106 Ky. Admin. Regs. 1:390

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 6, December 1, 2024

Section 106 KAR 1:390 - Search and rescue training requirement

RELATES TO: KRS 39F.040(3), 39F.050(3)(c), 39F.070(3)(c), 39F.120(8), 39F.200, 39F.210

NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 39F.200 and 39F.210 authorize the division to establish minimum training requirements for persons engaged in search and rescue activities. This administrative regulation establishes minimum training requirements for a general rescue squad, or a specialized rescue squad, and a local search and rescue coordinator.

Section 1. Definition. "Successfully complete" means to attend or participate in search and rescue training and acquire and submit to a local director a copy of an instructor-provided training completion certificate or record.

Section 2. Minimum training requirements for a local search and rescue coordinator, or a search dog handler, shall be to successfully complete:

(1) A twenty (20) hour division offered search and rescue course or equivalent;

(2) A twenty (20) hour division offered search management course; and

(3) An incident command or incident management system (ICS or IMS) training course of at least eight (8) hours covering the eight (8) component elements of an incident command system or incident management system, to include practical application, and to include a search and rescue module.

Section 3. The minimum training requirements for a single-handler rescue squad utilizing dogs and specializing in a search for lost, trapped, or missing persons shall be:

(1) An incident command training course to the level of ICS 200; and

(2) A twenty (20) hour division offered search and rescue course or equivalent.

Section 4. Minimum training requirements for members of a rescue squad specializing in cave rescue shall be to successfully complete:

(1) The National Cave Rescue Commission (NCRC) offered Cave Rescue Orientation Course or its equivalent; and

(2) A National Cave Rescue Commission offered Cave Operations and Management Seminar or its equivalent for squad members who manage response to cave rescues.

Section 5. Minimum training requirements for members of a search and rescue squad specializing in search for lost, trapped, or missing persons shall be to successfully complete:

(1) An incident command training course, to the level of ICS 200; and

(2) A twenty (20) hour division offered search and rescue course or equivalent. This requirement shall apply to all rescue squads that utilize dogs, including a single-handler rescue squad as established in Section 3 of this administrative regulation.

Section 6. Minimum training requirements for members of a rescue squad specializing in dive rescue and recovery shall be:

(1) Certification in open water by one (1) of the following nationally recognized organizations or equivalents:

(a) International Diving Educators Association (IDEA);

(b) Multinational Diving Educators Association (MDEA);

(c) National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI);

(d) National Association of SCUBA Diving Schools (NASDS);

(e) National Association of SCUBA Instructors (NASI);

(f) Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI);

(g) Professional Diving Instructors Corporation (PDIC);

(h) SCUBA Schools International (SSI);

(i) United States Navy (USN);

(j) YMCA National SCUBA Program (YMCA); or

(k) Dive Rescue International; and

(2) Annually, a minimum of ten (10) hours underwater training in rescue diving techniques developed and administered by the individual organization specializing in water rescue utilizing divers.

Section 7. A rescue squad specializing in urban search and rescue shall meet standards developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Urban Search and Rescue Program, or equivalent.

Section 8. The minimum training, testing, and certification requirements for search dog evaluators, search dogs, and handlers shall be:

(1) The handler shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age;

(2) Annual testing of search dogs include the following:

(a) The dog shall demonstrate its ability to overcome obstacles;

(b) The dog shall not be trained in attack methods;

(c) The dog shall not show aggression to other dogs or individuals;

(d) The dog shall obey verbal or nonverbal commands by the handler;

(e) The dog shall give a recognizable found-victim indication or alert;

(f) The dog shall demonstrate its obedience by performing a long-sit or down;

(g) The dog shall be left in a sitting position and at the direction of the evaluator; the handler shall down his or her dog with a hand or voice signal;

(h) During an open terrain search (air scenting) the handler and dog shall be given a minimum of one (1) hour to locate one (1) subject in fifteen (15) to twenty-five (25) acres of a forested area.

1. The handler shall provide a search plan as well as a description of the dog's alert of finding the subject to the evaluators.

2. The team shall pass all requirements.

3. This test may be conducted day or night, depending on conditions; and

(i) During a hasty search (air scenting), the team shall have a maximum of fifteen (15) minutes to perform this test.

1. The dog shall locate a victim within twenty (20) feet of a quarter-mile (1/4 mi.) trail.

2. The location of the subject shall be unknown to the handler.

3. The handler shall provide a description of the dog's alert of finding the subject to the evaluators.

4. The handler shall not leave the trail until the dog provides its alert;

(3) Testing for tracking or trailing dogs shall consist of at least the following:

(a) A trailing dog team shall successfully complete a four (4) hour old, one (1) mile long trail and establish the correct direction of travel within the first fifty (50) yards.

1. The trail shall be in a contaminated area with more than two (2) turns with multiple cross tracks.

2. The dog team shall be presented with a scent article such as a sock, shoe, hat, or jacket, in a clear plastic or paper bag located in a marked minimum four (4) foot square area. Both the square and the bag containing the scent article shall be identified so that both items can be matched.

3. The trail layer shall have the matching identifying marking, material, or signage identifying the trail layer as the matching subject of the scent article bag that was presented to the dog team, ensuring that the dog team has located the correct subject.

4. The dog team shall have one (1) hour to complete this test;

(b) Testing for tracking dogs shall consist of a minimum of three (3) to a maximum of five (5) of the following terrains:

1. Field;

2. Gravel;

3. Leaves;

4. Creek bed;

5. Dirt;

6. Concrete;

7. Woods;

8. Asphalt; and

9. High grass; and

(c) The track shall be a minimum of thirty (30) minutes and a maximum of one (1) hour old, with a minimum length of 700 yards and a maximum length of 900 yards.

