Ohio Special Response Team - OSRT - Search and Rescue

OSRT K-9 Team of the Month - Aven & Reilly! Way to go!!

K-9 Partner of the Month and Other Mechanisms of Recognition

As with so many volunteer organizations, OSRT members invest hundreds of hours and dollars in their craft. To the public at large, all this dedication is essentially invisible, and possibly rightly so.

However, we have the ability through Facebook to recognize extraordinary effort as well as just plain "stick-to-itiveness" and that's what we'll try to do in the next several months.

Starting soon, we'll recognize a K-9 and handler and highlight their efforts and accomplishments. These are not super heroes, but they're everyday volunteers who step up to help OSRT deliver the most effective SAR services we can provide.

We're also going to begin recognizing our new members as they complete their probationary training. Let us know your thoughts as we try to evolve this idea.

OSRT K-9 Reilly with handler Aven Mallec has completed the 40 hour recertification in Land & Water HR Search through the Law Enforcement Training Specialists International program in Wisconsin. Let's hear a big round of applause for this K-9 team.

As usual, Aven had to pay for all the costs of this recertification, including travel, food, & lodging. It's sad how easily we tend to forget that these dog handler/owners have to invest thousands of dollars and hours in becoming credentialed and experienced, only to be left sitting at home when not called-upon to assist law enforcement in a search.

The Ohio Special Response Team functions precisely the same as any volunteer fire department with the exception of having virtually no governmental support. We rely on fun raising activities and donations to provide operational supplies and VFIS insurance.

OSRT is always on the lookout for volunteers willing to step up and serve. Think of it this way: "Opportunity is calling. Pick up the phone!" We want to hear from you and so do all those who become lost.

OSRT K-9 Besa, with handler, Sarah, featured in Police Magazine.

Police Magazine article higlights Besa obtaining her credential in locating hidden victims of human trafficking. Besa is the first search K-9 in the United States to earn this award. Article is HERE:

Ohio Dog First to Certify in USPCA Human Trafficking Detection A K9 team on the Ohio Special Response Team gets USPCA training to find people who are being trafficked or in hiding.

Ohio Special Response Team – Units 3 & 7 Conduct Realistic Search and Rescue Event

Members of the Ohio Special Response Team Search & Rescue – Units 3 & 7 met at Portage Lakes to conduct a MOCK search encompassing a scenario that could easily have been ripped from today's headlines. When the team arrived at the park, Lt. Hogan informed them that a 20 year old female was reported missing in the immediate area. A close review of OSRT's standard Lost Person Questionnaire indicated that the missing female had left a party late the previous night and intended to cut through a forested area on her way home. She never arrived and her parents reported her missing.

Remember: This is an exercise – NOT reality.

The team collated a significant amount of information in regards to the missing female – height, weight, clothing, type of shoe/footprint, typical route through the woods, & etc. Acting on this information, the team searched along her preferred walking track through the woods and located her approximately ½ mile from where she entered the park.

The victim was lying on her right side, partially clothed, with what appeared to be a pencil protruding from the left eye. OSRT searchers immediately treated the incident as a crime scene and put in a MOCK call to local law enforcement to respond.

A single member of the search team approached the supine female, being extremely careful not to disturb any potential evidence, and determined she was still alive. At that point, a second team member stepped up to the female using the same footsteps and they checked for specific injuries. In addition to the stab/puncture wound, they found two gunshot wounds, one of which was a through and through, and a broken leg. Due to the partially clothed nature of the victim, the team carefully rocked her torso and slid a thermal blanket underneath to preserve any evidence of bodily fluids or contact by the guilty party or parties. They treated the various wounds, one of which required a tourniquet, and incapacitated the stab/puncture wound as well as splinted the broken leg.

As the medical team composed of Jessica & Debra worked with the victim, the remainder of the unit spread out around the incident site to monitor the various approaches to ensure the guilty party couldn't return.

Acting on a conversation with local police, the team also conducted a close inspection of the area to identify, mark, and photograph any blatant evidence for later review. During this check procedure, the team located four spent semi-automatic rounds and two spent 12 gauge shotgun rounds. Each was marked, in place, with flagging tape – without disturbing the site.

