NOCSAR Certification Statement

All NOCSAR certifications are designed for real world application. 

Certification will determine two things:

• Has the K-9 been trained to locate the scent or perform the task for which it is certifying?
• Can the Handler read and deploy the K-9? 

Meeting the following requirements is the responsibility of the individual handler:

• Equipment considerations such as special types of packs, the amount of water carried, first aid requirements, food, tools, etc.
• Team specific procedures such as deployment requirements, call out procedures, etc.
• Advanced training techniques such as wilderness navigation, compass reading, ICS training, etc.
• Environmental considerations such as mountainous terrain, avalanche conditions, boat deployments, swampy areas, rubble work etc.

These requirements may be determined by the handler, the team to which they are assigned or the environment in which they may deploy.

Requirements such as these are not determining factors for the certification of a Search and Rescue Team.