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NORMAL, Ill. (WCIA) — Across the state, first responders are well-prepared with the guiding principle of “expect the unexpected.” In McLean County, an exceptional team of dogs is trained to save lives in myriad situations. These canines have been instrumental in rescue missions not only within Illinois but also internationally.
Among these life-saving dogs is K9 Kai, a young Labrador retriever, who is just three months old and currently undergoing training to assist people in distress. His specialty will be locating missing individuals.
“We’ve dealt with scenarios where farmers head out to their fields and don’t return by nightfall,” explained Sgt. Robert Glinka. “We’ve also had instances of Alzheimer’s patients wandering away from home, and children going missing.”
No matter the circumstance, when the McLean County Search and Rescue team is summoned by law enforcement or other first responders, a group of dedicated volunteer handlers and their K9 companions spring into action.
“The reason we utilize dogs is their extraordinary sense of smell, far superior to our own,” Glinka noted. “If it were just about visual searches, we could manage on our own.”
While demonstrating how Kai uses her nose to find missing people, Glinka explained how his dog recognized a scent of a person hiding behind equipment. For Kai’s good detective work, he gets lots of playtime as positive reinforcement.
The goal is to have such a good time finding someone while training that he will try even harder when preparation meets reality out in the field.
Why does McLean Co. have search and rescue dogs?
The team all started with Joan Brehm, another volunteer training officer. She grew up in Wisconsin, was involved in 4H and was always around dogs as a child.
After moving out west as an adult and spending time in the mountains, she realized the puppy she had at that point had a hidden purpose — helping backcountry search and rescue teams in Montana.
After moving back home to the Midwest in 2003 and starting her career at Illinois State University, she knew the search-and-rescue skills she had learned in Montana could be beneficial here as well.
Brehm joined a non-profit that would eventually merge into the McLean County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) K9 Operations Team.
“It’s rare here in the Midwest. It’s not rare out west,” she explained.
Now, she works with her 4-year-old golden retriever, Rip. He’s trained to track scents and find living, missing humans. It’s the same thing Kai will do one day, too.
Where do the dogs go on rescue missions?
The team of seven handlers and nine dogs are typically deployed anywhere in Illinois south of I-80, usually within a 2-3 hour radius of Bloomington-Normal.
“There’s no better feeling in the world,” Brehm added. “If we help one family, all of this is worth it.”
Some of the dogs have been deployed to Hawaii following recent fires. They’ve also gone to hurricane disaster zones in Florida or to training in Costa Rica.
Over the years, the team has helped several families all across the world be reunited with loved ones. They’ve also provided closure to communities that have been seeking answers for a missing person.
“Really gives you a good feeling that you’re helping the community,” Glinka added.
Now, Glinka is making sure his young dog Kai is fully trained and ready to go, so he can start making a difference, too.
If you’re interested in doing something like this with your dog, Glinka recommends contacting your area EMA. Make sure it’s something you can handle before potentially adding your dog into the mix as well.
For more details about the program in McLean County, visit their website.