(Normally, OSRT does NOT investigate ANY level of crime scene but, for this MOCK instance, police informed the searchers that a severe storm was approaching and investigators couldn't reach the scene before the rain washed away the evidence.)

Once the med team stabilized the victim and completed wrapping her in the thermal blanket, they eased her into the split stretcher and, with additional assistance, walked her out of the woods to a waiting ambulance.

Obviously, there was a lot more detail to this MOCK incident, but this was the essential series of events.

Lost Person Behavior Training

The Ohio Special Response Team is co-hosting an 8 hour Lost Person Behavior (LPB) training session with Ashland Police Department in Ashland, Ohio. Consider reserving your seat for October 19th via the QR code on the flyer below.

Note: Seats are limited.

Quite frequently, an applied skill of LPB analysis can represent the difference between successfully locating a missing person and a less-than-optimal search. The program is $85.

Step up your SAR competencies to the next level of excellence!!

U.S. Marshals Service Locates 200 Missing Children!

In the 200 total, 173 children were endangered runaways as well as one family abduction and one non-family abduction. Interestingly enough, only 17 of these children were located outside the cities where they went missing.

Cities where recoveries took place were located in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, and New York. The scope of the operation also included local, state, and other federal law enforcement agencies.

For the full story, follow this link: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/us-marshals-find-200-missing-children-across-nation-during-operation-we-will-find-you-2

Members of the Ohio Special Response Team (OSRT), Search and Rescue Units (SAR) constantly train in Child Abduction Response, kidnapping, and human trafficking, as well as human s*x trafficking/exploitation. Critical elements for OSRT include methods for identifying victims both in searches and in everyday life. OSRT provides search teams and K-9 tracking teams to local, state, and federal law enforcement. As well, families of victims have the option of requesting that OSRT be brought in to assist law enforcement in searching for their lost loved one. Once law enforcement clears permission, OSRT can assist in the searches.

How did you spend last weekend? Interested in doing something of value to your community? OSRT search teams meet once a month to refine and expand their search and rescue capabilities. Check us out and consider becoming a member. We are always interested in individuals who are willing to step up and gain valuable skills. You need not be a physical search member. We are also on the lookout for support and work-from home people.

OSRT K-9s Qualify in HR Search Capabilities!

Two SAR K-9s from the Ohio Special Response Team have completed their Human Remains Land Search Certifications with the National Association for Search and Rescue. “Reily”, with handler Aven Malec and “Falcon”, with handler Denise Kroger successfully completed searches of four separate one acre sectors, each with unique hidden HR targets-and they did it under a time limit for each.

It's difficult to convey the sheer amount of time and money that K-9 SAR handlers spend on training and maintaining their critters, not to mention the hundred plus hours each handler spends building their own search and rescue competencies.

Please join us in congratulating Denise and Aven, and their babies, for this significant step in Search And Rescue qualifications.

Ohio Attorney General Posts 2023 Missing Children Status Report

The May 25th Missing Children's Day came and went without a ripple in the media. Please look this report over and help build community awareness of Missing and Exploited Children (As well as adults).
https://www.ohiospecialresponseteam.org/single-post/ohio-attorney-general-posts-2023-missing-children-status-report

Our members are currently running day and night exercises at FTX field training

Drone footage of members of the Ohio Special Response Search Team conducting night operations searching for minuscule evidence scattered throughout a field. Detailed night evidence searches such as this are a frequent necessity in some specialized missing persons incidents.

HELP!!! OSRT Units 3 & 7 in Northeast Ohio have a serious computer gerontological issue. It seems the Windows 7 (You read that right!) computers in our Command & Control Unit can no longer function. These two systems are critical for their use in real-time tracking of search operators in the field.

We're searching (literally!) for a kind individual or company to donate two notebook systems so we can continue operations. Please spread the word.

Thanks!!!

Members of the Ohio Special Response Team (Search & Rescue) chat with Mansfield television's "Focus on North Central Ohio" (WFMD) where on-air personality Chelley Kemper participated in the OSRT "Hide the Host Challenge". Hide the Host integrates a media personality by hiding them in one or more mock search exercises, allowing search K-9s to find them. Video includes interview as well as footage of OSRT search K-9 Besa in action.

