Increase Your Probability Of Locating A Missing Person.
Learn how to effectively identify, screen, and integrate K9 search & rescue resources into your agency's operations.
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Considering incorporating K9 search & rescue into your missing persons operations but don’t know where to start?
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Struggling to find credible K9 search & rescue teams in your area?
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Wondering how to select reliable K9 resources that will increase your likelihood of locating the missing person?
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Looking for a step-by-step plan to successfully locate, screen, and utilize reliable search dogs?
We help agencies just like yours.
A victim of crime, a wandering child, a drowning victim, a disoriented elderly person, an overdue hunter, an unaccounted for person in a structure fire. The circumstances behind their disappearances differ, but your job is the same. Find them. Bring them home.
The Pentagon spent 6 years and nearly $19 billion dollars to determine that the most effective bomb detection device available is a dog. The same conclusions can be drawn about search and rescue.
Understanding how to identify credible K9 resources in your area, determine if they are qualified and reliable, and successfully incorporate them into your search operations can be the difference between closing a case or not.
We’re committed to helping you locate the missing by sharing our decades of experience assisting agencies with search planning and management and guiding them through the process of incorporating K9 search & rescue assets in their missing person cases.
The Pentagon spent 6 years and nearly $19 billion dollars to determine that the most effective bomb detection device available is a dog. The same conclusions can be drawn about search and rescue.
Understanding how to identify credible K9 resources in your area, determine if they are qualified and reliable, and successfully incorporate them into your search operations can be the difference between closing a case or not.
We’re committed to helping you locate the missing by sharing our decades of experience assisting agencies with search planning and management and guiding them through the process of incorporating K9 search & rescue assets in their missing person cases.
WELCOME TO
Introduction to K9 Search & Rescue Resources for First Responders
What You Will Learn
You know search & rescue canines could be helpful in your missing person searches, but you don’t know if you have any in your area, or where to even start looking.
This course we give you 3 proven strategies for identifying local reliable K9 resources, including a downloadable contact list of national organizations who can assist you.
You may have heard horror stories of a department’s experience with an unqualified K9 team, or maybe even experienced the impact of working with an unqualified team yourself, and wonder how to know if a K9 team is credible.
This course we gives you the exact interview questions to ask and the red flag answers to be on the lookout for so you can determine if a team is credible and reliable.
You want the dog best suited for your search, but did you know K9 SAR disciplines are divided based on three factors: target odor, scent specificity, and search environment.
This course will teach you the unique capabilities, limitations, and specific uses of each discipline so that you will be able to request the right type of dogs for your particular situation.
This course we give you 3 proven strategies for identifying local reliable K9 resources, including a downloadable contact list of national organizations who can assist you.
You may have heard horror stories of a department’s experience with an unqualified K9 team, or maybe even experienced the impact of working with an unqualified team yourself, and wonder how to know if a K9 team is credible.
This course we gives you the exact interview questions to ask and the red flag answers to be on the lookout for so you can determine if a team is credible and reliable.
You want the dog best suited for your search, but did you know K9 SAR disciplines are divided based on three factors: target odor, scent specificity, and search environment.
This course will teach you the unique capabilities, limitations, and specific uses of each discipline so that you will be able to request the right type of dogs for your particular situation.
Putting Into Practice
After completing this course you will have the step-by-step process from callout to after action that will ensure your use of K9 SAR resources is seamless.
Course Curriculum
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How To Navigate
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Welcome to CFTE
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Course Waiver
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Detection Dogs & Olfaction
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Factors That Influence Olfaction
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DOWNLOAD - Terms & Definitions AAFS Standards Board
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READ - Journal Articles Referenced In Video
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Skills Assessment
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Introduction to K9 SAR
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Land - Human Remains Detection
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Water - Human Remains Detection
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DOWNLOAD - Body Float Chart
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Area - Live Find
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Tracking & Trailing
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DOWNLOAD - Collecting A Scent Article
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Disaster - Live Find & Human Remains
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DOWNLOAD - Discipline Comparison Chart
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Skills Assessment
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Finding Qualified K9 Teams
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DOWNLOAD - K9 SAR Resource List
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Skills Assessment
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Industry Standards For K9 Resources
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DOWNLOAD - Training, Certification & Documentation Guidelines AAFS Standards Board
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Interviewing K9 Teams
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DOWNLOAD - K9 Resource Interview Questions
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Skills Assessment
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Calling Out K9 Resources
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DOWNLOAD - K9 Call Out Information Checklist
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Follow Up From K9 Teams
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DOWNLOAD - K9 Team Follow-Up Checklist
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Search Report Example
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Skills Assessment
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Introduction to K9 Search and Rescue for First Responders
- Learn how to identify and best utilize K9 teams to support your missing person cases.
