Pocahontas County Search and Rescue Looking for Volunteers

Today we are with Donna Dean Chrivia and Tabitha Moore of the Pocahontas County Search and Rescue, and they wanted to tell our listeners about what they do, and that they are looking for volunteers to join them. Donna is the organization’s Secretary, and Tabitha is their dog handler.

Donna, can you tell us about the Pocahontas County Search and Rescue?

“Pocahontas County Search and Rescue is a voluntary organization, and we are deployed by the County Emergency Services Director to go and hunt the ‘lost’, so that they can be found,” said Chrivia. “That’s out primary function, search and rescue, to go search for somebody and to rescue them. We do some training, and some different things like that.”

What does the training involve?

“We are just now getting started with that. There’s some wilderness search and rescue classes you can take, you need CPR, we’re gonna plan on doing some drone training in the future, probably more medical training, basic stuff, nothing really intense. We also work with Project Life Saver, and working on trying to get that up and going here in the county.”

What is that?

“Project Lifesaver is an international organization and they have equipment that we can put on people who are at risk of wandering off – with autism or dementia – that don’t really know what they are doing. They have a band, and we have the equipment that we can go and search for them based on that tracking device.”

Tabitha, what kind of dogs do you have?

“Me and Sandy are the two main handlers,” said Moore. “Sandy- she raised bloodhounds, and that’s what she runs. (She’s) got -I think four that’s like her main go to’s, and I’ve got a mixture. Mine are Golden Retrievers, Labs, (and) Beagles. I have about five that I train.”

How often do you go out?

“We usually get together one weekend a month and train with our dogs,” said Moore, “but we also train individually. I work my dogs whenever I have time, Sandy will work her dogs whenever she has time. But then we get together as a group, and if there are new people wanting to learn how to train their dogs, or (are)interested in it, then they can come join us on those days, and we will help em learn.”

I understand you are looking for volunteers. What type of person are you looking for (and) fo they have to have special skills?

“No, to be a dog handler, you need to be an active person, because the dogs -especially if you are trailing somebody that’s live- , they will drag you through the woods, answered Moore. “You have to be somebody that’s comfortable with dogs, (who) can either read a dog’s behaviors, or is able to learn (how to do that,) which most people can learn their own dogs behaviors, and somebody that’s got some patience with their animals, because it takes time and it takes a lot of work. If you are using a human remains detection dog (for example,) you’ve got a lot of time and effort and work, and it may be a full year or even longer depending on the dog and when you started training it, before you can even take it out on a search. It is a lot of work, but it is worth the commitment.”

How much of a commitment of time would a volunteer have to make?

“In all honesty, It is kind of up to them,” said Moore. “Like I said, we meet once a month. If you are just learning to train your dog, I would advise (you) to come as often as possible to those monthly meetings. Bu, even if it’s just once a week, on those days (when) you got a day off, you got a half an hour to kill. You can take your dog out and work with them. You don’t have to work with them hours-on-end. A lot of times when I go to work my dogs, each dog gets about twenty minutes, and within an hour I’ve went through all of my HR (human remains) dogs, and then the next dogs come in and 20 minutes each and we’ve done a small trail, It’s just something to keep their minds working, keep them sharp, keep us sharp, so it’s whatever time you can devote, but it don’t take a lot of time when you do it.”

Would volunteers need to bring their own dog?

“Yes,” said Moore. “If you are going to be a dog handler, you have to have your own dog, because it is a bond between the handler and the dog. I have a dog, she’s really great. She’s going to nine this year, but if somebody else comes and tries to work her, she will not work. But it’s a bond between the handler and the dog.

Have you a desire to have volunteers that don’t necessarily want to be dog handlers?

“Well yeah, well take anybody, whether they want to help in foot searches, whether they want to train dogs, whether they want to be at base command helping to organize, there is a job for everybody. Everybody is welcome to come learn, to train with us, and be a part of it.

So, if you would like to become a volunteer with Pocahontas County Search and Rescue, either as a dog handler, or a searcher, contact Mike Cassell at 304-456-4299.