ANNUAL REPORT2021
04030612141624203034 IROContentEditorial SearchInternationalandRescue Dog 5020MoosstraßeOrganisation32Salzburg, Austria T.: +43 662 82 65 26 10 F.: +43 662 82 65 26 20 www.iro-dogs.orgoffice@iro-dogs.org Our FundraisingTheHeroesIROGlimpseReviewInterestingWhopromiseweareinsights2021intothetrainingStandardsinactionsupersnoopers 36 Finances
Setting standards in the training of search and rescue dog teams to save human lives during an emergency is the top priority of the IRO. The extreme weather events in summer 2021 have once again shown that the rapid response of local search and rescue teams is of utmost importance. With the introduction of the National IRO Mission Readiness Test last year, we took an important step in the nationwide certification of search and rescue dog teams. The main task now is to approach authorities and emergency organisations to implement the performance standards for opera tional search and rescue dog teams worldwide.
Keep well and let‘s continue to write more hero stories together.
Best regards, Alois PresidentBalogof the International Search and Rescue Dog Organisation
Search and rescue dogs play an important role: they help people in distress. The teams of our member organisations carry out this responsible work on a voluntary basis. In doing so, they demonstrate competence, professionalism and flexibility. In order to be able to guarantee the high level of search and rescue dog work in the future, we, as a nonprofit organisation, depend on donations from both individuals and businesses.
I thank each and every one of our loyal and generous donors for their valuable support. Your trust and the solidarity of our global search and rescue dog community give us the necessary strength to continue to set standards in training and ensure the worldwide development of the search and rescue dog profession. We are committed to helping those in need and are on standby around the clock, 365 days a year.
Nevertheless, thanks to the commitment of our member organisations and honorary officials, we have succeeded in organising 20 International IRO Testing Events, one IRO Mission Readiness Test in Area Search and one IRO Team Competition across the globe in 2021. With our classifier and judge candidate trainings, we also managed to hold important internal seminars. While the latter still took place in virtual space in the first half of the year, in autumn we were able to welcome 18 classifiers from ten nations to a joint training and exchange of experiences in Austria.
Navigating through rough waters is not done by a single helmsman, but by the entire crew. Thanks to the close ties of our worldwide community, we have managed to steer the International Search and Rescue Dog Organisation through another turbulent year, dominated by the Coronavirus pandemic. We have never lost sight of our mission: to train mis sion-ready search and rescue dog teams to the highest quality standards. Not an easy task, as the global mobility in particular was severely restricted due to COVID-19.
5IRO Annual Report 2021
Dear friends andEditorialsupporters,
Our vision Saving lives with the help of dogs. Our mission To ensure uniform, global quality standards in the training of search and rescue dogs. Our essence Set standards. Save lives. Our promise
The power of dedication. We show commitment, perseverance and treat each other with respect.
One team
Integrity
Our core values
Responsibility
The power of commitment. We embrace continuous improvement, strive for excellence and act responsibly in doing so.
The power of working together. We help each other, as partners for our dogs and as part of a global community.
Who we are
SpokespersonDeploymentfor
Julio Velázquez Rodríguez – MX
1st Vice President
Annual Report 2021
IRO
Representative for Asia
Hidehiro Murase – JP
Markus Bock – AT
Claudio started working with search and rescue dogs in 2006. Prior to that, he worked in the fire service for more than 25 years. As an entrepreneur, he knows the ins and outs of an international work environment. It is important to him to promote the growth of the IRO and its global network.
As a governing body, the IRO Executive Board operates within the framework of the Constitution, the regulations and the resolutions of the Meeting of the Delegates. The President represents the IRO inter nally and externally and forms the Executive Committee together with both Vice Presidents. The Depart ment Heads are responsible for matters concerning Deployment, Training and Judges, Public Relations and Finance. Selected Deputies supplement and support the board members in their work.
Deputy Spokesperson for Deployment Alexander Hönel – AT
Claudio Bötschi – CH
ExecutiveThe Board
Ida Bårris – DK
Ida has been an honorary member of the IRO Board since 2016, and she enjoys the varied work and the opportunity to actively shape the future development of the global umbrella organisation for search and rescue dog work. Currently, the focus of her work is on assisting the member organisations.
Markus completed several interna tional missions with the Austrian Forces Disaster Relief Unit (AFDRU). He liaises with our partner, the UN organisation International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) and considers continuous exchange very important in order to find progressive solutions.
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2nd Vice President
Representative for America
Spokesperson for Training & Judges Jerneja Ternovec – SI
By taking over the position as president in September 2020, he can now contribute his extensive know-how in the management of large organisa tions and actively participate in the further development of the International Search and Rescue Dog Organisation.
Charlotte is an experienced IRO Judge and has been responsible for the finances of the International Search and Rescue Dog Organi sation for several years. Her com mitment to fundraising and donor relationship management has helped to set the course for the future development of the IRO.
Vedran is not only an experienced search and rescue dog handler but also a media expert with proven skills in marketing, event manage ment and public relations. He has successfully delivered numerous projects for the International Search and Rescue Dog Organisation, such as the brand redesign of the IRO.
