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The MUSAR Search Team is responsible for locating the victims of a disaster. This is done by several methods. The two most common are Technical Search and Canine Search.
Technical Search utilizes electronic equipment to locate victims. This equipment includes listening devices that are deployed around the area that can sense movement by the victim and in some cases, even the heart beat of a victim. Other equipment used in Technical Search includes a variety of hi-tech cameras. These cameras can fit in very small areas to look into void areas and can even be used to talk with victims with a small microphone and speaker mounted on the end of the camera. Some cameras use thermal imaging technology that shows a contrast of temperatures. This will distinguish a person from background temperatures regardless of lighting conditions or atmosphere. Technical Search is limited to a small area at a time. This equipment is carried by several Fire Departments that are members of MUSAR.
The Canine Search Team is comprised of Teams from Ann Arbor Fire Department, Detroit Metro Airport Fire Department, Pontiac Fire Department, EMS personnel, and volunteers. The canines and handlers go through hundreds of hours of training. Handlers are trained in rope rescue, confined space, hazardous materials, canine first aid, collapse and more. The canines are trained to handle a multitude of situations. They are trained in agility including climbing ladders, going through tunnels, walking on uncomfortable surfaces, crawling under obstacles, and a wide variety of other obstacles that will help them negotiate in rubble. The Canine Search Teams spend countless hours searching for "victims" during training. During training, we teach the canines that a person can be hidden ANYWHERE and it is their job to find them and they are rewarded for locating the "victim". During an actual call, the canines can quickly cover a large area and find where human scent is located. Some of the canine teams are also cross-trained for wilderness, water, and cadaver search.
The MUSAR Canine Search Team has received
a grant from The Bear Search And Rescue Foundation
to purchase materials to build two agility
courses. These courses are available to MUSAR
Canine Search Teams and teams in training.
One is located in Howell, MI at The
Operating Engineers Local 324 Sam T. Hart
Education Center. We will also have a training
rubble pile at this location in the near future.
The second agility course will be located
at Willow Run Airport in Wayne County, MI.
The Michigan Urban Search And Rescue Search
Team would like to thank The
Bear Search And Rescue Foundation, The
Operating Engineers Local 324 Sam T. Hart
Education Center, and Willow Run Airport
for their help in making this happen!
The MUSAR Search Team would like to thank The PETCO Foundation for their generous donation of 10 animal cages. These cages will be placed with Fire Departments involved with MUSAR to be placed on apparatus that would respond to disasters. These cages will be used to house our Search K-9‰s while on scene and to secure animals rescued from disasters until they can be turned over to a responsible person.
Michigan Urban Search And Rescue Search Team Managers:
Allen Bruck - Manager & Coordinator - Ann Arbor Fire Department
Greg Glowacki - Manager - Detroit Metro Airport Fire Department
Sally Santeford - Manager - D.O.G.S. North
MUSAR may be activated by calling Michigan State Police Operations Center at:
1-800-993-4677
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