CAP’s Canine Volunteer Partners Take to the Air

CAP’s Canine Volunteer Partners Take to the Air

by 2d Lt David McCrossan, CAP Diablo Composite Sq. 44

February 2022

Aircrew from across California Wing's San Francisco Bay Group 2 spooled up February 5, 2022, to support a long-standing partner of CAP, California Rescue Dog Association (CARDA). CARDA’s mission is to train, certify, and deploy highly-qualified search dog teams to assist law enforcement and other public safety agencies in the search for lost and missing persons. CARDA is the largest and most geographically dispersed of the three search dog groups in California that are direct resources of the State of California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). CARDA provides search dog services to all public service agencies at no charge.

In the first such training mission prior to the pandemic, units from across the San Francisco Bay Area came together in a well-choreographed operation of aircraft and pilots: Captain Karen Hollerbach of Sq. 188 piloted the Sq. 44 Concord plane, Capt Michael Gross of Sq. 10 Palo Alto flew the Sq. 188 Oakland plane, and Sq. 10 Palo Alto Capt Anthony Stieber along with Capt John Heldt piloted both planes at Sq. 80, San Jose. CAP hosted nine experienced handlers on multiple orientation sorties for their experienced (and some not so experienced) canine fliers. The goal of the training mission was to familiarize both handlers and dogs and prepare for future search missions supported by CARDA. 

Trained specialist dogs are a familiar sight to many CAP Emergency Services ground team search missions when working alongside local emergency services personnel such as the County Sheriff’s department. Operating in an area search or specific target search role, these unique animals come into their own with their highly developed tracking skills. 

As he made his way to board the warmed-up Cessna 182 of Sq 44 on the Concord ramp with his eager four-year-old ‘Zoom’ search dog in high-viz harness, Jerry Del Rio shared some insights from his 15 years working with CARDA on search missions. “We get called out to all kinds of search locations, some of them very remote, in the northern part of the state. Endurance is a key requirement for both dog and handler. Some of our younger volunteers may head out prepared to maintain self-sufficiency for themselves and their dog for 24 hours straight, in remote terrain up to 7,000 ft elevation.” 

Jerry also highlighted the importance of the orientation flights with CAP “Our dogs and handlers do train regularly with other emergency services departments, and many have flown in helicopters. The smaller fixed wing aircraft flown by CAP create a new experience for many of these dogs. We need to know that they’re ready and prepared for their search mission when they land. That means they need to be comfortable and undistracted by the experience of flying in a CAP plane. This training helps them maintain their focus.”

On the ground, CAP members had lots of questions - and many answers - from the CARDA volunteers participating in the training mission. “One of the most common questions we hear is: are all breeds of dogs equally suited to this search role?” added Cheryl Patelzick, as she readied for the preflight briefing with her three-year-old Ridgeback mix ‘Hope’, already a veteran of several searches. “Most breeds are capable of the requirements our missions demand. It’s a common myth, supported perhaps by the dogs used in movies, that bloodhounds are the ideal search dog with the best scent trailing skills”. Cheryl added: “While most dogs are trainable, certain breeds do of course bring their own strengths, for example herding dogs in an area search. Not all breeds have the same tolerance for heat. And there are some breeds, like the terriers, that are ultra-focused on the target.”

“How did CARDA manage during the intense months of the pandemic?”. Cheryl and Jerry shared: “one of the toughest parts of the restrictions were the need to train individually rather than in groups, for almost a year. However, we still continued on callouts generated by Cal OES by and directed to our local agency partners”.

All agreed that the training flights provided by CAP across several Northern California locations were invaluable in preparing dogs and handlers for the tasks, and specifically helping some with passing their required Mission Ready certification for Cal OES. 

One newbie to the training mission was a 10-month Kelpie mix puppy Yindi, with her CARDA handler Kathy Gaughen, bringing 17 years of experience in searches. “This is the best time to start the dog’s training, although we do sometimes bring dogs into the program that are a little older, but generally before age two”. 

As the Sq. 44 training flights wrapped up for the day, Jerry shared some insights, which struck a chord with some of the CAP audience (perhaps thinking about the value of cadet programs): “My first search dog was a juvenile Australian Shepherd. He was restless, rather ill-disciplined, and restless around the house. A few months later he was, focused, disciplined and had even, mature temperament. He was ready for his first mission.” 

When asked about the biggest takeaways from the training event, he responded: “CAP volunteers were out here today supporting fellow-volunteers in CARDA, in support of the shared public safety mission: when the next real search arrives, we all know we’ll both be ready.”

 

Trained specialist dogs like Hope, pictured here on a training mission at Sq. 44, Concord, CA on February 5, 2022, often work alongside local emergency services personnel such as the County Sheriff’s department. Operating in an area search or specific target search role, these unique animals come into their own with their highly developed tracking skills. Some can trail a scent up to 96 hours old. (2d Lt David McCrossan, CAP Sq. 44 PAO)

 

An eager CARDA search dog Zoom and mission pilot Capt Karin Hollerbach of Sq. 188 bonded before the excitement of the training flight at Sq. 44, Concord on February 5, 2022 (2d Lt David McCrossan, CAP Sq 44 PAO)

CARDA handler Jerry Del Rio with search dog Zoom undergo a preflight briefing with mission pilot Capt Karin Hollerbach of Sq. 188 for a training flight at Sq. 44, Concord on February 5, 2022 (2d Lt David McCrossan, CAP Sq. 44 PAO)

Newbie to the training mission was a 10-month Kelpie mix puppy Yipi, with her CARDA handler Kathy Gaughen, bringing 17 years of experience in searches, briefing for a training mission at Sq. 44 CAP Concord, CA “This is the best time to start the dog’s training”. (2d Lt David McCrossan, CAP Sq. 44 PAO)

10-month Kelpie mix puppy Yindi, watches intently as a CAP Cessna 182 departs on a training mission for California Rescue Dogs Association (CARDA) at Sq. 44, Concord on February 5, 2022. (2d Lt David McCrossan, CAP Sq. 44 PAO)

Mission pilot Capt Karin Hollerbach of Sq. 188 checks fuel levels between sorties on a training mission for California Rescue Dogs Association (CARDA) at Sq. 44, Concord on February 5, 2022. (2d Lt David McCrossan, CAP Sq. 44 PAO)

CARDA handler Jerry Del Rio with search dog Zoom prepare for a training flight at Sq. 44, Concord on February 5, 2022: “We need to know that the search dogs are ready and prepared for their search mission when they land. That means they need to be comfortable and undistracted by the experience of flying in a CAP plane. This training helps them maintain their focus and be mission-ready.” (2d Lt David McCrossan, CAP Sq. 44 PAO)

CARDA handler Cheryl Patelzick with search dog Hope, stretch their legs with mission pilot Capt Karin Hollerbach of Sq. 188 after a training flight at Sq. 44, Concord on February 5, 2022 (2d Lt David McCrossan, CAP Sq. 44 PAO)

CARDA handler Ivan Gallo boards a training flight at Sq. 188, CAP Oakland, CA on February 5, 2022. (1st Lt Alexei Roudnev, CAP Sq. 188)

CARDA handler Ivan Gallo demonstrates the calm and focused temperament of his search dog with mission pilot Capt Michael Gross at Sq. 188, Oakland, CA February 5, 2022. (1st Lt Alexei Roudnev, CAP Sq. 188)

CARDA handler Miyuki Onnagawa boards a training flight at Sq. 188, CAP Oakland, CA on February 5, 2022. (1st Lt Alexei Roudnev, CAP Sq. 188)

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2d Lt David McCrossan, CAP Diablo Composite Sq. 44