A profile of the Victoria State Emergency Service Search Dog Squad
Yvonne Mann
Member of the Victoria State Emergency Service Search Dog Squad
June 2003
The Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) Search Dog Squad is a specialist unit assigned to the Central Region Headquarters Support Unit based in Melbourne. Unlike the majority of VICSES volunteers we handle dogs rather than chainsaws and other such pieces of equipment. We were established in June 2001 with the objective that in the event of a search and rescue operation we would be deployed to assist in locating missing persons, in conjunction with other VICSES personnel, as and when requested by Victoria Police.
 Through the Eastern Branch of the German Shepherd Dog Club of Victoria (GSDCV), of which we are all members, we were fortunate to be introduced to Mr Roger Busiko, a retired member of the Victoria Police. As a result, we have been extremely privileged to acquire his services as our chief instructor. He has built upon our strong European based training foundations by incorporating his 35 years of knowledge, experience and expertise, with many of those years spent as a senior dog handler in their dog squad, into our training methods. Our current schedule, which involves training 4-5 times a week as a unit, has seen our dogs rapidly progress in the disciplines of tracking and search work. The insight Roger also has with respect to the expectations of the Victoria Police in search and rescue operations will stand us in good stead when we are deployed.
The VICSES Search Dog Squad is also a member of the International Rescue Dog Organisation (IRO) based in Austria, which gives us access to information and knowledge from our fellow member groups. These groups cover the globe, many with 30 years experience behind them. Australia is now one of the few western countries that does not fully recognise or appreciate the value of using canines in search and rescue, and is a situation that we are hoping to alter within the next few years as our squad develops and gains operational certification.
The actual training process to attain an operational standard (on a part time basis) can take up to three years depending on the dog team. It involves total commitment, dedication, and motivation to train a search dog, although it is never guaranteed that the team will attain operational status even after intensive training. Despite this, to witness the development of the dog and see their potential as a working dog come to the fore is well worth the effort involved. Basically we are utilising their natural instincts- to hunt and track down prey. We are just adapting this behaviour to locate humans or any human scented article. Dogs are an invaluable resource in search operations as they can cover distances more effectively are efficiently than humans, reducing the time required to locate the persons and thereby increasing their chances of survival.
We would like to thank the GSDCV for supporting what we believe is a very important community service. If any members of the GSDCV are interested in joining the VICSES Search Dog Squad, we can be contacted either via the Eastern Branch of the GSDCV or through the VICSES Central Region Headquarters Support Unit.
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