Ohio Special Response Team On Focus On Nco

Besa – Ohio Special Response Team Search K-9 Achieves “First in Nation” Credential!

OSRT Search K-9, Besa has become the first K-9 to achieve the “Human Trafficking” qualification from the United States Police Canine Association. Besa's handler, Sarah Gentry, accompanied her through a grueling series of tests to determine how well Besa could locate people in hidden rooms, hidden inside vehicles with the windows closed, and hidden in an outdoor setting. Besa passed with flying colors!!

Human trafficking is a serious problem world-wide and, most definitely in the United States. Annually, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children managed over 28,000 missing children cases. In Ohio, alone, NCMEC assisted with more than 1,700 cases of missing children in 2023. In the United States, the Human Trafficking Hotline received reports from more than 23,000 trafficked individuals.

While a significant percentage (as many as 95%) of missing children are safely recovered, there remain altogether too many who simply never reappear. What's more, frequently, the trafficked adults are at risk of slipping through the investigative cracks without someone or group advocating on their behalf. Highly skilled search K-9s such as Besa can step up police response by expanding law enforcement capabilities when conducting searches for hidden victims during interactions with suspected traffickers.

And the beat goes on...

Incidentally, Sarah and Besa have invesed hundreds of hours and extensive personal funds in registration fees, traveling to training and certification programs, as well as food and lodging for multi-day events. This, on top of hundreds of hours spent training within the OSRT K-9 team as well as integrating with the seven state-wide OSRT search and rescue ground units. We could use your help.

Your tax-deductible contributions to OSRT could help us help you and your neighbors in times of need.

Videos from OSRT Units 3 & 7 Water Rescue Exercise

Everyone had a good time and developed an entirely new skill set.

OSRT Units 3 & 7 Conduct Water Rescue Training!

Saturday, 20 May, 2024 – 12 members of the Ohio Special Response Team Search & Rescue units 3 & 7 conducted water rescue training on the Mohican River just below Charles Mill Dam.

The current was flowing nicely, enabling Greg Grove, in wet suit and safety gear, to play victim. And, yes!, the water was cold! Greg repeatedly jumped into the mid-stream current and floated along so team members could throw rescue bags/line to bring him to shore. Then, once safely ashore, Greg trudged back upstream to do everything again.

Everyone practiced hefting the Northwest River Supply 75 foot throw bags on shore before moving to the waterline. Team members initiated rescue from right at the water's edge as well as from atop an eight foot bank set back six feet from shore. They also practiced retrieving the lines in case of a miss and rapidly coiling for a second throw. Al and Bill served as the two safety lines downstream from the rescuers, there in case the bags/lines missed Greg. And, yes, we all missed him a few times (but darned if he kept coming back!).

When finished with the water practice, many of the members conducted K-9 searches and flanking techniques.

Present for this fun event were – Staci Kaliner, Aven Malec, Denise Kroger, Tyler Beiter, Bill Myers, Greg Grove, Kareem Adewole, Lt. Elizabeth Hogan, Lt.Sarah Gentry, Cpt Jeremy Artzner, & Cpt Alan Plastow.

OSRT K-9s Take Their Handlers for a Plane Ride!

In a recent real world training exercise, OSRT K-9s and their handlers traveled to Toledo to conduct a mock search of an air frame. Thanks to FedEx, the teams were able to work through multiple scenarios to familiarize themselves with this unusual search environment. Pictured here is Deb Montague and her wildman “Ranger” from OSRT unit 3 as they work through the exercises.

It's National Search & Rescue Week

That's right. May 16th-22nd is a week to recognize and respect those who put their lives on the line to haul you out of whatever trouble you manage to get into. Be it fire rescue workers cutting victims out of car accidents or tramping through a flaming building, or the various FEMA task force units around the country, we all need to show a little respect for what they do.

The Ohio Special Response Search and Rescue Team would like to convey our appreciation for all the other units out there doing this work. We recognize the hundreds (thousands!) of hours spent in training and conducting exercises simulating emergencies so we're all prepared to respond in an intelligent manner.