Hear what other agencies are saying about
this course...
Detectives, fire chiefs, first responders, and others just like you who are responsible for managing resources in a missing persons case share why it’s so important to get the information is this course.
"This course is a must for Law Enforcement who rarely receives training during a pre-service academy or into their careers on how to conduct a missing person investigation. This course provides a thorough overview of the different types of search, rescue, and recovery canine teams. Preparing ahead for the possibility of this type of case will make all the difference in the final outcome."
C. Corcoran, Police Officer (retired) 30 yrs. for City of Madison Police Wisconsin, 10 yrs. full time patrol dog handler, Owner Canine Search Solutions LLC- trained and handled 4 cadaver dogs to date
"I wish you could promote this course for every single law enforcement agency in my state. Every single one. They need it. There are MANY agencies out there who simply ask for a dog without realizing the many different disciplines and what K9's work best during certain situations. This course is a huge leap forward for agencies who have little to no understanding."
J. Thorpe, Director, NC Troopers Assoc. K9 Unit
"As a LE officer and a cadaver K9 handler, the course is presented in a clear, easy to understand format that breaks down and simplifies a broad, little understood topic amongst law enforcement. This course is a great way to get quality resources for complicated events that don’t present themselves every day in policing. When the situation is there, the last thing anyone should be worrying about is what and where are the resources to correctly respond to and address the issue at hand and make a successful recovery."
Deputy R. Becker, Warren County Sheriff's Office
Backed By Experience
Our team has the credentials and field experience you need.
Course Instructor Deana Hudgins
Deana Hudgins has 20 years of experience in the field of search & rescue and has responded to hundreds of missing person searches for local, state, and federal agencies.
Deana frequently consults for law enforcement, fire departments, and emergency management agencies as a subject matter expert providing guidance in search strategy and planning, resource management, and mapping and data collection.
During her years as a consultant, Deana has seen a lack of training opportunities to prepare agencies to respond to search and recovery missions. She established the Center for Forensic Training and Education to ensure organizations had access to real world, hands-on, customizable training opportunities.
Deana frequently consults for law enforcement, fire departments, and emergency management agencies as a subject matter expert providing guidance in search strategy and planning, resource management, and mapping and data collection.
During her years as a consultant, Deana has seen a lack of training opportunities to prepare agencies to respond to search and recovery missions. She established the Center for Forensic Training and Education to ensure organizations had access to real world, hands-on, customizable training opportunities.
Our Team
Our team has extensive knowledge and experience in missing person cases from their years as first responders, search and rescue, K9 handlers and trainers, instructors, and scientific researchers. Combined, our staff has over 100 of years experience in search and rescue.
Kathleen Kelsey (top left) - Co-Founder CFTE Online
Nick Fathergill (top right) - Training Director
Athena Haus (bottom left) - Instructor
Tom Haus (bottom right) - Instructor
Kathleen Kelsey (top left) - Co-Founder CFTE Online
Nick Fathergill (top right) - Training Director
Athena Haus (bottom left) - Instructor
Tom Haus (bottom right) - Instructor
Awarded the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award 2018
Photo: Director Christopher Wray (l) with CFTE Founder Deana Hudgins (r)
This special award, presented on behalf of the Director of the FBI, was formally created in 1990 as a way to honor individuals and organizations for their efforts in combating crime, terrorism, drugs, and violence in America.
Still Have Questions?
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Who is this course for?
Any detective, police chief, fire chief, EMA officer or first responder responsible for managing resources in a missing persons search.
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Is there a specific start date or can I enroll at any time?
You can enroll at any time! This self-paced course allows you to complete it at your own pace and on any device with 24/7 access.
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How long does is take to get through this course?
This course takes approximately 90 minutes to watch in its entirety; however, you will have unlimited on demand access to revisit any of the course material or resources.
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What if I have questions during the course?
Once you are enrolled in the course you will get a link to our support email. If you have any questions along the way just send us an email.
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What if I need advice or to want to consult with the instructor?
As part of the course you will be granted access directly to the instructor via phone or email to ask questions or get assistance implementing the materials. Even after completing the course, you are welcome to contact the instructor while in the field working a case.
If you are interested in registering multiple individuals in your agency or would like to purchase this course for another person or agency, contact us at [email protected].