Search and rescue dogs converge on Morgan Marine for special training event.
Search and Rescue dogs from across the UK were in the Morgan Marine yard this weekend to put their skills to the test in a specialised training event aimed at giving – many of them – their first experience of travelling on water.
Morgan Marine have a long history with Fire & Rescue Services as we give them free, unlimited access to our yard and slipway for waterborne training purposes. This event though, which was the biggest of its kind in this country, saw 28 dogs from a variety of emergency services and from as far afield as the highlands of Scotland taking part in an intense search scenario.
Setting off from the Morgan Marine slipway in Brightlingsea, the dogs travelled via high-speed RIBs to Mersea Island, where they were then each tasked with various time sensitive searches.
In a unique opportunity to test how the animals respond to the potentially traumatic experience of boat travel, the dogs performed extremely well, locating hidden and trapped items once on the island. These varied to suit the dogs specialised field but included, blood, money, explosives and dummy/model people!
Event organiser and Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Dog Handler Graham Currie said: “This was a fantastic opportunity for us to work together as emergency services and put our search and rescue dogs to the test”
“These animals are highly trained and are incredibly good at what they do: working in high pressure circumstances to be there for people who are trapped, in need of rescue or who are part of criminal investigations.”
Graham and his USAR colleagues took part in the event, many of whom have also been deployed overseas as part of their International Search and Rescue responsibilities in areas hit by natural disasters.