Jerneja has been an active dog handler for over 25 years. She is an IRO Judge and Classifier and sets standards in the training of judges and trainers. She is committed to keeping the level of search and rescue dog training high with innovative training formats and a variety of testing events.
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Spokesperson for Finance Charlotte Kranz – AT
President Alois Balog AT
Deputy Spokesperson for Finance Monja Raich – AT
Spokesperson for Marketing & PR Vedran Vukomanović – HR
Alois is a dog handler with more than 40 years of experience and shares his knowledge as an IRO Classifier and Lead Trainer. Since the early days of the IRO, it has always been his intention to promote the worldwide awareness and recognition of the organisation.
Deputy Spokesperson for Training & Judges Katja Skulj – SI
Department for Training & Judges Ingrid Meikl
Department for Marketing & PR Daniela Rupp
Kathrin Schiestl
Event and project management as well as fundraising and sponsoring are Claudia‘s areas of expertise. She organises major events such as the Mission Readiness Test, manages membership applications and contributes significantly to the constant development of the Deployment Department.
Management & Office Administration
DepartmentDeploymentfor Claudia Kammerer
Ingrid is responsible for the orga nisation of tests, courses and the IRO World Championship for Search and Rescue Dogs, working closely with the organising member organi sations. She also takes care of the coordination and allocation of IRO Judges as well as Trainers and is prepared to help with training ques tions.
10 IRO Annual Report 2021
With more than ten years of experience in international marketing and strategic project management, Daniela is an absolute marketing all-rounder. Her passion for texting is reflected in all postings, press releases and mailings for the International Search and Rescue Dog Organisation.
Kathrin, an organisational talent and media technician, is the main point of contact for member organisations, partners and other stakeholders. In addition to heading the office, her tasks include admi nistration, bookkeeping as well as the processing of all matters concerning the IRO Sponsor Money.
You would like to contact us?
As a student of LanguageEconomy - Culture at the University of Salzburg, Bernadette has several areas of expertise. She is also a real all-rounder on the job and supports the team in all matters, from office administration to event manage ment.
Belinda manages donor relations with heart, dedication and a good portion of humour. Furthermore, she is responsible for the travel bookings of the extended IRO Team to official events worldwide. As an archaeolo gist, she also knows many exciting facts about the history of the dog.
Team assistance Bernadette Kohlmayr
The IRO Office located in Salzburg, Austria, was established to support the Executive Board and the Delegates in organisational and operational matters. The team consists of business, media and communication experts and organises training programmes, testing events and certifications. The team members ensure the constant development of the International Search and Rescue Dog Organisation, provide professional support to member organisations as well as donors and represent the IRO internally and externally.
Simply scan the QR code and select a member of staff.
11IRO Annual Report teamThe2021
Donor care
Belinda Simon
Since its foundation, the International Search and Rescue Dog Orga nisation has grown steadily and currently counts 131 national search and rescue dog organisations from 43 nations worldwide.* The variety of different organisations ranges from small associations to professional, state-run and integrated specialist organisations. organisations131nationalmemberfrom43countries 12 IRO Annual ReportAMERICA2021 VenezuelaUSAMexicoColombiaChileCanadaBrazilArgentina IRO worldwidemembers * Status: September 2022
13 EUROPE UnitedUkraineTürkiyeTheSwitzerlandSwedenSpainSloveniaSlovakiaRomaniaPolandNorwayItalyHungaryGermanyFranceFinlandEstoniaDenmarkCzechCroatiaBelgiumAustriaRepublicNetherlandsKingdom ASIA UnitedThailandTaiwanSouthSingaporeSaudiRussiaMalaysiaJapanChinaArabiaKoreaArabEmirates AFRICA South Africa IRO Annual Report 2021 AUSTRALIA
Searching for survivors under a collapsed eleven-storey apartment building was also a tedious task. However, with the help of dogs and tracking devices, we were able to locate buried people in the ruins. Layer after layer of rubble was removed with the excava tor and each newly discovered cavity was meticulously searched. The dogs really had the right nose and so hu man lives could be saved here as well.
D. Weber: The extent of the destruc tion only became visible when we arrived in Yalova. The entire town was practically razed to the ground. For some of our search and rescue dog handlers, the sight of the ruins was a real shock.
D. Weber: The Turkish government provided us with translators as soon as we arrived in Istanbul, which was helpful. This made communication much easier and helped us to get an overview of the situation on site.
M. Koczera: We spent days searching for buried victims with our dogs, pushing ourselves to the limit. The condi tions were difficult and sometimes dangerous. It happened that we had to stop our work due to heavy aftershocks. When rubble suddenly starts coming down from the roofs, you are just running for your life.
IRO Annual Report 2021
IRO Lead Trainers Magdalena Koczera and Dušan Weber look back to the summer of 1999, when an earthquake in Türkiye claimed more than 18,000 lives.
D. Weber: Ten search and rescue dog teams were available from Slovenia, mobilised by the then 2nd IRO Vice President Dušan Necak. He informed the Slovenian government about the readiness of the national units and took care of the entire coordination. After our offered assistance was accepted by Türkiye, we travelled to Vienna to join the Austrian search and rescue dog contingent on a flight to Türkiye.
