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Who We Are

Central Oklahoma Search and Rescue, Inc. (COSAR) is a non-profit, volunteer organization that provides professional search and rescue (SAR) services with the assistance of trained dog and handler teams and other support personnel. Our primary SAR services are to search for lost or missing persons of all ages. We are self-insured and these search and rescue services are provided free of charge. We are volunteers in the truest sense of the word, and never ask any requesting agency for any type of compensation. COSAR is based out of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and will respond to SAR missions anywhere in the State of Oklahoma or other nearby locations where such services may be needed. COSAR is affiliated with the National Association of Search and Rescue (NASAR).

WHAT IS CANINE SEARCH AND RESCUE?

Dogs have been utilized in search and rescue activities around the world since the 1800’s. In the United States, organized SAR dog teams have been utilized since the 1960’s.

It is the SAR dog’s unique, extraordinary ability to smell very fine particles of human scent, their superior night visions, and physical endurance that make them an incredible asset to the field of search and rescue. Because of these extraordinary abilities, SAR dog teams are often able to reduce the time it takes to search for a missing person, thereby increasing the chances that the person will be found alive.

WHEN SAR DOG TEAMS CAN BE HELPFUL

Search and rescue dog teams can be helpful to law enforcement or other emergency response agencies in the following types of searches, and more:

· An Alzheimer’s patient who has wandered away from his/her home or living center

· A child who has wandered from home, a campsite, a shopping center, or other locations

· A hiker or hunter who is overdue to return

· A missing person from tornadoes, collapsed buildings, fires, floods, airplane crashes or other disasters

· A drowning victim

· An area where there may be human remains buried

WHAT COSAR SAR DOG TEAMS CAN DO

COSAR teams are composed of a dog, a dog handler, and Flankers which assist with land navigation, radio communications, and finding clues.

COSAR dog teams may be trained and certified in one or more of the following search specialties:

Airscent — the dog locates the person through following their scent carried on air currents in wilderness, urban environments, or buildings.

Tracking/Trailing— the dog locates the person by following their specific scent, left by their footstep path of travel

Basic Cadaver— the dog locates a body or body parts of a recently deceased person, either above ground or on the ground

Cadaver Specialist—the dog locates either recently deceased, decomposed, or skeletal remains, above ground or buried, in large or small quantities in wilderness or urban areas, buildings, or vehicles

Water Cadaver—the dog locates the remains of bodies under water

EXPERTISE OF THE COSAR TEAM

COSAR team members undergo a rigorous and lengthy training program to become proficient in search and rescue skills. The process of certifying usually takes over a year to complete. COSAR teams train on a weekly basis year-round, logging over 200 training hours per year, as well as performing search missions, public education programs, and attending SAR training seminars regularly.

COSAR’s dog handlers are proficient not only in dog training, but in essential SAR skills, including: CPR and first aid, map and compass, wilderness survival, lost person behavior, and radio communications.

All of COSAR’s search dogs are certified as Canine Good Citizens through AKC’s CGC Program. This is a certification of good temperament with people and other dogs, as well as basic obedience skills.

All mission-ready COSAR members have attained national certification as Search and Rescue Technicians, through the National Association of Search and Rescue (NASAR).