Cuttack: Odisha has become the first state in India to set up a dedicated K9 squad in its Fire Services Department.
Trained for 38 weeks
The squad comprises 10 dogs which have been given basic training for 38 weeks at the 3rd Battalion of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The canines' total training period is 56 weeks. They will now undergo advanced rubble pile training for the next three months. The dogs have been specially trained to help firefighters in rescue and relief operations and can identify dead cells with their extraordinary olfactory capabilities. The squad comprises Labradors and Belgian Malinois. Of the 10 canines, six are females and four are males. They all are around one-year-old. The construction of the barracks at their places of posting is almost complete.
Will help in natural calamities
“In case of natural calamities like an earthquake or landslide, these dogs will be of great help. They can carry out search and rescue operations," said fire officer and principal of Odisha Fire and Disaster Response Institute (OFDRI), Naraj Satyapir Behera. Common dog breeds used for search-and-rescue work include German shepherd, labrador retriever and golden retriever. Their achievements will lead to promotions and medals. Rakesh Kumar Sahoo, a dog trainer said the canines in the squad responded to their basic training well.
Lesson for Bahanaga tragedy
The Bahanaga train tragedy highlighted the significance of dog squads during rescue efforts. With this in mind, the government decided to incorporate a K9 unit into the Fire Services, said fire services officer and trainer Dinabandhu Jena. He said it had taken the rescue personnel as many as three days to retrieve bodies from the wreckage. The trained dogs can help in such rescue operations.
In October, the Fire Services Department had enhanced its resources by acquiring 22 advanced robots known as Fire-Fighting Robotic Monitors, which are capable of operating in extreme heat to control fires.