Interesting insights
What happened after you arrived in M.Türkiye?Koczera:
When you arrived at the operational sites, what was your first impression?
D. Weber: The mission was incredibly demanding for everyone involved, but especially for our dogs. The tempera tures during the day were tropical and there were hardly any shady places to rest and recharge our batteries. We therefore tried to work more at night. In any case, we were motivated by the
M.processafterYoumissioninternationaloftheIROwerecalledinjustafewhourstheearthquake.Whatwasthelikeafterwards?Koczera:
We were a total of twelve search and rescue dog teams and gathered with other rescue workers from the Austrian Forces Disaster Re lief Unit (AFDRU) at the Wilhelm-Ka serne in Vienna. We were briefed on the situation on site and afterwards we left for the airport in Vienna. From there we took a charter plane to Istanbul.
Considering the severity of the natural disaster, how would you describe the search efforts?
On 17 August 1999 at 3:01 a.m. local time, a severe earthquake occurred in northwestern Türkiye with a magnitude of 7.4 on the Richter scale. The cities most affected were Izmit, Yalova, Gölcük and Adapazari.
M. Koczera: Also, it was incredibly hot, with temperatures up to 40 ºC, and there was a lot of chaos. The entire infrastructure including drinking water, electricity and telephone networks had collapsed. Some residents were desperately digging with their bare hands to find relatives. Others sat by the roadside and wept bitterly for the loss of loved ones. The situation was mentally extremely difficult for us all.
ferry across the Sea of Marmara to get to the disaster area as quickly as possible. We then continued by bus to our base camp in Yalova.
After arriving at 7:40 a. m. local time and unloading the pas senger and cargo planes, we took the
14First
operations where you are mainly con fronted with finding deceased bodies, such live finds are unbelievably emotional moments for the entire team. And as Magdalena already said, despite the tragedy, the hospitality and warmth of the people was extraordinary.
D. Weber: I remember that at one indicated location, four people could be rescued alive from the rubble. In
M. Koczera: We experienced particu larly emotional and happy moments whenever our dogs indicated a find and people could be rescued alive from the rubble. The support we received from the population was also exceptional.
If you compare the past with the present, what do you think has im proved significantly in the last 20+ years in international operations with search and rescue dogs?
M. Koczera: The use of the available resources. The knowledge gained from past missions is incorporated directly into the training of search and rescue dogs. This allows the teams to be prepared more specifically for the situations that occur in a deployment.
Magdalena Koczera works as a trainer and dog handler for the search and rescue dog team of the Vienna Fire Brigade. She has been training search and rescue dogs for over 25 years.
success stories in between when we heard that people could be rescued alive at places indicated by our dogs.
D. Weber: We learn from every mission, whether international or national. These experiences feed into the trai ning of our dogs.
D. Weber: The Turkish government ensured that everything ran smoothly through perfect organisation.
Is there any special memory that you have of this mission?
Locating human lives under the metre-high layers of rubble. Our dogs were particularly in demand to indicate and narrow down the loca tions of victims.
Dušan Weber is an experienced search and rescue dog handler and is involved in the training of canine lifesavers. He is also an active member of the mountain rescue service in his home country Slovenia.
How was the cooperation with the local emergency services?
What was the biggest challenge for D.you?Weber:
M. Koczera: The direct confrontation with the suffering of the population, the hot temperatures and the strong smell of decay that we were confronted with all the time.
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M. Koczera: The support of local relief workers with heavy equipment was immensely valuable. Volunteer trans lators helped with communication and made our work noticeably easier.
Photo: Pavel Herceg, Unsplash
Photo: RDTA
In spring, two International IRO Testing Events took place in Asia. At the beginning of April, 51 search and rescue dog teams completed a test in Fujimi, Japan, in the disciplines of Tracking, Area Search and Rubble Search. Only a short time later in Daejeon, South Korea, 19 participants took part in a test in the disciplines of Area and Rubble Search.
April – June
12 sec.
For the first time virtual but no less informative was the IRO Judge Candidate Training held at the beginning of the year. By means of presentations and videos, the participants gained valuable insights into the important work of a judge. On the one hand, this includes ensuring compliance with IRO Standards in the training of search and rescue dogs and, on the other hand, supporting the teams in further training through constructive feedback.
Review in2021202160 seconds
Due to the corona pandemic, the possibilities for training and exchange in the group were very limited, so we launched the IRO Expert Talk, an online question and answer session for dog handlers. The format was very well received.
16 sec.
January – March
Sunday 25 April marked the International Search and Rescue Dog Day
Through a social media campaign, we celebrated the four-legged heroes across the globe with the support of our international search and rescue dog community. Numerous photos, videos and stories from around the world were shared using the hashtag #irodogs and made this day truly special.
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A highlight of the golden season was the IRO Team Competition in Kranj, Slovenia. Team competitions are always a very special event. They offer the opportunity for international comparison and exchange with many other search and rescue dog handlers.
October – December
Photo:
10 sec.
During the summer months, International IRO Testing Events took place almost every weekend. In Finland, the Czech Republic, Austria, the Netherlands, Estonia and Canada, numerous search and rescue dog teams faced the scrutinising eyes of the IRO Judges.
The field of participants consisted of eleven teams from Germany, Italy, Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia with three dog handlers each.
