'Disaster area' will train search dogs

LA NUCIA Town Hall, Costa Blanca, in conjunction with the USAR 13 non-government organisation (NGO), is designing a training zone for search and rescue dogs.

Located at the former municipal depot in Rotes, work would be carried out in phases at the 10,000-square metre site so that instructing the dogs could start without delay, the town hall said.

The training ground will be made as realistic as possible, resembling a disaster area following an earthquake. Beams and columns from demolished buildings, boulders and all kinds of materials, will recreate the kinds of surroundings where the dogs carry out their vital tasks.

“Our objective is to be as well-trained as possible so that we can cooperate with international rescue teams during the next natural disaster, whether at national or international level,” said USAR 13’s Omar Suarez.

The Marina Baja USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) 13 is non-profit making association composed of volunteers, who include firefighters, police and medical professionals. Together with their trained dogs, they search for and rescue the victims wherever natural disasters occur.