MEMBERS both human and canine from the Isle of Man branch of the Search and Rescue Dog Association (SARDA) travelled to Scotland this month for five days’ training in winter skills.
Andy Dunn, Malcolm Stewart and search dog Max met with counterparts from SARDA Wales, basing themselves in Glencoe in the West Highlands of Scotland for the programme of team exercises.
The first day saw the group head for a day in the Nevis mountain range, where Andy said the hard snow and sunny conditions proved ideal for going over ice axe and crampon skills that would be needed for the rest of the week, before the evening’s lecture on avalanche avoidance, beacons and digging.
Over the following two days on the north face of Ben Nevis and up Buachaille Etive Beag, dogs were used for searching and trained to locate and dig out avalanche victims, while knowledge of snow shelters and transceivers (communication devices) was refreshed.
Later in the week came a joint exercise with the Royal Navy Sea King.
‘Bodies’ were taken up onto Buachaille Etive Beag and then the dogs and handlers following behind in a second flight for a search scenario in the snow, before having to make their way down on foot as the helicopter had been forced out by the heavy snow and strong winds.
Andy said it was a great end to a great week and thanked all who took part.
Only members of the island’s police force, coastguard, fire service or Civil Defence – the services that form the Isle of Man Search and Rescue Group – can become a SARDA dog handler.
SARDA Isle of Man currently have two qualified search dog teams, and were called out five times in 2011– including helping search for an injured walker on Snaefell in December.
Information on the association can be found at {http://www.sardaiom.im.sardaiom.im}