K9 Search And Rescue Buy New Equipment With Power NI Funding

K9 Search and Rescue has purchased new equipment, including an underwater camera, thanks to a £1000 grant as part of Power NI's Brighter Communities initiative.

Working across NI, the volunteer-led group is a professional canine search and rescue team that provides qualified NASDU level 3 air scenting and cadaver canines as a resource to the UK Coastguard, emergency services and the community in the event of an emergency.

Established in 2017, K9 Search and Rescue, comprised of 22 volunteers and 9 dogs, assists with urban, rural, coastal and disaster search and rescue operations.

Over the years the organisation has assisted with numerous situations, across the UK and Ireland, such as searching for lost children and vulnerable people and locating drown victims.

Thanks to a grant from Power NI, K9 Search and Rescue have purchased an underwater camera designed to help canine handlers see underwater when looking for missing people.

K9 Search and Rescue's Team Leader Ryan Gray said: "We are so grateful to receive this award from Power NI. This piece of specialised equipment we've been able to purchase will help us better serve the community whilst we're out on search and rescue missions.

"When our canines and handlers are out on operations searching for someone who may have entered the water time is of the essence, and this camera will allow us to thoroughly search an area much quicker and potentially recover them, without having to put people or divers in the water.

"We're dedicated to our local community and thanks to Power NI's Brighter Community funding we'll be able to enhance what we do."  

The Brighter Communities funding was first established by Power NI in 2018 and has since helped numerous charities and groups including Special Olympics athletes, stroke recovery groups and wheelchair basketball players.    

In December 2021, Power NI ran the ‘Festive Fund' in which five organisations were awarded £1000 to put towards projects, initiatives or equipment that will help them reach their maximum potential and deliver to their community.  

Power NI's Ashleigh O'Neill congratulated K9 Search and Rescue on their award: "This equipment could be vital when searching for missing people and I am so glad that Power NI can improve the crucial services that K9 Search and Rescue provides. This award reflects the hard work that Ryan and the team do. A huge congratulations from Power NI!"