L.A. County Search Teams staged for deployment to Haiti at March Airforce Base, January 14, 2010
Front row (L to R): Bill Monahan & Hunter, Jason Vasquez & Maverick, Jasmine Segura & Cadillac;
Back row (L to R): Ron Weckbacher & Dawson, Gary Durian & Baxter, Ron Horetski & Pearl

The Search Dog Foundation is receiving ongoing updates from our teams on the ground in Haiti. The handlers call or text-message when they have a chance, telling of the desperate situation they face, and the awesome work of their canine partners.

Saturday afternoon, SDF Search Teams Jasmine & Cadillac, Jason & Maverick and Bill Monahan (working as Search Team Manager) were brought in to verify the presence of a survivor when tapping was detected under the rubble of a daycare center. CNN’s Anderson Cooper and his camera crew were at the scene and reported live as the Search Dogs showed interest in the area. Sadly, after searching for almost eight hours, L.A. County Task Force determined that no one was alive under the concrete.

Ron Horetski & Pearl, Gary Durian & Baxter and Ron Weckbacher & Dawson searched throughout the night for survivors buried beneath the rubble of a bank. They returned to the Task Force Base of Operations at 4:30am on Sunday. Jasmine, Jason and Bill set out again at 5am to continue searching in their assigned area.

The teams are working long hours, stopping only long enough to let the dogs rest before starting to search again. Once they begin a search operation, they work until the effort is complete – no matter how long it takes. The handlers are sustaining themselves on military rations (MREs) and hot water; the dogs have food brought for them by their handlers.

Bill Monahan reported to us via text message: “Dogs are searching great. All eating and drinking. We’re working to make it ‘fun’ for them so they’ll stay motivated.”

He later shared by phone: “It’s a giant team effort. From the canines, to the logistics team, to communications, everyone is working at full capacity, using everything we’ve been trained to do to find survivors. It’s an honor to be here.”

Back home, with several days of heavy rains predicted in Southern California, SDF teams that didn’t leave for Haiti stand by for deployment to neighborhoods threatened by mudslides or flooding.

For up to the minute updates on SDF’s Search Teams in Haiti and at home, join our Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/NationalDisasterSearchDogFoundation and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/searchrescuedog.