Whether it's working in hip deep snow during a blizzard, in water up to our chests, wading in after a hurricane, or traipsing through intense brambles to locate a lost child, SAR personnel are always there to be of service to our respective communities.

So, do yourself and your family a favor and convey a simple "thanks" to the thousands of volunteers who spend their time and personal money working to make the families of America safe during difficult times.

Ohio Special Response Search Team member, Aven, and K-9 “Reilly” complete Water-HR Credential!!

Aven Malec and her K9, Reilly, recently attended a 5 day (45 hour) water human remains detection (W-HRD) class that resulted in their International Police Work Dog Association (IPWDA) certification. They battled cold windy days and rough waters to complete their course and obtain this difficult certification. Well done team Reilly!

This comprehensive program trains the search K-9 and handler in the skills necessary in searching for a submerged body while working along the water's edge on shore as well as in a water craft. The class focuses on refining the K-9's ability to detect the presence of scent from a deceased human body emanating from the water.

The course also covers the theories and practical aspects involved in a water search. Further, it includes close reviews of actual cases involving K-9 teams that have located submerged bodies while working from a water craft. The K-9 team also experiences training in a number of practical field exercises which allow real world application of the classroom instruction to actual field operations.

We are frequently asked how much it costs to train a working K-9. While a significant portion of our training programs take place within the team during monthly meetings, any formal credential will cost the handler a course fee, plus transportation, food, & lodging. In this specific instance, Aven had to pay a course fee of $750 and, again travel, food, & lodging for at least 5 days. All this for a single credential! Many of Ohio Special Response Team search K-9s hold multiple credentials – each requiring formal training and certification. What's more, many of these credentials also require periodic renewal! All this within a volunteer service organization.

Reilly is cunningly hidden in the boat image – black K-9 against a black jacket – but we found him and circled his happy face for you!

Ohio Special Response Team (OSRT) - 2024 Field Training Exercise (FTX)

The Field Training Exercise, scheduled for 7 June-9 June 2024, is a yearly opportunity to bring all seven OSRT units together to conduct focused training. This year's topics include, but aren't limited to:

CalTopo - Real Time Search Management Techniques
Search Theory – Map & Compass, GPS
Lost Person Behavior Analysis
Man Tracking for Urban and Back Country Searches
K-9 Flanker Operations
Daytime Wide Area Search
Nighttime Wide Area Search
Drone Operations/Image Interpretation
Back Country Rope Rescue Exercise
And more...

The Ohio Special Response Team (OSRT) provides ground search and rescue, K-9 search, disaster response, disaster damage assessment, search management to local and state authorities. Search services are also provided to the general public upon law enforcement approval. OSRT is a non-profit 501(c)(3) volunteer organization supported by donations, fund raisers, and grants. Your tax deductible support is very much appreciated.

OSRT K-9, Besa, with handler Sarah Gentry, recently completed her 16 hour HR Water Search/Detection renewal program. Let's hear it for Besa!!!

The Ohio Special Response K-9 search and rescue unit maintains more than eight qualified K-9s across the state. Qualifications include, but are not limited to, Water HRD, Land HRD, Crime Scene HRD, Light Disaster Live Find, Electronics Find, & Wilderness Live Find. OSRT search K-9 handlers conduct weekly training sessions in addition to hours spent at home, honing their skills.

Those same OSRT handlers also complete a wide range of search and rescue training programs/credentials by such entities as the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR), Mountain Rescue Association (MRA) and Homeland Security/FEMA.

On April 27, Ohio Special Response Team (OSRT) Unit 2 conducted Search and Rescue Merit Badge training with the Boy Scouts of America. This training was conducted at the Harding Area District of the Buckeye Council’s Spring Camporee. The following troops participated: Troop 950, Troop 46, Troop 777, Troop 51, and Troop 35.

Approximately 40 youth members and three OSRT members participated. Additionally, 15 adult leaders and two camp staff assisted. The training consisted of learning stations, equipment displays, and practical training. The day culminated with a mock incident brief following National Incident Management System standards and a hands-on exercise consisting of a youth-planned and lead search.

