Different Types of Search

There are numerous sub-specialties within K9 Search and Rescue.  

Wilderness-- the typical movie SAR.  Typically a child, hunter, backpacker, mushroom picker, depressed teenager, Alzheimer's patient, climber, or other unfortunate individual is missing and believed to be in a wilderness area.  This type of search often covers a large area and lasts many days.  Often insertion and extraction of SAR teams is via helicopter, snowmobile, etc.  The SAR team is self sufficient and needs to search an assigned area until the search ends.  Occasionally you will be assigned to start at the point last seen and track the missing individual.  More often you will be assigned an area to clear.

Urban-- typically urban SAR involves looking for Alzheimer's patients or children who are believed to have gotten lost in town or possibly be hiding. 

Water-- these can be very interesting searches, except they usually end up with a dead body.  Water that is not moving rapidly is a very good medium for scent, and many of the typical search challenges are made very obvious.  Water currents are easier for people to see and understand, so often you will be able to see why your dog is alerting 50 feet downstream of the body.  Often you will start out a water search on the bank looking for an entry point, and then will ride in the bow of a boat watching for your dog's alert.

Avalanche

Cadaver

Disaster-- this can be anything from an earthquake t a bombing to a flood. Probably the most psychologically demanding area of SAR, but sometimes also the most rewarding.  If you get there early you may have the opportunity to make numerous live finds and save many people.  Unfortunately as time passes you will generally be finding more bodies than anything else.  It can be very challenging to keep a happy face to try to keep your dog from folding.  There are also many health hazards to you and your dog.

Evidence

Felony