Firefighter/EMT Andrew Stephens, Assistant Fire Chief Shane Hamilton, and Fire Chief Dave McCoy, Calcutta Volunteer Fire Department, with Search and Rescue K9 Solace. Stephens, Hamilton and McCoy are the three members on the search and rescue team trained to work with Solace in the field. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

ST. CLAIR TOWNSHIP — Calcutta Volunteer Fire Department took the next steps in furthering the skills of one of the members of the Columbina County Search and Rescue Team developed by Fire Chief Dave McCoy.

The department’s search and rescue K9 Solace recently completed her training and was certified as a cadaver dog.

While there is another cadaver dog in the county, K9 Yeager of Bravo K9, a volunteer organization, Solace is the only public service K9 certified as a cadaver dog.

Solace put her training to work only six days after being certified when the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) requested her services to help them in the search for the body of a missing person on state game land near Highlandtown Lake.

Assistant Fire Chief Shane Hamilton said he was shocked when she was called out for a body search only six days after receiving her certification.

Solace, who is nearly 2 years old, has received her training and certification as a search and rescue and cadaver dog and is currently working on her certification in area search.

Future training and certifications are planned for article search and water rescue. The team has to work on getting her into the boat and acclimated to it before beginning her training in that.

Of the five firefighters from Calcutta Volunteer Fire Department trained in the search and rescue, three of them, McCoy, Hamilton and Firefighter/EMT Andrew Stephens, are trained to work with the dog in the field. This allows for any of the three available to respond with Solace when called for a search.

The idea to have her trained for cadaver search came from discussion among the three handlers who decided it was best to have a dog who could do as much as possible to help in a search and rescue or recover, Hamilton said.

The department is looking into purchasing a GPS collar that could expand her abilities to aid in a search. With the GPS tracking they could let the dog go to search instead of holding her on leash, tracking her location during the search. Since Solace is not trained in apprehension or bite work, rescuers would be able to turn her loose and let her work. Other K9s in the county, especially law enforcement ones, cannot be used that way due to the dogs being in bite or apprehension mindset when turned loose, McCoy said. He also noted that she will not be turned loose on a rescue until they have the GPS ability. He estimates it would cost approximately $1,500 for the collar and GPS tracking.

McCoy also said he would like to get more extensive search and rescue technology to aid in searches but needs more fire departments in the county to join in the search and rescue team to make that happen.

According to McCoy, all the funds for Solace’s training, which takes place with Alpha Pack in Springfield, Ohio, and equipment have come 100% from donations. No fire department funds have been used. When they first came up with the idea for a search and rescue team and dog it was decided that the program and dog would be funded entirely with donations and fundraisers.

He also said if anyone wants to contribute, it all goes to the search and rescue and that he has grants that he is also looking at. They recently received grant money for search and rescue swift water training.

In addition to aiding ODNR in Highlandtown last week, Solace was used at Grimms Bridge not to long ago to help locate a missing child.

Stephens and Hamilton said she loves to work and gets excited when called out for a search.

McCoy noted that Solace would not be doing any drug, apprehension or bite work training, that she was simply going to be search and rescue only.

McCoy, Hamilton and Stephens thanked all those who contributed their support or help with the funding for Solace’s equipment and training including the community, Alpha Pack, the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office, Columbiana County Airport for their support with the 2023 Wings and Wheels program, Campbell’s Signs and Calcutta Towing.

kgarabrandt@mojonews.com