1. There shall be one (1) scent article placed along the track and the dog shall locate the article.

2. The tracking team shall be given a starting point by the evaluator.

3. There shall be one (1) cross track laid. This person shall remain in the area of the actual track, but at a distance of 200 yards from the actual track-layer. This cross-track may be laid prior to, or after, the actual track.

4. There shall be a forty-five (45) minute time limit to complete the track.

5. The team shall successfully pass this certification by locating the actual track-layer, locating the scent article placed along trail, and staying within 10 (ten) feet of the track.

6. GPS (Global Positioning System) shall be used to determine track accuracy and distance.

7. If it is obvious to the evaluator the dog is not tracking, the evaluator may stop the test;

(4) The following shall be the minimum testing requirements for search dog handlers:

(a) The handler and dog shall be compatible;

(b) The handler shall be able to recognize when his or her dog is alerting on human scent;

(c) The handler shall inform the evaluators of the characteristics of the dog's alert; and

(d) The handler shall demonstrate his or her ability to work and control the dog;

(5) Testing of search dogs shall be conducted annually between August 1 and November 30;

(6) The organization, association, or handler shall submit a letter requesting to be tested to the Division of Emergency Management that contains:

(a) Full name of the organization, association or handler requesting to be tested;

(b) Address for correspondence with the organization, association, or handler requesting to be tested; and

(c) Name of the individual who shall serve as the point of contact for the organization, association, or handler requesting to be tested;

(7) If it is determined during the test by the search dog evaluator that a dog fails to alert on an obvious find or fails to meet the requirements as established in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the handler and dog shall be given one (1) opportunity to retest the dog during the same test date;

(a) In the event of a retest, a different search dog evaluator shall be utilized for the retest.

(b) Search dog evaluators shall not evaluate any dog or handler from their organization, association, or group.

(c) If the dog or handler fails the retest, they may retest at the next annual testing date.

(8) Evaluators utilized for the conduct of all search dog tests shall be appointed by the state search and rescue coordinator from a list of individuals supplied by the search dog associations, organizations, or groups headquartered in Kentucky or individual search dog handlers residing in Kentucky.

(a) A letter of recommendation for search dog evaluators from search dog organizations, associations, or groups, or individual search and rescue dog handlers for search dog evaluators shall be submitted annually to the search and rescue coordinator no later than 30 July.

(b) A search dog test evaluator shall have at least a minimum of five (5) years' experience and have met all training requirements as established in Section 2 of this administrative regulation;

(9) An individual, agency, organization, or association, public or private, who provides or who advertises to provide search dogs for any search and rescue mission shall comply with Section 2 of this administrative regulation and subsections (2) and (3) of this section.

(a) An individual, agency, organization, or association, public or private, who has not met the requirements of Section 2 of this administrative regulation and subsections (2) and (3) of this section shall be considered an "apprentice".

(b) The decision to utilize any "apprentice" dog handler or dog on a search mission shall be at the discretion of the county search and rescue coordinator.

1. If there is a state-certified dog handler on-scene, the county search and rescue coordinator shall consult with the state-certified dog handler prior to making any decision to utilize an apprentice dog or handler.

2. If there is more than one (1) state-certified dog handler on-scene, the county search and rescue coordinator only needs to consult with one (1) certified dog handler; and

(10) The certification length for a search dog handler who successfully meets all requirements shall be valid for two (2) years. The certification length for a search dog that meets all requirements shall be valid for two (2) years.

Section 9. Minimum training requirements for members of a rescue squad specializing in high angle rescue shall be to successfully complete:

(1) A basic rope rescue course as taught by the Kentucky Community Technical and College System, State Fire Rescue Training Program or equivalent;

(2) An intermediate rope rescue course as taught by the Kentucky Community Technical and College System, State Fire Rescue Training Program or equivalent, for those members responsible to perform extrication of both conscious and incapacitated patients, to establish and operate simple mechanical advantage systems, to control and direct the lowering of a packaged patient, to use ascenders to maintain mobility and control on rope, and to perform as a litter attendant and maintain mobility and control; and

(3) An advanced rope rescue course as taught by the Kentucky Community Technical and College System, State Fire Rescue Training Program or equivalent, for those members responsible to establish complex mechanical advantage systems, to perform rescue operations in limited light conditions, to operate rappel or lowering systems while using self-contained breathing apparatus or supplied air systems such as may be used in hazardous atmospheres, to establish and operate highline systems, and to establish and operate tripod and high directional systems.

Section 10. The role and training of rescue squad support personnel shall be the responsibility of the individual rescue squad and shall be identified in a locally-written guideline or procedure.

Section 11. Level of medical training for each rescue squad member shall be:

(1) The responsibility of each rescue squad; and

(2) Identified in a locally-written guideline or procedure.

Section 12. Material Incorporated by Reference.

(1) The following material is incorporated by reference:

(a) "Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) Response System Rescue Field Operations Guide (US&R-23-FG)", September 15, 2006; and

(b) "Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) Response System Field Operations Guide (US&R-2-FG)", September 25, 2003.

(2) This material may be inspected, copied, or obtained, subject to applicable copyright law, at the Department of Military Affairs, Division of Emergency Management, 100 Minuteman Parkway, Boone National Guard Center, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

106 KAR 1:390

27 Ky.R. 2003; 2851; eff. 5-14-2001; 44 Ky.R. 1610; 1968; eff. 4-6-2018.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 39A.050(2)(m), 39A.070(3), 39F.200, 39F.210