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membership faqs
BCSDT has grown to be one of the largest search and recovery organizations in the State of Ohio, but that growth has never come at the expense of the quality of the services we provide. Our searchers may all be volunteers, but they are held to the highest standards and train year round so that they are ready when the next call comes.
No previous search and rescue experience is required to join us. BCSDT will help you get training and make sure you are fully qualified before your first deployment with the team. If you are passionate about helping your community and would like to be a part of a team of like-minded individuals, we urge you to come check out one of our meetings to see if BCSDT is the right place for you to serve.
Big Creek Search Dog Team is an all-volunteer search and recovery team. Our members come together from all over Northeast Ohio to aid communities in need.
volunteer with bcsdt
We are always seeking serious, committed individuals to join us in our mission. If you have the following characteristics, you may have the basics for beginning to train in Search and Rescue:
-Love working outdoors in all weather
conditions
-Love working with people and animals
-Can commit 4-8 hours per week for training
-Have a flexible schedule which will allow for
quick response on short notice
We provide:
-Assessment of your K9, if you have one
-Direction in training your K9
-SAR basic training
-Guidance on the proper classes, seminars,
certifications, and other requirements
necessary
We are always seeking serious, committed individuals to join us in our mission. If you have the following characteristics, you may have the basics for beginning to train in Search and Rescue:
-Love working outdoors in all weather
conditions
-Love working with people and animals
-Can commit 4-8 hours per week for
training
-Have a flexible schedule which will
allow for quick response on short
notice
We provide:
-Assessment of your K9, if you have one
-Direction in training your K9
-SAR basic training
-Guidance on the proper classes,
seminars, certifications, and other
requirements necessary
Typical roles within BCSDT include:
-Ground Search
-K9 Handler
-K9 Flanker
-Boat Operator
-Incident Command
-Team Leader
-Communications
-Operations
-Planning
-Logistics
-Fundraising
-Public Relations
Although we are all volunteers, the professionalism demanded by our mission requires a substantial time commitment.
We hold training meetings four times a month. Individual team members often organize additional trainings throughout the month as well. Once you are a member, you can find the meeting schedule on our team calendar page. Members are expected to attend at least 50% of training meetings. Our training meetings are fun and informative, and most members really enjoy the camaraderie in getting together.
Some specialties, such as K-9 teams, require far more training time than more general specialties such as basic ground search. For example, K-9s typically train intensively for one to two years before becoming field deployable, and continue to train 2-3 times a week throughout their working lives.
BCSDT participates in a number of community events, fairs, and festivals throughout the year. These events allow us to spread the word about BCSDT and provide a great opportunity to help educate the public about outdoor safety and search and rescue.
While other time commitments are interesting, most of our members live for deployments. Nothing compares to the opportunity to use one’s skills to potentially save or restore a life.
That said, deployments often happen at night, in bad weather, and/or over considerable distances. Although you are not expected to respond to every call-out, you will be on call 24/7. Often, responding to calls requires making arrangements with employers and families in advance. Deployment requires mental, physical, and emotional stamina. If you are field deployable you will need be expected to perform your search duties with a full pack for 2-4 hours at a time.
Membership dues are $100 per year.
All BCSDT members are required to complete two basic training modules from the National Incident Management System (NIMS) before they can participate in active deployments. This helps us ensure that everyone involved in a deployment is aware of and ready to be a part of the Incident Management System.
These modules are all free and can be completed online at your convenience (follow the link to reach the FEMA Emergency Management Institute website):
FEMA NIMS IS-100b (Introduction to ICS)
FEMA NIMS IS-700a (National Incident Management System (NIMS) An Introduction)
Additional skills training, such as Ground Search, navigation, and K9 training, will be coordinated through BCSDT.
The first step is to speak with one of our team officers and attend some of our trainings. We want to make sure you understand our purpose and our commitment before you decide to join the team. Once you have shown dedication to the work our organization does, you can be voted onto the team.