106 KAR 1:390. Search and rescue training requirements

      Section 1. Definitions. "Successfully complete" means to attend or participate in search and rescue training and acquire and submit to a local director a copy of an instructor-provided training completion certificate or record.

 

      Section 2. Minimum training requirements for a local search and rescue coordinator, or a search dog handler, shall be to successfully complete:

      (1) A twenty (20) hour division offered or approved search and rescue course or equivalent;

      (2) A twenty (20) hour division offered or approved search management course; and

      (3) An incident command or incident management system (ICS or IMS) training course approved by the division of at least eight (8) hours covering the eight (8) component elements of an incident command system or incident management system, to include practical application, and to include a search and rescue module.

 

      Section 3. Minimum training requirements for members of a rescue squad specializing in cave rescue shall be to successfully complete the following:

      (1) The National Cave Rescue Commission (NCRC) offered and approved Cave Rescue Orientation Course or its equivalent approved by the division; and

      (2) A National Cave Rescue Commission offered and approved Cave Operations and Management Seminar or its equivalent approved by the division for squad members who manage response to cave rescues.

 

      Section 4. Minimum training requirements for members of a search and rescue squad specializing in search for lost, trapped or missing persons shall be to successfully complete the requirements established in Section 2 of this administrative regulation.

 

      Section 5. Minimum training requirements for members of a rescue squad specializing in dive rescue and recovery shall be:

      (1) Certification in open water by one (1) of the following nationally recognized organizations or equivalents:

      (a) International Diving Educators Association (IDEA);

      (b) Multinational Diving Educators Association (MDEA);

      (c) National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI);

      (d) National Association of SCUBA Diving Schools (NASDS);

      (e) National Association of SCUBA Instructors (NASI);

      (f) Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI);

      (g) Professional Diving Instructors Corporation (PDIC);

      (h) SCUBA Schools International (SSI);

      (i) United States Navy (USN);

      (j) YMCA National SCUBA Program (YMCA); or

      (k) Dive Rescue International.

      (2) Annually, a minimum of ten (10) hours underwater training in rescue diving techniques developed and administered by the individual organization specializing in water rescue utilizing divers.

 

      Section 6. A rescue squad specializing in urban search and rescue shall meet standards developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Urban Search and Rescue Program, or equivalent, approved by the division.

 

      Section 7. The minimum training, testing, and certification requirements for the search dog evaluators, search dogs and handlers shall be:

      (1) The handler shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age.

      (2) Annual testing of search dogs shall include but not be limited to the following:

      (a) The dog shall demonstrate its ability to overcome obstacles;

      (b) The dog shall not be trained in attack methods;

      (c) The dog shall not show aggression to other dogs or individuals;

      (d) The dog shall obey verbal or nonverbal commands by the handler;

      (e) The dog shall give a recognizable found-victim indication or alert;

      (f) The dog shall demonstrate its obedience by performing a long-sit or down;

      (g) The dog shall be left in a sitting position and at the direction of the evaluator; the handler shall down his or her dog with a hand or voice signal;

      (h) During an open terrain search the handler and dog shall be given a minimum of one (1) hour to find a hidden subject; and

      (i) During a hasty search, the dog shall locate a victim within twenty (20) feet of the trail.

      (3) Testing for tracking or trailing bloodhounds shall consist of at least the following: three (3) scent trails shall be established, one (1) scent trail four (4) hours old, one (1) scent trail twelve (12) hours old, and one (1) scent trail twenty-four (24) hours old, identified by the evaluators at the time of the test.

      (4) The following are minimum testing requirements for search dog handlers:

      (a) The handler and dog shall be compatible;

      (b) The handler shall be able to recognize when his or her dog is alerting on human scent;

      (c) The handler shall inform the evaluators of the characteristics of the dog’s alert; and

      (d) The handler shall demonstrate his or her ability to work and control their dog.

      (5) Testing of search dogs shall be conducted annually between August 1 and November 30.

