We are happy to come to visit you and your group with our dogs to talk about and demonstrate what  Search and Rescue Dog teams do.  We have a coloring book available, to help instruct children on what to do if they are lost available for your class or group.

Our services are at no cost, and strictly a voluntary service to our community.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE LOST

To enhance your chances of survival, make it easy for the searchers and their canine partners to find you. If you get lost, STAY PUT! Your chances of survival increase if you don’t wander around. You can aid the human searchers by placing easily seen colored items at eye height and in open areas which can be spotted from the air.

Family members SHOULD NOT HANDLE belongings owned by the lost person. Once they do the items are contaminated and cannot always be used by a trailing dog.

Establishing priorities:
If you are lost, especially if you suspect you may be  lost long-term, setting your priorities is one of the first steps to your survival. Basic needs are shelter, water, food and fire. Shelter us usually required first, but this can depend on the weather conditions and where you are as well as individual circumstances. An adult can survive for three weeks without food, but only three days without water. Never wait until you run out of water before you look for more. Conserve your supplies. Remember that the human body looses 4-6 pints of water each day. Loss of liquids through respiration and perspiration increases with work rate and temperature. This must be replaced by actual water or water contained in food. You can retain fluids and keep loss to a minimum by avoiding exertion, not smoking, keeping cool, staying in shade, not lying on hot ground, eating as little as possible, breathing through the nose and not drinking any alcohol.

If you attempt to remain in the area in which you were first “lost” it will make it easier for the rescue party and the specially trained canine to locate you.

Cross Roads Search and Rescue of Illinois, Inc.
Dog handler teams trained for missing persons response.
324 Lennox Lane, Mundelein, IL  60060
E-mail: crsark9@aol.com