Human Remains Detection Canine Search Specialist

Human Remains Detection Canine Search Specialist Certification Exam (HRD CSS)

The AERIE Human Remains Detection Canine Search Specialist Certification Examination (CE) is designed to accurately and uniformly assess a canine team’s ability to effectively search for, accurately locate, and indicate various scent sources of human remains, both above and below ground and in both rural and urban settings.  This certification recognizes the need for further training to acquire the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to become a fully competent canine handler in a wide variety of land search operations.

There are two separate Human Remains Detection Canine Search Specialist CEs

•  Human Remains Detection Canine Search Specialist – Level 1 CE  — 5 to 15 grams

• Human Remains Detection Canine Search Specialist – Level 2 CE  — 15 to 50 grams

The certification examination will consist of three (3) components and have a total of seven (7) areas:

• Above Ground Evaluation
• Buried Evaluation
• Urban Evaluation

All of these examinations meet or exceeds the industry standard and the criteria of FEMA 508-8 Typed Resource Definitions – Search and Rescue Resources 11/14/2007

General Guidelines (See full exam information here)

• Excessive urinating/defecating to mark areas will result in the failure of the canine team.
• The canine may not compromise the human remains material at any time.  Compromise is defined as eating, rolling in, or urinating/defecating on the scent source.  If at any time during the evaluation the canine compromises the scent source, the canine team will automatically fail the examination.
• Examiners will make every effort to ensure that the scent of the positive scent source and the dead animal scent sources do not overlap.
• Taking into the account both terrain and weather conditions, the handler must be able to determine and identify the location, within reasonable proximity, of all positive scent sources
• All scent sources (including distractions) are to be placed a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 48 hours prior to the start of the evaluation.
• Trained final response may be either active or passive.
• The canine may search on or off-lead
• A minimum of 90% of the positive scent sources must be located and the canine must perform their trained final response.

• Human Remains Detection Canine Search Specialist – Level 2 CE  — 15 to 50 grams

The certification examination will consist of three (3) components and have a total of seven (7) areas:

• Above Ground Evaluation
• Buried Evaluation
• Urban Evaluation

All of these examinations meet or exceeds the industry standard and the criteria of FEMA 508-8 Typed Resource Definitions – Search and Rescue Resources 11/14/2007

General Guidelines (See full exam information here)

• Excessive urinating/defecating to mark areas will result in the failure of the canine team.
• The canine may not compromise the human remains material at any time.  Compromise is defined as eating, rolling in, or urinating/defecating on the scent source.  If at any time during the evaluation the canine compromises the scent source, the canine team will automatically fail the examination.
• Examiners will make every effort to ensure that the scent of the positive scent source and the dead animal scent sources do not overlap.
• Taking into the account both terrain and weather conditions, the handler must be able to determine and identify the location, within reasonable proximity, of all positive scent sources
• All scent sources (including distractions) are to be placed a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 48 hours prior to the start of the evaluation.
• Trained final response may be either active or passive.
• The canine may search on or off-lead
• A minimum of 90% of the positive scent sources must be located and the canine must perform their trained final response.