Firestyle Magazine: Issue 1 - Autumn 2015

“It was at this stage that we went
to train for a week with Greater
Manchester Police where we
were given tasks and objectives.
Bryn and I then worked on the
skills we were taught for three
months before returning for a final
week’s training. Bryn was around
twelve months old at this stage
and we spent the majority of our
time reinforcing his training by
going back to every step until it
was just second nature to him.
This should have been quite a
challenge but in reality Bryn just
absolutely loved it.
“Rescue dogs are trained to
pick up the scent of a living
person,” continued Steve. “The
reality is that our role is to save
lives so Bryn will not indicate on
dead casualties – he knows the
difference. What they’re actually
smelling is the natural scent of skin
and other odours given from the
body when they are alive, which
they can do from an incredible
distance, for want of a better way
of putting it they cone in to the
strongest area of scent.
“The dog works ahead of you
and other rescue workers so
they’re not being distracted by
your scent. Then, when they pick
up on the trail, they simply bark,
and that’s when we can begin
sending down cameras into the
rubble and start digging.”
Bryn became UKISAR graded
in 2005, meaning he could
go out on search and rescue
missions with the teams. In 2009
they travelled to Zatec Czech
Republic to participate in what
is considered to be the most
stringent testing process in the
world, the International Rescue
Dog Organisation’s ‘mission
readiness test’, which consists of
seven searches over 36 hours, a
10km march, dog first aid and
working at height. They are one
of only four UK dog teams to
attain this qualification.
Steve has assessed dog and
handler capabilities in America,
Argentina, Spain, Romania,
Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary,
Saudi Arabia and Australia, as
well as being deployed on search
and rescue operations to India,
Sumatra, Japan and Nepal.
“As part of their kit, Bryn and the
other rescue dogs have special
boots to protect their paws
from glass shards, tiles, splinters
and other debris. Unfortunately
none of these were sufficient
protection, as when on a search
in Japan, Bryn got a nasty cut
on his front leg. Although we
had no vet with us, we did have,
fortunately, UKISAR’s medical
director, Dr Malcolm Russell MBE,
and he was able to super-glue
and bandage Bryn’s leg so he
could continue to work,” said
Steve.
This incident made headlines
around the world.
Steve recalled: “It wasn’t actually
a bad cut but, because he was
running around and his heart was
pumping, there was a lot of blood
on his leg.
“It made a dramatic photograph
for the front of The Daily Mail –
so much so I had to borrow a
satellite phone from a British TV
crew so I could call my wife and
reassure her that Bryn wasn’t
actually badly hurt.”
He added: “Bryn is brilliant at
finding people in the rubble, but
he is also a member of my family.
We work together each day and
go home together each night.”
So what’s next for Bryn? Although
he’s put his passport away and
won’t be going on any more
international trips he will still be
working for the Avon Fire and
Rescue Urban Search and Rescue
team (USAR). He could be
called in at any time of the day
or night to search for people in a
lot of different scenarios such as
gas explosions, terrorist attacks,
building collapses, missing
persons. He’ll carry on training
both at home and with the USAR
team.
And in between all that he’ll be
putting his paws up for a wellearned
rest, going for walks with
the rest of his gang – Steve and his
wife Sylvia have two other dogs,
Fenn and Pippa, with another
puppy arriving in the next few
weeks – and generally relaxing in
his own loving home.
55