International search and rescue deployments

International search and rescue deployments are among the most demanding environments in which a search dog team can operate.

Success depends on far more than a dog’s ability to locate human scent.

It requires meticulous preparation, professional discipline, exceptional teamwork and an unwavering commitment to canine welfare.

In this comprehensive operational handbook, Simon Chapman draws upon decades of experience working with military, specialist detection and operational search dogs to provide a practical guide for handlers preparing to deploy both nationally and internationally.

Unlike traditional dog training books, this manual focuses on everything that happens before, during and after an operational deployment.

Inside you’ll learn how to:

✔ Prepare yourself and your dog for deployment.

✔ Build a deployment-ready equipment system.

✔ Maintain canine health and welfare in challenging environments.

✔ Monitor handler health and operational readiness.

✔ Organise base camps and daily operational routines.

✔ Manage heat, fatigue, hydration and recovery.

✔ Conduct equipment inspections and veterinary assessments.

✔ Record missions using professional operational documentation.

✔ Learn from every deployment through structured debriefing and continuous improvement.

The manual also includes an extensive collection of field resources, including deployment checklists, health logs, equipment inspection sheets, veterinary records, mission logbooks, operational readiness assessments, emergency reference guides and practical appendices designed for real-world use.

Whether you work in urban search and rescue, wilderness search, disaster response or specialist operational search, this manual provides a structured framework to help you deploy safely, professionally and with confidence.

More than just a reference book, it is a practical operational companion that can be used throughout your career.

Ideal for:

• Operational search dog handlers.

• Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams.

• Search and Rescue (SAR) organisations.

• Wilderness and lowland search teams.

• Disaster response personnel.

• Search dog instructors.

• Emergency service professionals.

• Serious working dog enthusiasts.

If you believe that professionalism begins with preparation, this manual belongs in your deployment kit.

Train professionally. Deploy confidently. Return safely.