News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Local & Bistate

March 17, 2013

Search and Rescue continues its ‘never-ending’ training

TERRE HAUTE — Few things match the trauma of having a loved one who has disappeared.

Fortunately, in central Indiana, a team of dedicated and highly trained volunteers are standing by to help, 365 days a year.

Vigo County Search and Rescue, a team of K-9 handlers and ground search personnel, are continuing their “never-ending” training this weekend.

On Saturday, members of the team, who often work as emergency responders in their professional lives, spent the day in the Seelyville fire station getting additional training on topographical map reading, GPS and other skills that will help them — and their dogs — locate missing persons.

“In a lot of these [missing persons cases], time is of the essence,” said Dr. Dorene Hojnicki, director of the Vigo County EMA, which hosted the weekend training. The volunteers are ready to help 24-hours a day, she said.

The volunteers come from a wide range of area emergency response organizations, such as the Vigo County Sheriff’s Department, local fire units, the Department of Natural Resources, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service and more, Hojnicki said.

“We all have other full-time jobs,” said Robin Stanifer, deputy director of the group.

Members of the search team may spend up to 70 hours a month in training, especially those with their own search dogs. They were called into action more than two dozen times last year, including the November search of property on the Clay/Vigo county line where a homicide victim’s body was discovered. Often, however, they use their skills to find missing children or adults.

“If you only have one ‘find’ in that dog’s career … it’s worth it,” said Kenna Duguay, who has been a part of VCSAR for the past several years. All the training and work pays off when you actually get to reunite families with a missing person or even help bring “closure” to the family of someone who has gone missing and died, she said.

“That’s what it’s all about,” Duguay said. “It’s really about helping people.”

VCSAR, which responds to missing persons cases all across Indiana and even in other states, is continuing its training today. The team members are working toward a certification from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, but they are never really ever finished learning new things, said training instructors Lee French and Ted Lohr.

“It’s never ending training,” said French, the lead instructor.

Training for the IDHS certification is about a two-year process. Some of the training takes place at Camp Atterbury, an Indiana National Guard facility in southern Indiana, Hojnicki noted.

Being apart of VCSAR can be costly to its members. It means paying for a extra oil changes, an extra set of tires and lots of gas, Stanifer said. But the volunteers don’t mind. In fact, they seem to love the work.

“These are truly, truly dedicated people,” Hojnicki said. “We are truly blessed. We have a great group of volunteers out here.”

Reporter Arthur Foulkes can be reached at 812-231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.

 

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local & Bistate
Latest News
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
AP Video
Raw: Aftermath of Deadly Attack in London Okla. Teens Get Video of Deadly Tornado Overhead Man Shot While Questioned in Boston Probe Raw: Kevin Durant Tours Moore After $1M Pledge Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam Weiner Launches Bid to Become NYC Mayor School Storm Protection Spotty in Tornado Zones Raw: Scuffles in London After Hacking Death Texas Students Coach Teachers on Fitness 9-year-old Tornado Victim Loved Family, Singing Moore Native Toby Keith Tours Tornado Damage Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage Today in History May 22 Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado Raw: Costa Rica Volcano Roars to Life Chain-Reaction School Bus Crash Injures About 50 Johnson: Don't Blame Islam or UK Policy Tim Cook Defends Apple's Tax Accounting Today in History May 23 Paperless Scanner, Vision of the Future
NDN Video
AK-47-wielding thug may be the most bumbling crook ever Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage Trout's cycle a boost for Angels Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery Shakira's Shocking Talent Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill DWTS Crowns a Winner Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
Parade
Magazine

Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

     

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News