FW-RH 17IRO Annual Report 2021
In December, the IRO Facebook page reached a new record with 9,000 subscribers. It is our calling card and allows us to give an immediate and authentic insight into our work and very special hero stories.
The National Championship for Search and Rescue Dogs in midAugust in Vienna, Austria, had a particularly high density of partici pants with a total of 48 starters.
July – September
As a non-profit organisation, we also benefit from the Facebook charitable giving tools. Since April 2021, it is possible to support the IRO through fundraising campaigns
KVRPK
In autumn, 315 search and rescue dog teams completed an Internati onal IRO Testing Event. Nine of our honorary IRO Judges travelled to a total of ten countries on two continents to evaluate the performance of the teams.
Photo:
22 sec.
From 22 to 24 October 2021, the IRO Rubble Course Advanced took place in Eggendorf, Austria, on the premises of the Rettungshunde Verband Österreich (RHVÖ). For three days, the participants received valuable tips and practical instruction in the following areas:
» Scent detection and scent field in the search
IRO Rubble Course for Advanced
» Search patterns
» Search tactics
» Finding / Indicating in different terrain and under changing conditions
into the training
» Building and improving the indications / helper retention
We sincerely thank all participants as well as IRO Lead Trainer Andrej Žunič for the professional guidance of thecourse.Glimpse
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Exciting and instructive days of training under the guidance of the IRO Lead Trainer Andrej Žunič.
We would like to thank all the figurants who do not shy away from dirt and dog slobber during training or examinations and mission tests.
Lying between rubble or hidden in the thicket of the forest, the figurants often persevere for hours. They wait for the redeeming bark of the dogs, to then confirm the canines at the right moment.
The training routine of a figurant
19IRO Annual Report 2021
Figurants are helpers who hide or simulate victims. Their most important accessories are a sleeping bag, a small flashlight, working gloves, knee pads, a thin sleeping mat and, if necessary, a helmet.
In addition to the handler and dog, every good team also needs a helper.
Their work may seem not very glamorous, but they bear a great responsibility in the training of search and rescue dogs. They are in charge of cor rectly rewarding the dogs after a successful search. A proper confirmation by toys or food of the respective search and rescue dog is crucial for its motiva tion and willingness to work. Accordingly, the commitment of the figurants is vital to ensure the dog‘s learning success.
greatOur community
20 IRO Annual Report 2021
Without the honorary commitment of our more than 100 officials worldwide, we would not be able to advance the training of search and rescue dogs at such a high quality level. With targeted training instructions and valuable feedback, our trainers, judges and classifiers accompany search and rescue dog teams in their professional development. Once a team has reached mission readiness, they are on duty 365 days a year, around the clock, to save lives. We are proud and grateful to feel the enthusiasm and passion of each individual for search and rescue dog work on a daily basis.
The greatest motivation for us search and rescue dog handlers is to be able to save people‘s lives.
» 1,223
26 training and testing events
deployments worldwide
At the end of the year, Walter Hoffmann also ended his long-standing career as an IRO Judge. Since 2004 he was judge and since 2011 judge instructor for the IRO. In addition, Walter was main judge at IRO World Champi onships and member of IPO-R working groups.
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We are full of gratitude for their many years of commit ment and wish them all the best for the future!
Vilém Babička
The longtime international IRO Judge Vilém Babička from the Czech Republic retired from his search and rescue dog judging activities in the middle of 2021. He was an IRO Judge since 2000 and furthermore engaged as an IRO Classifier.
»
» mission-certified search dog teams
Walter Hoffmann
Thank you!
Both have been instrumental in spreading and consolidating the high quality of our training worldwide.
Special milestones
and rescue
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At the end of 2021, the National IRO Mission Readiness Test was introduced. With this, countries or regions shall be given the opportunity to have their search and rescue dog teams certified according to national IRO Standards. We talked to the 1st IRO Vice President Claudio Bötschi about this novelty.
C. Bötschi: In preparation for the first planned national operational tests, we started educating trainers and nati onal classifiers in 2022. We have been to Colombia and Finland for this purpose. In August 2023, the first National IRO Mission Readiness Test will take place in Colombia. Further events in Finland and Asia are expected to follow in autumn. Overall, numerous organisations have expressed interest in the concept. The positive response confirms that we have taken an important step with the National IRO Mission Readiness Test.
National IRO Mission Readiness Test
What led to the introduction of the National IRO Mission Readiness Test in Rubble Search?
C. Bötschi: As a globally operating organisation, we have noticed that the quality of search and rescue dog work has steadily improved over the last few years. Many countries that were previously dependent on support from abroad in the event of a disaster have now been able to build up enough operational search and rescue dog teams in their own countries. The development in international search and rescue dog work is therefore moving in the di rection of self-response and neighbourhood assistance. To meet the demands of change, it is of great importance for us to ensure uniform quality standards nationwide. For this reason, we as the International Search and Rescue Dog Organisation have developed and rolled out guidelines for a national operational test in Rubble Search. We are particularly proud that INSARAG (International Search and Rescue Advisory Group) has already expressed interest in our concept, and we have been invited to present it at a planned INSARAG event in Singapore in 2023.
.
