Brunswick Search and Rescue 2024 News and Training Information
Training Schedule 2024
If interested in attending one of our trainings, for further information please contact:
Chief Doug at BSARchief@gmail.com or John at BSARgrants@gmail.com
November 9 - 0800 to 1200 BSAR at Veteran's Day Parade (members only)
November 24 - 0900 to 1300 location TBD
December 7 - 1000 to 1400 BSAR Holiday Party (members only)
December 14 - 0900 to 1300 location TBD
December 18 - 1000 to 1400 location TBD
December 29 - 0900 to 1300 location TBD
If interested in attending one of our trainings, for further information please contact:
Chief Doug at BSARchief@gmail.com or John at BSARgrants@gmail.com
November 9 - 0800 to 1200 BSAR at Veteran's Day Parade (members only)
November 24 - 0900 to 1300 location TBD
December 7 - 1000 to 1400 BSAR Holiday Party (members only)
December 14 - 0900 to 1300 location TBD
December 18 - 1000 to 1400 location TBD
December 29 - 0900 to 1300 location TBD
October 2024
Members attend the Old Dominion K9 Seminar, Holden Beach Women's Club donates books, and incredible training at Gallberry Farms.
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October ended with an incredible training opportunity at Gallberry Farms. BSAR team member Laura/K9 Allons-y planned this training at a horse farm in Hope Mills. This training included opportunities to work land and water HRD, trailing, and wilderness live find. The day ended with a historic cemetery search on the property. Chief Doug became Chef Doug, grilling hamburgers and hotdogs for participants. Training in different terrains and areas is essential in keeping our handlers and K9s ready for the challenges of different conditions we face in deployments.
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Members Dorothy/K9 Ollie, Marci/K9 Lucy, Brian/K9 Champ attended the Old Dominion K9 Seminar. Dorothy and Ollie focused on trailing exercises, while Marci, Lucy, Brian, and Champ worked on water human remains exercises. Dorothy also experienced running a bloodhound on a trail! Attendees braved the intermittent pouring rain, taking advantage of training in a possible real-life situation. Training in all weather conditions is essential and prepares handlers and K9s to be deployment-ready.
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(Left picture) Holden Beach Women's Club donated copies of the book "When You Wander: A Search-and-Rescue Dog Story. The story teaches children what to do if they lose their way, and a search-and-rescue dog will find them and bring people to them. The books will be used in BSAR presentations to children at libraries and camps.
(Bottom left and center) BSAR Deputy Chief Les and K9 Charley spent time reading the book to children at an Oak Island library. Charley was a hit and the children enjoyed the story and meeting a real life search-and-rescue K9! |
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September 2024
Navigation class and Hug-A-Tree presentations to Girl Scouts Love State Parks event
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The first week of September was busy for BSAR, with two successful searches. We capped the week off with navigation skills training. Chief Doug presented and led a map exercise. Keeping our navigation skills strong is essential for efficiency and effectiveness in searches. BSAR members Marci/K9 Lucy, John/K9 Otis, Laura/K9 Mira, Brian/K9 Champ, Wendy, and O'Brian attended two Girl Scouts Love State Parks events, presenting the Hug-A-Tree program and informational table. As always, our K9s were a hit, and important information was shared regarding what to do if you get lost in the woods.
August 2024
BSAR Completes It's Summer Hug A Tree (HAT) Program
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This summer, Brunswick Search and Rescue presented the Hug A Tree and Survive Program to children participating in summer camps in Onslow County Park and Rec, Pender County's Parks and Rec in Hampstead, and at Shallotte Library, and Brunswick County Cooperative 4-H. The Hug A Tree program was started in San Diego, California after a nine-year-old boy died in the local mountains after becoming separated from his family while in the woods. Searchers came together and developed this program. The program is designed to teach children how not to get lost, how to stay comfortable if they become lost, and how to be spotted and found. BSAR treasurer Marci is passionate about bringing this program to the community and is planning on expanding presentations to 4-H clubs, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and Library groups. Each presentation includes a demonstration finding a lost person by one of our K9 Wilderness Area Search teams and/or Trailing K9 teams. At the end of the program, the children and staff get to interact with our K9's - always a favorite part of the program!
BSAR 25th Anniversary Special Edition Book
Brunswick Search and Rescue celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a Special Edition book that chronicles the 25 year history since its formation. Christy Judah, M.Ed, founder of BSAR created this book that follows BSAR's journey of locating lost and missing persons, and educational programs that taught children throughout southeastern North Carolina to stay safe in the woods. From four wheelers to drones, certified K9 teams active in water, wilderness, and human remain searches, ground searchers, disaster response, and prevention programs, BSAR has served North and South Carolina as well as surrounding states. We are thankful for the humans and K9's who have been part of our incredible team over the past 25 years, and honor them in this 25th Anniversary Special Edition book. This book is available on Amazon.
BSAR HRD Handlers and K9's Successfully Complete Certification/Recertification
On a beautiful August day, three BSAR K9 teams tested for recertification, and three BSAR K9 teams tested for first time certification for Human Remains Detection. The test was held at Carver's Creek State Park in Spring Lake, North Carolina and the teams worked two separate areas depending on first certification or recertification. Each K9 team described their search strategy using wind direction and terrain, K9's trained final response and communicated any change in strategy during the test. Handlers demonstrated that their hard work and dedication in training with their K9 resulted in efficient and effective strategies and finding all sources with no false indications. Congratulations to Herb/K9 Mesha (first certification), Bobbie Jo/K9 Mira (first certification), Marcia/K9 Meka (first certification), Herb/K9 Lilly (recertification), Laura Jane/K9 Allons-y (recertification), Marcia/K9 Myla Joy (recertification).
July 2024 |
BSAR K9 Myla Joy UNC Volunteer
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Some of our SAR K9's have other jobs. Myla Joy, BSAR certified Wilderness Live Find and Human Remains Detection (handler Marcia) joined UNC Health Rockingham as a volunteer therapy dog. Myla Joy is certified with Therapy Dogs International and will spend time with residents at UNC Rockingham Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Center.
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Fourth of July Parade
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BSAR team member Wendy coordinated BSAR's participation in the 2024 Southport North Carolina 4th of July Parade. This event has become a yearly tradition, and members and K9's look forward to riding our trailered boat and walking the parade route. BSAR members JJ, Jim, Barb/K9 Cider, Keith/K9 Nitro, Will (who pulled our boat with his truck) and Paul along with some of our members spouses and family joined Wendy in the parade on the beautiful July day.