      (6) The organization, association, or handler shall submit a letter requesting to be tested to the Division of Emergency Management that contains the following:

      (a) The full name of the organization, association or handler requesting to be tested;

      (b) The address for correspondence with the organization, association or handler requesting to be tested;

      (c) The name of the individual who shall serve as the point of contact for the organization, association or handler requesting to be tested.

      (7) If it is determined during the test by the search dog evaluator a dog fails to alert on an obvious find or fails to meet the requirements as identified in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the handler and dog shall be given one (1) opportunity to retest their dog during the same test date. In the event of a retest, a different search dog evaluator shall be utilized for the retest. Search dog evaluators shall not evaluate any dog or handler from their organization, association or group. If the dog or handler fails the retest, they may retest at the next annual testing date.

      (8) Evaluators utilized for the conduct of all search dog tests shall be appointed by the state search and rescue coordinator from a list of individuals supplied by the search dog associations, organizations, or groups headquartered in Kentucky or individual search dog handlers residing in Kentucky. A letter of recommendation for search dog evaluators from search dog organizations, associations, or groups, or individual search and rescue dog handlers for search dog evaluators shall be submitted annually to the search and rescue coordinator no later than 30 July. A search dog test evaluator shall have at least a minimum of five (5) years experience and have met all training requirements as identified in Section 2 of this administrative regulation.

      (9) An individual, agency, organization, or association, public or private who provides or who advertises to provide search dogs for any search and rescue mission shall comply with Section 2 of this administrative regulation and subsections (2) and (3) of this section. An individual, agency, organization, or association, public or private, who has not met the requirements of Section 2 of this administrative regulation and subsections (2) and (3) of this section shall be considered "apprentice". The decision to utilize any "apprentice" dog handler or dog on a search mission shall be at the discretion of the county search and rescue coordinator. If there is a state-certified dog handler on-scene, the county search and rescue coordinator shall consult with the state-certified dog handler prior to making any decision to utilize an apprentice dog or handler. If there is more than one (1) state-certified dog handler on-scene, the county search and rescue coordinator only needs to consult with one (1) certified dog handler.

      (10) The certification length for a search dog handler who successfully meets all requirements shall be valid for two (2) years. The certification length for a search dog that meets all requirements shall be valid for two (2) years.

 

      Section 8. Minimum training requirements for members of a rescue squad specializing in high angle rescue shall be to successfully complete the following:

      (1) A basic rope rescue course as taught by the Kentucky Community Technical and College System, State Fire Rescue Training Program or equivalent as approved by the division;

      (2) An intermediate rope rescue course as taught by the Kentucky Community Technical and College System, State Fire Rescue Training Program or equivalent as approved by the division, for those members responsible to perform extrication of both conscious and incapacitated patients, to establish and operate simple mechanical advantage systems, to control and direct the lowering of a packaged patient, to use ascenders to maintain mobility and control on rope and to perform as a litter attendant and maintain mobility and control;

      (3) An advanced rope rescue course as taught by the Kentucky Community Technical and College System, State Fire Rescue Training Program or equivalent as approved by the division, for those members responsible to establish complex mechanical advantage systems, to perform rescue operations in limited light conditions, to operate rappel or lowering systems while using self-contained breathing apparatus or supplied air systems such as may be used in hazardous atmospheres, to establish and operate highline systems and to establish and operate tripod and high directional systems.

 

      Section 9. The role and training of rescue squad support personnel shall be the responsibility of the individual rescue squad and shall be identified in a locally-written guideline or procedure.

 

      Section 10. Level of medical training for each rescue squad member shall:

      (1) Be the responsibility of each rescue squad; and

      (2) Be identified in a locally-written guideline or procedure. (27 Ky.R. 2003; Am. 2851; eff. 5-14-2001.)

Notation

      RELATES TO: KRS 39F.040(3), 39F.050(3)(c), 39F.070(3)(c), 39F.120(8), 39F.200, 39F.210

      STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 39A.050(2)(m), 39A.070(3), 39F.200, 39F.210

      NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 39F.200 and 39F.210 authorize the division to establish minimum training requirements for persons engaged in search and rescue activities. This administrative regulation establishes minimum training requirements for a general rescue squad, or a specialized rescue squad, and a local search and rescue coordinator.