Who is the new concept aimed at and what is the specific objective?
IRO Standards
22 IRO Annual Report 2021
C. Bötschi: With this national operational test, we offer countries and regions the opportunity to have their search and rescue dog teams certified according to globally recognized IRO Standards. Eligible to participate are search and rescue dog handlers with the highest attainable examination level of their own operational organisation or who have passed the examination in Rubble Search Level B (RH-T B). The national framework also allows to simulate regionally specific mission scenarios and to provide valuable inputs that help the teams to act in the best possible way in case of emergency. By passing the National IRO Mission Readiness Test, the search and rescue dog teams and the organisations in which they complete their training receive confirmation of the high quality of their work. At the same time the confidence of the population in the search and rescue dog competence is strengthened. IRO certified teams are therefore reliable partners for authorities and other emergency organisations in case of disaster.
When will the first National IRO Mission Readiness Test take place?
It was very important to us to hold this training after the long period of can cellations related to the coronavirus outbreak and to give the IRO Classifiers the opportunity to participate in this important seminar as well as to share their experiences with each other.
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Classifiers from ten nations met at the Tritolwerk in Eggendorf, Austria, from 23 to 24 October.
Ongoing education as quality standard
Besides the changes in the guidelines of the International IRO Mission Readi ness Test, the guidelines of the new National IRO Mission Readiness Test were presented. The practical exercises could – thankfully be carried out on the premises of the Rettungshunde Verband Österreich (RHVÖ). Afterwards the exercises were discussed using the IRO Evaluation System.
In October 2021, the International Search and Rescue Dog Organisation invited its classifiers to a two-day seminar with practical as well as theoretical training content.
We are pleased that so many classifiers accepted this invitation.
Claudio Bötschi (CH) Christian Danler-Swatt (AT)
New IRO Classifiers
IRO Classifier Training
Each search and rescue dog team had to complete two searches during the day and one at night. During the day, they had to systematically search two approximately six-hectare forest areas within 60 minutes. At night, the dogs had to search a three-kilometre stretch of roadside, also within a maximum search time of one hour. The dogs searched the areas for human scent and did not lose sight of their mission despite disturbing factors such as mushroom pickers for instance.
Mission test for search and rescue dogs
As the host organisation, the Rettungshunde Verband Österreich (RHVÖ) prepared the test, which involved days of practice under realistic conditions. The teams were on permanent standby and had to arrive at the scene as soon as the alarm was raised. After a short briefing, they were ready to start the search. The scenario was the crash of several fully occupied hot air balloons with several missing persons.
The performance of dog and handler was evaluated by an international team of classifiers during the entire Mission Readiness Test. The handling and orientation with GPS as well as the performance of first aid measures on the own dog were also examined. Looking after the dog‘s well-being during a mission is an essential task of the search and rescue dog handler.
We would like to express our special thanks to the municipality of Hartl for making the Erzherzog Johann Hall available as a central base camp, the volunteer fire brigade of Obertiefenbach, the Hofkirchen and Untertiefen bach Hunting Associations and the surrounding farmers for their support in the organisation.
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From 21 to 25 July 2021, numerous search and rescue dog teams completed the IRO Mission Readiness Test in Area Search in Obertiefenbach, Styria. Only those who pass this challenging test can participate in international disaster missions. 29 teams from five nations took part – 18 of them passed the examination.
Annamaria Csepregi with Kratosz Hungary Kiss Me „Nova“, MAK (HU)
Sava Zibler with Wildclover‘s Boundless Joy, EVRPL (SI)
Agnes Kiss with Dao, FKI (HU)
Borut Modic with Vassruggens Lille Raipas Jet, EVRPL (SI)
Michal Dižka with Black Choholušik z Kostiviarskej, EVRPL (SI)
Reclassification
Ana Hudobivnik with Antonia von der Mark Brandenburg, KVRPK (SI)
Gorazd Sulčič with Ali Ora‘s Wild One - Axe, DRPB (SI)
Tomaž Obad with Kali, DRPB (SI)
Set Savestandards.lives.
Tomislav Zdenčar with Mawlch Witch, KOSSP (HR)
Johann Höttinger with Wauhti-Wiivan Celeborn, ÖGV (AT)
Certified and recertified search and rescue dog teams – Area Search Classification
Teja Kariš with Reedbeed Cayenne, DRPB (SI)
Raffaele Luca Telese with Mind the dog Undici, KVRPP (SI)
Attila Toth with Zulu, PMA (HU)
Cara Tutschek with Concorde Garde de la Vie, FW-RH (AT)
Hermann Kranz with Enzo vom schwarzen Habicht, RHVÖ (AT)
Matjaž Bolka with Colorful Iris Ira, KVRPK (SI)
Igor Goreta with Django, KOSSP (HR)
Roman Starman with Veli Vir Chili, DRPB (SI)
Deployments in Europe
26 IRO Annual Report 2021
Apart from the seriously injured house owner, who could be rescued by the firefighters, fortunately no other persons were injured.
Photos: MAK
Inpletely.addition
Heroes in action
In the early morning of 29 January 2021, a gas explosion with serious consequences occurred in a multi-apartment building in Langenzersdorf. The accident claimed one life and injured six people, one of them seriously.
