What is the RHWW:

The "St. Reddingshonden RHWW"  - Rescue Dogs RHWW is founded in 1989 and is a non-profit volunteer organisation. In 2001 the RHWW has become a foundation for the benefit of public interest. Duiven and Westervoort are situated in the eastern part of Holland near Arnhem, the capital of the province Gelderland. 
The RHWW operates nationally and internationally and is engaged in search and rescue assistance.

The purpose of the RHWW is to train rescue-dogs and their handlers to assist in search and rescue operations. The RHWW has almost 40 members. The half of the members are SARdog handlers. The majority of the dogs are first-class rescue-dogs and are very experienced. A small number are in their first year of the two-years training required for search and rescue operations. We train continually for tracking, area searching, disaster-relief and marine searching. We also have a support team with divers for marine search and rescue, outdoor specialists and people who help with the logistics. The RHWW has support equipment for that type of work such as a boat with trailer, a sonar-installation, Global Positioning System, Controlpost-trailer with communication equipment etc…
During search and rescue operations, we work closely with the police, the Fire brigade and the Army. 

We also co-operate with the Dutch Television program "Vermist" (Missing). 
For information about this program, Push on the Logo. 

Our website; http://www.reddingshonden.nl 
    
To give foreign visitors an impression of "what the RHWW is and what they do", we have translated info-pages into English, German, Spanish and French. The other pages are in Dutch, but these include a lot of hyperlinks to pictures, which give you a good overview of the work done by Rescue Dogs Westervoort (RHWW).
Refer to our link pages for useful information and other sites. Push on the button <Links> on the left hand side of your screen.

Our Results

Over the past years the rescue-dogs of the RHWW have found many missing persons. The RHWW have also been involved in search and rescue operations outside of Holland. We have worked in Italy, Crete, St Maarten (Neth. antilles), Austria, Indonesia, Russia, Honduras, Ibiza, Portugal, France, Thailand (pictures), Malaysia, Malawi and Norway.
For more information push on the button <inzetten> (call outs) on the left.

What does a SAR dog do

Rescue-dogs are the most important resource in searching for missing persons. They can work during day and night and in all kinds of weather. Thanks to their highly developed sense of smell the dogs are able to detect microscopic particles that every person constantly sheds, and will consequently be able to locate the missing person. The dogs refer by barking or using their "bringsel" on area-search, scratching or barking on disaster-relief, barking or biting in the water on marine-search.

What kind of dogs can be used

The dogs (shepherds, retrievers, cross-breeds and also the "normal" housedogs of our handlers) are selected for the search and rescue assistance based on their temperament. The dogs must be very sociable to people and must be eager to please their handler. It is very important during the training that the young dog has a passion for the bringsel. Through training (by playing), the dog will learn to find the victim because of the bringsel or ball. Later on the dog will learn to use his highly developed nose. When the dog is ready as a SAR dog he will react to the air currents, which transport scents of human bodies.

Our dogs search only for sitting, lying or hanging people, and for scent bourrees on water or in rubbish. Due to our assistance, other disciplines such as Police and Fire brigade can do their normal task. To be ready for call-outs our dogs and handlers train constantly for tracking, area search, disaster-relief and marine search. In particular the RHWW has a lot of knowhow in marine-search.

The SARdog handler

The SARdog handler is trained by the RHWW to work with the dog as a SARdog team under very different conditions and situations. They are working together with other SARdog teams in a operations team. The handler has to act according the orders of the operations leader. He must also have knowledge of search methods, modern training procedures, reading maps and compass, handling modern communication equipment and how to perform first lifesaving actions etc.

The support team

Members of our support team have a lot off knowledge and experience. Some are experts on; streaming of the water, diving, climbing, outdoor activities like handling a boat, working in a rescue team or fire brigade. This support team can during the rescue operation help with other activities, like support the SARdog handlers during rescue operations to make the operation a success.

Our instructors

The RHWW has different instructors in their team, who educate the SARdog teams and support team. The time for education and training to become an operational SARdog team will take 2 - 3 years. Every week on Sunday, their will be a training, in very different situations and locations

This person is very important and has an important task in the whole operations team. He (or she) is managing the search and rescue operation and takes all important decisions that are necessary to make the operation a success.
Also he is responsible for the safety of the operations team and coordination with other disciplines (like; police, fire brigade). He is also the contact person for the authorities and press.

What can we do, to help you?

If we are informed of a missing person or disaster, our rescue-dogs, their handlers and our support team will help - voluntarily - to assist in the search and rescue-operation. In case of an actual emergency, dial our emergency number (see above). Or use the button <contact> on the left hand side, if you want to call us from outside of Holland.

What can you do, to help us?

You can support the important work of the rescue dog organisations in the country where you live. 
And of course you can support the RHWW with a Donation!!
Please use our "donation form".

Guest book!

It would be a great pleasure for us if you would sign our guest book, give us your opinion!. Just push on the button <gastenboek> (guestbook) on the left hand side and fill in the guest-form. 
Thanks in advance!