Woodstock, CT – Divers, Boat Operators, K9 Teams, and support personnel took to the water Sunday morning for what has become an annual training.
Each year members of the Woodstock Dive Team and Connecticut Canine Search and Rescue (CCSAR) gather at the YMCA Camp on Woodstock’s Black Pond to participate in a joint training. This year 6 divers, 8 K9, and numerous support personnel participated.
The focus of the training is for K9 teams to alert on the scent of a submerged victim whether the team is on the shore of a vessel. To accomplish this two divers were submerged in the depths of the pond (15+ ft) and individual K9 teams (1 K9 and 1 handler) were deployed on the Bungay Fire Brigade’s boat to search for the divers. The air bubbles produced by the submerged divers give off the same scent a victim or cadaver would if it were submerged. While the boat evolution was underway, two other divers were submerged near the dock allowing K9 teams to practice shore-based detection. In both scenarios, once the K9 alerted on the divers, they would surface and the K9 would be rewarded with their favorite treat or toy. This training also provided valuable operational time for the divers to maintain their competency under the water and working alongside their team.
Both organizations are made up of volunteers who fill numerous roles to achieve the primary goal. The dive team requires dive tenders, boat operators, communication personnel, record keepers, and numerous other support personnel to ensure the divers can safely perform their mission. The K9 teams are similar in their need for communication personnel, record, keepers, and other support personnel to ensure the K9 teams can safely operate.
Woodstock Dive Team Background
The Woodstock Dive Team is made up of personnel and equipment from numerous departments under Quinebaug Valley Emergency Communications (QVEC). When the team is dispatched members respond to the scene from the respective departments and operate under the team’s dive commander. The team is made up completely of volunteers and operates utilizing resources from a number of the member departments. The team covers all of Northeastern Connecticut and has a mutual aid partnership with the Tolland County Dive Team allowing them both to be activated for any call within their respective regions.
Connecticut Canine Search and Rescue (CCSAR) Background
In its 30-year history, Connecticut Canine Search and Rescue (CCSAR) has responded to countless incidents both locally and nationally. They were activated for Hurricane Katrina as well as the 9-11 attacks in New York City. The non-profit organization is made up of approximately 12 volunteer handlers and K9s that have been certified to the Police Working Dog standards. K9s within the organization are trained to perform trailing, underwater detection, and human remains detection. The team can be activated by contacting their emergency activation number found on the CCSAR website (https://www.ccsar.org). CCSAR is made up of members from across Connecticut allowing them to get initial personnel on the scene and deployed while member who live further away make their way to the scene. With prior coordination, CCSAR can be added to a department’s alarm card as automatic aid for applicable incidents.
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