The search work proved to be diffi cult for the teams due to the repeatedly flaring embers and the heavy smoke development.
On 1 March 2021, a gas explosion occurred in a detached house in Mátranovák, destroying it com-
Austria, January 2021 – Gas explosion resulting in building collapse
Hungary, March 2021 – Severe gas explosion
Photos: FW-RH
The IRO member organisation Feuerwehr Wien Rettungshunde (FW-RH) was deployed with a total of seven dog handlers and ten dogs.
to the fire brigade and police, two of our member organisa tions were also on the scene: Kutyákkal az Életért Alapítvány (KEA) with search and rescue dog Cili and Mancs a Kézben Egyesület (MAK) with the canines Kevlár, Ben son and Nova.
In the summer of 2021, heavy storms hit Central Europe. As a result of the floods triggered by torrential rain, more than 180 people had died.
In addition to searching for missing persons, the teams helped with the clean-up work and gave comfort to those affected.
Our member organisation SIRIUS supported the search efforts with three search and rescue dog teams.
Czech Republic, June 2021 – Tornado leaves trail of devastation
The search and rescue dog teams in the German regions of North Rhine-Westphalia and RhinelandPalatinate were particularly needed.
Photos: AG Mantrailing
27IRO Annual Report 2021
A tornado caused massive damage in the south-east of the Czech Re public on 24 June 2021. The natural disaster claimed several lives and injured more than 150 people.
Germany, July 2021 – Devastating floods in the western part of the country
Photos: SIRIUS
In multiple villages, roofs were torn off, window panes were destroyed, trees as well as cars and buses toppled. The Czech Republic mobilised all forces, including search and rescue dog teams, to search for po tential victims in the buildings.
Thailand, April 2021 – Building collapse caused by a fire
Photos: Thai-RDA
On 23 August 2021, our member organisation Thailand Rescue Dog Association (Thai-RDA) was called to search for a four-year-old boy who had disappeared from a cement factory workers‘ camp five days
Fourearlier.search
and rescue dogs were deployed to search the camp and the surrounding area. Buried deep under heavy cement waste, the little boy could only be found dead.
For our Thai search and rescue dog teams, this was a dangerous but, above all, emotionally difficult mis sion.
Thailand, August 2021 – Search for missing boy
In the early morning of 3 April 2021, a fire broke out in a three-storey building on the outskirts of Bangkok. While firefighters were busy extinguishing the fire and rescuing the residents, the building collapsed, burying several rescuers and resi IROdents.member
Photos: Thai-RDA
Severaloperation.residents
of the house could be rescued injured by the emergency services, but there was no help left for five people.
Deployments in Asia
organisation Thailand Rescue Dog Association (Thai-RDA) was called in to assist in the search
28 IRO Annual Report 2021
Natural disasters and extreme events are increasing dramatically worldwide, also in terms of frequency and extent of damage. Some key reasons for this are
» growing agglomerations,
» climate change.
Simply scan the QR code and donate online.
Photos: RDTA
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Heavy monsoon rains had soaked the ground above the popular tourist resort of Atami in Shizuoka Prefecture, about 90 kilometres southwest of Tokyo, the night before the disaster. In a short time, it rained as much as it usually does in the whole month of July. The result was three consecutive mudslides that stretched for about two kilometres and either damaged or completely destroyed about 130 houses.
The search and rescue dog teams provided valuable assistance in locating buried victims during the four days of operation. As the pictures clearly show, the operation was a great challenge for all involved.
In emergency situations, search and rescue dogs are often the only hope. However, they are not born heroes –becoming a lifesaver requires discipline and commitment. Through various trainings, operational exercises, and examinations, we prepare search and rescue dog teams worldwide for deployment.
29IRO Annual Report 2021
A huge landslide buried several houses in Atami in early July 2021. An exceptionally difficult mission for the search and rescue dog teams of our member organisation Rescue Dog Trainer‘s Association (RDTA).
Japan, July 2021 – Monsoon rains
» rising populations,
30 IRO Annual Report 2021
More than 40 firefighters were deployed, tirelessly trying to contact and locate the resident buried under the rubble. Also involved in the search, was search and rescue dog handler Valdeley Marques with his Labrador Retriever Marley.
Brazil, May 2021 – Gas explosion in family home
CBMSC
Deployments in America
On 25 May 2021, our Brazilian member organisation Corpo de Bombeiros Militar do Estado de Santa Catarina (CBMSC) received an alert that an explosion had occurred in a residential building in Florianópolis with one person reported missing.
While based on information from the victim‘s sister, the search for the missing person was first carried out in the area of the bedroom, Marley indicated a find in the area around the kitchen. After a 14-hour mission, the woman was found at the spot located by the Labrador, in the immediate vicinity of the explosion site. Unfortunately, it was too late to help Missionsher.
of this kind are physically and mentally demanding. Valdeley and Marley worked with great focus and the canine showed excellent intuition in this dramatic situation.
Photos:
Area Search
Collapsed buildings are searched by the dog independently for buried victims, for example after earthquakes or gas explosions.
The dog follows the scent on the ground left by the missing person‘s footprints.
Water Rescue
The search and rescue dog scans the avalanche field for human scent traces under the masses of snow.
