AvaDogs Members Earn NASAR Certifications

AvaDogs Welcome New Training Assistant

Grand Junction, CO 10/10/06—Chance Stellen Carter was born at 11:34pm at St. Mary's Hospital. He weighed 3 pounds 3.7 ounces and is 15 1/4 inches long. Parents Peter and Sarah Carter, who were presenting at the International Snow Science Workshop (ISSW) into premature labor. "Chance found the ISSW so interesting, that he just had to come 2 months early to check out this big world of snow geeks, avalanche professionals, and ski bums", said his proud father. Chance and Sarah will remain in Colorado for awhile till Chance is strong enough to travel home to Alaska. Welcome to the AvaDogs team little Chance.

Milo Aces National Avalanche Certification Exam

Sun Valley, Idaho 3/24/06—Milo recently passed his National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) certification test at Sun Valley, Idaho in the discipline of Avalanche Rescue. The certification which required a comprehensive list of prerequisites in related areas-included a field test in which the canine/handler team had to successfully search an 80m x 80m area finding two victims buried in snow that was between 3 and 6 feet deep within an allotted 20 minute time period. Milo and his handler, Jim Craig successfully completed the field test in just 6 minutes, with Milo finding the first victim at the one-minute mark.

This certification is the third in a string of "Alaska firsts" for Milo and his handler Jim Craig with the tandem being the first to be nationally certified by NASAR in the discipline of Area Search last August, and also receiving the Peter E, Cheney Canine Handler Scholarship which is given annually by NASAR, to a handler in the United States recognizing their commitment to improving themselves as a search and rescue canine handler.

AvaDogs Earn National Certification

Juneau 08/06/05—Three Avadogs Alaska members recently earned Search and Rescue Technician II certification from the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR). Sarah Carter, Peter Carter and Jim Craig earned this nationally recognized certification. After completing the NASAR—Fundamentals of Search and Rescue Course, the team participated in a 10-part. two-day examination that included, map reading, land navigation, man tracking, route and area search, rope skills along with other search and rescue related subjects.

Additionally, both Jim Craig and Sarah Carter earned certification as Canine Search and Rescue Technicians-a first for Alaska . Craig is the primary handler for Milo , a 19-month old border collie. The canine test included a comprehensive written test and a timed field examination. In the field examination that included a mock search for a victim in an area up to 60 acres, Craig and Milo found the victim in 32 minutes with Carter and Milo making the find in 25 minutes, well under the 1.5 hour limit that each handler was allowed.

Carter earns CAA II Certification

British Columbia, Canada 3/05—Sarah Carter recently completed the Canadian Avalanche Assn. Operations Level II Certification in British Columbia, Canada.

Carter, a professional heli-ski guide in Valdez, Alaska and a member of AvaDogs Alaska is the first woman in the state to achieve this prestigious certification. Carter hopes to use this certification to continue her commitment to community service while expanding her snow science/avalanche forecasting career. (more about Sarah)