Trained to rescue humans from rubble: NDRF's canines just need a stench to save a life from debris

Trained especially to detect humans beneath the debris of fallen buildings by just smelling the scent of them or aid their handlers in difficult operations during the aftermath of natural disasters, the canine squads of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has a crucial role to play in saving human lives.

The NDRF's dog squad is trained to immediately respond to extreme situations where machines or humans cannot reach and give positive results during their duties. However, it takes extensive training, and dedication of the handlers and officials to train the canines for their duties where time is considered to be most crucial.

The NDRF dogs begin their training at a very early age and contribute to difficult rescue and relief operations till their retirement.

Dr. Rajendra Joshi, a second-in-command officer of NDRF and a professional vet told mid-day.com, "The NDRF follows a very professional process from procuring the canines, their training and while deputing them for duties on relief and rescue operations. The dogs are procured through a standard process when they are aged between 8-12 weeks. While procuring certain things are considered including the activeness of a dog and its nature of response. Once procured the puppy spends around the first 20 days with its master or handler to create a bond between them. Later, the pup is trained in four different stages that go on for 56 weeks."

The training of an NDRF dog is categorised into 'classes' ranging from Class A to Class D. Each dog also has to pass four stages of training until being deputed to a battalion and aid it in operations.

Once trained and deputed on duty, the dogs stay on alert and immediately pass on signals to their master or handler during rescue operations. The signals given by the cannie are of three types when it locates a human beneath debris and rubble.

Dr. Joshi said, "During its training, the dogs are trained with rewards each time it completes its task. The primary signal given by a dog is to bark and alert its master after locating a human with its scent. The dogs have three most important aspects to single for human rescues, barking, digging or penetrating. The primary signal includes barking, next comes digging with its paws when it locates a human in rubble or debris and the third includes penetrating in which the dog makes its way into huge rubble or debris to reach the scent of the human."

They are also given mock drills and field exercises where they are made to sniff humans in a collapsed concrete structure.

In February 2023, India stepped ahead to conduct 'Operation Dost' in Turkey which was hit by a massive earthquake killing thousands of people and deputed multiple teams of the NDRF to aid in the rescue and relief operations.

Among the teams of NDRF, the rescuers included a dog squad that turned out to be extremely helpful in the operations in Turkey. The Cannie- Romeo and Julie succeeded where machines failed. The dog squad was instrumental in detecting two girls under tonnes of rubble.

Julie from the dog squad identified the location of the little girl who was later identified as Beren. The NDRF teams quickly reacted to the signs given by Julie and pulled Beren alive from the rubble at one of the spots in Nurdagi in Turkey.

There were three teams with a total number of six dogs conducting rescue operations in Turkey and it was with their major efforts in locating two girls- aged 6 and 8 years old.

Dr. Joshi explained, that the dog breeds generally preferred in extreme operations include Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever and German Shepherd but equally important is their training that lasts until they retire from the services. Some dogs retire at the age of 8 years while some continue services even beyond depending on their fitness and activeness.

"It depends on how fit the dog is and depending on a dog's performance their retirement is decided. Once retired the dogs are given an official farewell and thanked by the officials for their services and saving human lives," Dr. Rajendra Joshi said.