The canine follows up the airborne human scent to the lost person, through rough terrains or forests.
Acting as a helper to its handler, the swimming pup pulls people in distress ashore.
Avalanche Search
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Rubble Search
Areas2021 of deployment of search and rescue dogs
Mantrailing
The dog smells a scent article (e.g. T-shirt) of the missing person and then precisely follows the individual trail.
Tracking
Every dog has its individual abilities and strengths. IRO tested and certified search and rescue dogs regu larly demonstrate their skills as specialists in these areas.
Time and again, it is a phenomenon how well dogs can smell. No wonder they are used as search and rescue dogs in so many ways. But what is the reason that their sense of smell works so excellently?
In addition to the anatomical advantages, dogs also use a special olfactory technique that enables better differentiation of scent components. When a search and rescue dog begins to locate a victim, it inhales and exhales up to three hundred times per minute while sniffing intensively. This is an unimaginable feat for us humans, as a healthy adult can only manage a maximum of sixty breaths per minute, even with exertion. The swirling of the air enables the recognition of tiny amounts of scent molecules. In order to process the scent information, a message is passed on to the olfactory brain, which is particularly well developed in dogs. Every second, it evaluates whether the scent trace picked up is actually the one being sought. In a minute, up to fif teen thousand different odour images can be recorded. Humans manage less than four in the same time.
The dog‘s nose is an incredibly powerful organ and makes the canine a master at sniffing out scents. With more than 220 million olfactory cells, it is about a thousand times more sensitive than that of humans. While we orientate ourselves primarily with our eyes, dogs perceive the world in smells. An ability that makes dogs irreplaceable helpers, especially in the search for missing or buried persons.
The dog owes its excellent sense of smell to the high number of olfactory cells in the nasal mucosa, a special breathing technique and the excellent processing of the information received in the brain. With up to 220 million olfactory cells, the dog‘s olfactory organ easily outperforms the human nose. The latter is equipped with just five million olfactory cells. The actual size and number of olfactory cells in dogs depends on the breed. Canines with long noses usually have a better sense of smell than their short-nosed fellows. When it comes to the olfactory mucosa, the dogs are also superior regarding the size of the surface area. It is about ten times larger than that of the human nose. This allows them to absorb and analyse significantly more scent molecules simultaneously. The ability to perceive the environment mainly through the nose makes the dog a macrosmat (Greek for “great nose”).
I smell, I smell ... what you don‘t see!
32 IRO Annual Report 2021 The super snoopers
The technique makes the difference
» The olfactory mucosa in the dog‘s nose is up to 200 cm2 in size, depending on the breed.
Dog noses save human lives
Another special feature of the dog‘s nose is that both nostrils function sepa rately, so dogs can smell two different odours at the same time (stereo), while humans only smell one odour (mono). This form of three-dimensional smelling enables the super noses to distinguish precisely whether a smell is coming from the left or the right, depending on which nostril the scent reaches first. This is also possible over greater distances.
» 10 % of the dog‘s brain is responsible for smelling. Humans use about 1 % of brain capacity to sense smells.
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» Dogs can smell emotions.
Dogs can smell stereo
To this day, the dog‘s nose cannot be substituted by any technical device. Under ideal search conditions, a well-trained search and rescue dog can de tect scents at a distance of several hundred metres and can follow tracks in cities and towns over long distances, even after several hours or days. The use of search and rescue dogs is therefore the most efficient and reliable method of locating missing or buried persons.
Five fascinating facts about the dog‘s nose
» A dog‘s nose print is as unique as a human fingerprint.
» Dogs have an additional olfactory organ on the palate behind the incisors – the so-called Jacobson organ. It allows the dog to “taste” smells.
Training a search and rescue dog
When selecting the puppy, Ida made sure that they were healthy puppies from controlled breeding and that both parents came from a working line. In the end, she chose Ori, a lively and curious ball of fur.
Labrador Retriever Sostack‘s Ori was born on 2 April 2015 in Denmark and has since then formed a search and rescue dog team with Ida Bårris, 2nd Vice President of the International Search and Rescue Dog Organisation and a member of Redningshunden Danmark.
Ori passed the aptitude test for search and rescue dogs at the age of 14 months and has been a trained Area Search dog since the age of two. The search for missing persons, of whom a concrete trace is missing, is therefore her specialty. These are mostly elder ly, demented or suicidal persons as well as children who have lost their way. Neither dense vegetation nor steeply sloping terrain are an obstacle for the female in her search. Also, the time of day has no influence on the success of the mission. A defined search area is searched equally reliably by the four-legged heroes by day and night. Thanks to her fine nose, Ori can detect human scent even at up to 200 meters.
At the age of eight weeks Ori moved in with Ida and from then on, the training started in a playful way. The daily routine of a future search and rescue dog is not much different from that of an ordinary puppy. For Ida, three things are especially important: high-quality food, good socialisation and daily play sessions. “Play ing is so important because it serves as a reward later in the work as a search and rescue dog,” explains the experienced dog handler and international IRO Trainer. She herself motivates her dogs with social contact, food and play.
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From puppy to hero
Search and rescue dogs do amazing feats every day.