The scouts gained an understanding of what wilderness and lost person search and rescue is about. They completed their merit badge requirements and learned how to implement a basic search safely. OSRT members gained experience working with volunteer groups. A critical skill needed in actual searches. Both groups enjoyed the event and look forward to working together again. OSRT wishes to thank the Boy Scouts of America and the Shuleski Youth Camp for hosting the merit badge training session.

Part of OSRT's mission statement is to provide awareness education to the public. We have a wide range of topics that can be delivered to interested parties around the state.

The Ohio Special Response Team is an all volunteer 501(c)(3) non profit group. We are distributed in seven units across the state to facilitate rapid response to emergencies such as missing persons, community disasters, and other serious incidents. Our teams are trained and credentialed to major standards by the National Association for Search and Rescue, Mountain Rescue Association, National Inland SAR School, and others.

We rely on donations, fund raisers, and gifts to provide funding for equipment and general operations. Some examples include:
- Thermal Imaging Systems for locating lost persons
- Bore-scopes for peering into densely packed log jams
- GPS units for each of our K-9s to enable real time tracking
- GPS units for search teams
- Fuel for our command trailer generators
- Rope Rescue Gear
Each of the items listed here are/were items needed to optimize our search capabilities. While we function precisely like a volunteer fire department, we are not eligible for that type of funding. As a result, we must look to you, our audience and our missing persons and disaster communities for support. Our sincere thanks!

On Monday April 22, 2024, Ohio Special Response Team member Lance Lanier presented Hug-A-Tree at the Twinsburg Karate Institute (TKI) in Twinsburg, OH. TKI Sensei Reginald Brown conducts a regular Stranger Danger course for his students and children in the community. He graciously let OSRT take over his Stranger Danger course on Earth Day to present Hug-A-Tree.

Fourteen students attended the NASAR sponsored course developed to empower youth methods they can use to prevent themselves and their friends from becoming lost and, if lost, how to respond. Mr. Lanier also taught them basic wilderness survival and what to do in a wilderness environment.

In the images, Lance demonstrates a compact thermal blanket as well as how to use a trash bag to keep dry in wet weather. These programs go a long way in building basic survival awareness for youth who may have never been alone in a deep woods.

The Ohio Special Response Team has multiple instructors who can bring the Hug-A-Tree Program to your event or school.

20 April, 2024 – 20 Ohio Special Response Team (OSRT) members conduct land navigation course exercise at Tam-O-Shanter Park in Jackson Township. The course is designed to expand use of map and compass, as well as GPS systems in conducting a search operation. OSRT search team members are required to be capable of deploying to specific GPS locations while in the field and this exercise replicates a potentially complex series of destinations.

See the map for precise tracks of navigation points. Each of four teams followed a different path through the course. OSRT uses CalTopo to guide searchers operating in the field in real time. The colored lines represent individuals' navigation paths.

Interestingly enough, the members of the Ohio Special Response Team spend a great deal of time in community service outside OSRT exercises. Kelly Rhodes was recently recognized by the Wooster Township Volunteer Fire Department for her generosity and support. Please join us in congratulating Kelly for volunteering her time.

Ohio Special Response Team members complete “Hands-Free CPR, Overdose Response, & Stop-The-Bleed” training hosted by the Canton Fire Department, Canton City Public Health Services, and Northeastern Ohio Trauma Network. It's interesting that even trained emergency response personnel strongly recommend minimizing mouth to mouth contact due to the prevalence of communicable diseases in the general public. A specialized mouthpiece is prescribed. All CPR dummies survived the event, except for that quadruple amputee. We just couldn't save him!

Interactive U.S. map showing distribution of missing persons by state. Interesting information but still begs the questions relative to integrating the breadth of enhanced search capabilities into the law enforcement framework. The first link is to the Newsweek map. The second is to the NAMUS Database.

https://www.newsweek.com/missing-people-namus-missing-persons-database-department-justice-oklahoma-1866246

https://namus.nij.ojp.gov/namus-2-0-technology

Keep in mind, as we constantly point out, law enforcement may not appear to be taking action but the reality is that they are frequently deeply involved in the investigative side in addition to the physical search. That nearly invisible investigative element of a missing persons search can consume hundreds of hours of interviews and research.

NamUs Technology The NamUs database fills an overwhelming need for a central repository of information related to missing, unidentified, and unclaimed person cases.