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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 25, 2015)
4 Wednesday,November25,2015The Nugget Newspaper,Sisters,Oregon Crisis response canines train in Sisters By Jodi Schneider McNamee Correspondent Dogscanhelppeopleget throughacrisis. Sue Dolezal of Sisters Eagle Airport, her husband Gary,andtheirdogsIsaacand Foster, are specially trained and certified with National CrisisResponseCaninestodo justthat.LastOctober2,they weredeployedtoRoseburgto attend the Roseburg candle- lightvigiljustonedayafter theUCCshooting. NationalCrisisResponse Caninesheldarigorousthree- day training and evaluation in Sisters last weekend to recertify teams. Participants arrivedfromFlorida,Alaska, Michigan, Washington and Oregon. National provides certi- fication for crisis response canine teams who demon- stratecompetencyinworking inthecomplexphysicaland emotional environments of disaster. Dogshelpingpeople. A crisis can be a home fire,domesticviolence,child abuse, tragic death, school shooting, missing elder or a crime. A disaster such as wildfires,terrorismorfloods canaffectanenormousnum- berofpeoplepsychologically. Crisis response canines are specially trained in psy- chological first aid and cer- tified to work effectively to dealwithapersonthatfeels overwhelmedbypersonalcri- sis.Whensomeoneishurting, crisis response teams help replace the feeling of fear, anxiety and hopelessness with feelings of being safe, cared for, and capable. The crisis response team works alongside community agen- cies such as the Red Cross that provide support and assistance. Sue and Gary Dolezal’s dogs are certified crisis response canines, and they used the training last week- endtocross-traintheirdogs betweeneachother. “You never know which dogisgoingtobewithwhom, so it was something we neededtodo,”Dolezalsaid. Twelve-year-old Henry was certified for crisis responsein2008,andisnow retired after eight years of service. In 2004 Dolezal and her husband got involved with DeschutesCountySearchand Rescue(SAR). “I backed off when I startedworkingattheairport, plus I wanted to work more with our dog Henry to get him certified with the crisis responseteam.Garyhasbeen with SAR for over 10 years and is the logistics chief,” saidDolezal. Whiledogsinbothcrisis responseandanimal-assisted therapy essentially provide thesameservice—bringing asenseofcomfortandsafety — the biggest difference is the environment in which they work. Crisis response canines receive advanced trainingtoworkinthecom- plexphysicalenvironmentsof disastersandtosafelyinteract with strangers experiencing intenseemotionsintheafter- mathofcrisis. NationalPresidentConnie JantzenflewinfromFlorida to help with instruction and evaluationalongwithBarbara Geno, a National instructor fromMichigan. “With crisis response work, there’s nothing nor- mal,” Jantzen says. “You don’t know when you’re going,thedogsareworking in unfamiliar surroundings andthesurroundingsmaybe damaged. The dogs have to be able to understand those intense emotions and bring them back to a feeling of calm.” Jantzen’s German shep- herd, Lady, was the catalyst forherinvolvementwithcri- sisresponsecanines. “Ladyisnowretiredfrom thecrisisresponseteamafter being of service for about seven years,” Jantzen said. “She was a rescue along with her sister, Koda. They wereabandoned.Thefamily movedandleftthembehind inthegarageforaboutthree months. I adopted both of them,andLadywastheone that had the affiliation with people,she’sbeenamazing. “That’swhatwearelook- ingforintheindividualdog, one that has a specific tem- perament,adogthatisdrawn topeopleandwant(s)tobeof service to them.The canine needs to be clear-headed andcalmwhenpeoplearein crisis.” Jantzen emphasizes that situations don’t need to be disastersorcrisesinorderfor thedogstorespond.They’ll workwithat-riskfamiliesor crimevictims. “There’s crisis every- where,whetherit’sanatural disaster, man-made disaster, ormaybejustthedeathofa lovedone,”shesaid. “Our approach to crisis canineworkistobeinvolved with the community, at the community level. Of course we respond to big disasters, buttherearesomanythings photo by Jodi Schneider McnaMee going on every day in our own communities where Sue Dolezal and Foster. canines can be of service. Wehavethetrainingsinthe crisisresponsecanineteam. communities so people can Two firefighters had on understandwheretheirlocal self-contained breathing resourcesareandwheretheir apparatus (SCBA) packs, local needs are so they can ready to interact with the matchupthoseresourceswith dogs. thoseneedsintimesofcrisis “We want the dogs to be anddisaster.” exposedtoallthesightsand Sisters has a tremendous sounds and smells of the resource within its commu- firefighters in their turnout nity.Ifsomethingmajorhap- gear,”saidJantzen.“Because penedthelocalcrisisresponse of their masks and respira- canineteamwouldcomein, tors,theydon’tlookorsmell and then all of the national humananymore.Wewantto teams would be deployed familiarize the dogs to the here to help the community firefighters, so they under- cope. standthatunderthatgearthey On Saturday morning as arestillpeopleandtheystill partofthephysicaltraining, needtoworkwiththemdur- the crisis response canine ingdisaster.” teamconsistingoffivedogs “Wearebuildingtheircon- andtheirhandlers,alongwith fidence before we increase evaluators, were invited to exposure to anything they showupattheSisterstrain- mayormaynotbecomfort- ing ground, where Sisters- ablewithduringadisaster,” CampShermanFireDistrict addedGeno. and Cloverdale Rural Fire For more informa- ProtectionDistricttrain. tion about National Crisis Captain Michael Valoppi ResponseCanines,visitwww. wasonhandtoassistwiththe crisisresponsecanines.org. 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