Photos: Ida Bårris / RDA
The first joint mission was very special for the two. When the Danish police asked for help in the search for a missing person, Ida was full of adrenalin. “After the long training period that you go through together with your dog, it is a great feeling to be able to par ticipate in a real mission,” Ida describes the special moment.
In addition, Ori passed the IRO Mission Readiness Test (MRT), in the field of Area Search at the age of four. The search and rescue dog team therefore has the IRO Mission Certificate, which enables them to participate in international search missions. The complexity of international deployments is enormous and demands a lot from the search and rescue dog teams. So far Ori and Ida have not been called to any international disaster. In their home country Denmark, however, Ori and Ida have already taken part in several search missions.
35IRO Annual Report 2021„“
36 IRO Annual Report 2021
Gratitude is more a state of being than an expression in words.
Thanks to the help of our supporters, we finance operational equipment for dogs and handlers, education and exercises as well as examina tions to qualify the canines for the work as search and rescue dogs and to lay the foundation for the mission.
We are immensely grateful for the trust and solidarity of our numerous Itsupporters.isthesupport
Let‘s continue to write heroic stories
(Rainer Maria Rilke)
We would like to thank all those who have contributed to the almost thirty-year success story of the International Search and Rescue Dog Organisation. Even in difficult times, we have been able to rely on our loyal and committed supporters. We appreciate this very much.
thankAFundraisingtogether!heartfeltyou!
of many dedicated companions and generous donors that allows talented young dogs to train as search and rescue dogs. Each and every donor is pivotal in making our vision a reality - to save lives with the help of dogs.
Photo: Pavel Herceg, Unsplash
Online fundraising: Raise money in the digital age
Using the donation button on the IRO Facebook page, you can support us with a valuable donation in just a few clicks. You can also create an individual fundraising campaign with a target amount and share it with your Facebook community.
Facebook Fundraising
Are you interested? Try it out now! » facebook.com/irodogs » smile.amazon.de
In both cases, Facebook will cover the transaction fees and forward 100 % of the donation amount to our organisation.
Our world is increasingly digital and communication is also happening more and more via the Internet. Therefore, online fundraising has become a main tool for non-profit organisations.
AmazonSmile
Go to the AmazonSmile website and select the “Internationale Rettungshunde Organisation IRO”. With every purchase, Amazon will donate 0.5 % of your order value to our organisation.
The various online channels, from website to social networks to charity shops, are considered to be the trendsetting communication fields in fundraising. With the registration for the Facebook donation tools as well as the donation programme “AmazonSmile”, the International Search and Rescue Dog Organisa tion was able to open up two important channels to collect donations on the web last year.
In this way you support the realisation of our training projects. There are no additional costs for you. Doing good has never been so easy!
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FinancialParticipationOtherrevenuesincome&eventfeesDonationsTotalrevenue 20202021 20,400 16,997 1,023,238 inFiguresEuro Income in comparison 2020/2021 960,627 NROshipmember-fees incomeOther 12,300 Participation & event fees12,914Financialrevenues NRO membership fees 14,050 8,319 36,050 9,373961,8411,029,633
IRO Annual Report 2021
IROFinances Financial Report
38Charlotte
In 2021, Covid-19 continued to de fine our everyday life, so that some of the planned IRO Events had to be cancelled or postponed due to dif ficult travel situations. Participation and event fees were therefore lower than usual. Due to sinking interest rates, financial income is also no longer as high as in previous years, the same applies to the income from our Donationsecurities.incomeremained constant. This is due to the intensive
2021 was another successful year for the International Search and Rescue Dog Organisation.
Kranz Spokesperson for Finance
donor support and our communica tion measures. We are also grateful for the support of our long-standing partners, first and foremost the City of Salzburg. The Department for Culture, Education and Knowledge has supported us with an annual grant since 2019. In order to main tain our relevance to donors, it is important that the IRO remains on the list of charitable institutions in Austria.
Compared to the previous year, the IRO Training Grounds in Schöneben could again be used for the entire period and successfully generate
costs for fundraising measures were also reduced.
comparison 2020/2021 Expenses for statutorily defined purposes Other expenses Administrative expenditure Marketing, PR, Fundraising » Sponsor money and support for member organisations » Training and testing events » Personnel » Operating costs training grounds & IRO Office 2020 2021 0 € 200,000 € 400,000 € 600,000 € 800,000 € 1,000,000 € 904,078.63 € Tax and legal advice, translations 909,942.96 €
Use of in
Theincome.expenses for IRO Events, such as testing events and trainings, are ar moving towards the pre-Covid-19 level. The organisation of events is therefore on an upward trend. Nonetheless, some costs could be saved, as some trainings were held online. Administrative expenses and
To ensure the global commitment of our member organisations in search and rescue dog work, it is important to continue providing for the long-term financial stability of the IRO. We achieve this through the established combination of private donations, sponsoring and partici pation fees.
funds
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Thank you! Your support helps to save human lives. Every contribution is valuable and enables us to train search and rescue dogs around the globe. International Search and Rescue Dog Organisation Raiffeisenbank Peuerbach IBAN: AT45 3444 2002 0000 1354 BIC: RZOOAT2L442 Simply scan the QR code and donate online.