Love, Life and Puppy Dog Tales

  Preface: I started in the fire service in 1990 and in Search and Rescue in 1992.  I have seen a lot, more than some, less than others, but still, a lot.  This post was inspired by a newer SAR person wanting to prepare themselves for the first time they were a part of a body recovery.  I didn't respond to the question, but many others did, sharing their own thoughts and experiences.  It brought up a lot of thoughts that trickled through my brain all day.  It brought up memories of so many that I wasn't in time to save.  I wasn't late, there just wasn't time to save them.  So, I did the next thing I could do.  Help to recover them so that their families could move on.   There is some graphic imagery here and if you don't want to know what it's like, then stop reading now.  I don't want to make your day unpleasant or cause your nightmares.  I just want...  I just need to share what is stuck in my head.  A great ma...

The water boils below.  Rocks, drop-offs, boulders, and screaming fast, extremely cold water roars by.   Everyone is watching us.   Expectations are high.    From the highway, the slope is treacherous.  Granite boulders line the way down, and poison oak is often the handrail. Thinking the dog’s four-wheel-drive works better if he isn’t restrained, I send him on his way down the boulder field.  I am wrong.  He slips, he slides, he tumbles a bit.  Teammates along the way try to stop him and finally succeed. Water searching is his favorite.  Whether it is the mystery of it all or something else, I don’t know.  He believes all water has something in it for him to find.  I again think I can allow him to free search the area to give us a clue if what we are looking for is indeed here.   I am wrong.  My heart jumps into my throat as he crests the top of a gigantic boulder and begins the descent to make it to the water. ...