsh Australian conditions we endure on our side of the country. Those living on the Eastern seaboard have it a little easier, but they will not admit to it. They get all that snow type stuff and cold weather and in the summer time a bit of warm weather to contend with (Tongue in cheek).

In Western Australia we do have our share of cool weather, nothing like you get in the UK but on the other side of the coin we do have to work our dogs in heat and sometimes extreme heat.
We have been out in 40 degree days (Celsius) and worked the streets. You can imagine just how hot that is on the dog’s paws. The carrying of water is probably our biggest problem. By the time you have your Camelbak filled with water, for your dog, that is usually 5 liters, you are starting to have a bit of weight on your shoulders not to mention the carrying of your own personal drinking water and that would be around the same quantity you are now carrying some real weight over a long distance. We have little sachets of electrolytes that we put into our dog’s water to re hydrate them quicker. It is the same energy drink they use on greyhounds and it seems to work well on a very hot day.

From the sound of things, our call out procedures does not differ much from yours. We have to be called out by the Police; they notify our State coordinator who then contacts the members of the Dog Team depending on where they live and what area a search is required to take place.

To sum things up, on a hot summers day I have had enough of bloody flies. If you have never been to Oz you wont know about the Great Australian Summer Time Wave. Thank God for Aeroguard, even the dogs like the smell of it!

Regards
Michael
Australia