Dog rescue teams on the way to Haiti! Lola Belle says Godspeed!




Good Morning Pawpals.... Today our column is all about an organization that specializes in helping out during a natural disaster. Even now as the world's organizations are sending food and medical help to people of Haiti this organization is really "paws on the ground" and is sending dogs such as Cadillac to help (see below.) We are sending prayers for everyone affected by this disaster.
XOXO Lola Belle "Paws on the Ground"

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

National Disaster Search Dog Foundation Deploys Rescue Teams to Haiti

SOURCE: National Search Dog Foundation
Jan 13, 2010 19:23 ET
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/National-Search-Dog-Foundation-1101550.html
National Disaster Search Dog Foundation Deploys Rescue Teams to Haiti

LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - January 13, 2010) - National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, a non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to recruiting rescued dogs and partnering them with firefighters to find people buried alive in the wreckage of disasters, today announced six Canine Search Teams are en route to Haiti to assist with search and rescue efforts in response to the powerful 7.0 earthquake that struck the island on January 12. The State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance are working in conjunction with California Task Force 2 (CA-TF2), a FEMA urban search and rescue task force based in Los Angeles County.

CA-TF2, which is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, is one of two U.S. Task Forces charged with responding to international natural or man-made disasters. All six teams deploying with CA-TF2 were trained by the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation to find people buried alive under the wreckage of disasters.

"The Haitian government has requested assistance from the U.S. in responding to the most devastating earthquake to hit the island in 200 years," said Debra Tosch, Executive Director of Search Dog Foundation. "We know that the first few hours after a major disaster has occurred are critical in saving lives and the search and recovery teams are in place now."

Los Angeles team members of the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation heading to Haiti today include:

-- Gary Durian & Baxter - L.A. County Fire
-- Ron Horetski & Pearl - L.A. County Fire
-- Bill Monahan & Hunter - L.A. County Fire
-- Jasmine Segura & Cadillac - L.A. County Fire
-- Jason Vasquez & Maverick - L.A. County Fire
-- Ron Weckbacher & Dawson - Civilian

"Our hearts go out to our neighbors in Haiti, and we're honored to be able to help find survivors of this terrible tragedy," said Bill Monahan a firefighter and paramedic with Los Angeles County Fire. "In addition to comforting victims and their loved ones, we'll be relaying up-to-the-minute news and information through the Search Dogs Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/searchrescuedog."

ABOUT THE NATIONAL DISASTER SEARCH DOG FOUNDATION (SDF) www.SearchDogFoundation.org
Check out the blog @ allaboutpawsdogwalking.blogspot.com/

Cadillac is on his way to Haiti: Pictured above & read more about his story at : www.searchdogfoundation.org/zcom/newsletter/ScrapSummary.do?compid=98&newsid=250



Name:
Cadillac
Handler:Jasmine Segura
Breed:Black Lab
Sex:Male
Born:December 1, 2005
Donated by:Guide Dogs for the Blind
Level:DHS/FEMA Certified
Training Group:L.A. County