news - 02/11/2008 Europe’s biggest Mission-readiness test - Germany
by Paul Cech36 Rescue-dog teams from 9 nations at the toughest Mission-readiness
test for rescue-dogs in Germany – and are ready to deploy after the
currents earthquake in Pakistan
Europe’s biggest Mission-readiness test of the „International Rescue-dog
organisation – IRO” held from 30.10. – 02.11.2008 in Dresden / Germany
36 Rescue-dog teams plus 11 group-leaders will take part in the most
selective Mission-readiness-test from 30.10. – 02.11.2008 in Dresden.
All teams will be accommodated at a camp-site and will have no contact
to the outside world . They have to cater themselves – also the dogs,
off course – and can be called into deployment any time. Within 5 (!)
minutes after the alarm the team has to be mission-ready – regardless
which time of the day or night, regardless which weather. In addition
there will be an orienteering-march with following search for missing
persons. Also a theoretical test as well a roping exercise from about
10m height – with the dog strapped around the belly – have to be passed.
Those who pass this test belong to the best in the rescue-dog world.
Another Mission-readiness test for the Asian/Pacific region has already
been held this year in Korea.
The only problem is: Every year there are far more applications than
there can be places granted due to the high organizational structure of
such a test.
Dr. Wolfgang Zörner, President of the „International Rescue-dog
organisation – IRO”: „We have had an enormous amount of registrations
this year. Unfortunately we can only grant places for a limited number
of teams in these four days, otherwise the test could not be held
organizationally. For the future we will try, though, to put these
selective Mission-readiness-tests on broader basis so that more
rescue-dog-teams can take part.”
It must be clear, though, that the quality will not be afflicted by that
procedure. On the opposite. Zörner: “I am expecting an even higher
standard of quality this year in Dresden than last year – a standard
that will be increased steadily year by year.
Teams from the following nations will take part: Germany, Austria,
Slovenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Netherlands, Denmark, the UK.
Those rescue-dog teams training for the emergency in Dresden are now
being hold on stand-by to help after today’s earthquake in Pakistan.
Until noon today (Wednesday, 29.10.2008) there has not yet been an
official request for help to send teams to the affected area, as Dr.
Zörner, president of the International Rescue-Dog organisation (IRO)
stated. Nevertheless, there is permanent contact with the UN/INSARAG to
fly into the conflicted area immediately. At the same time, the IRO is
in permanent contact with the its member-organisations close to the
