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  • See pictures from the third Annual NC C.E.R.T. HRD Seminar (see pics)
North Carolina Canine Emergency Response Team, Inc.
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Welcome

  • 04/22/13 Added pictures from the 2013 HRD Seminar (see pics)
  • 03/26/13 Added pictures from SARX 2013 (see pics)
  • 01/14/13 Condolences on the passing of retired K-9 Jonah (more info)
  • 01/12/13 Flyer and registration for HRD Seminar (more info)
  • 11/15/12 Flyer and registration for SARX (more info)
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The purpose of NC C.E.R.T is to furnish highly trained volunteer search dog teams for search and rescue.

NC C.E.R.T. is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation serving the State of North Carolina and surrounding areas.

NC C.E.R.T. trains and promotes the working dog for search missions, and supports evaluations for search dogs. NC C.E.R.T. provides highly skilled search teams 24 hours a day, responds to requests from Law Enforcement, Emergency Management, Fire Departments or other Official requesting agencies, during natural or manmade disasters, drownings, and lost or missing persons in urban and wilderness settings, at no cost to the requesting agency.

In addition, NC C.E.R.T. works to promote understanding and public awareness of the role of search dogs and to further the public knowledge, interest and use of search and rescue trained dogs through public demonstrations and lectures to state and local agencies, schools, civic organizations, retirement and rest homes.

Trained in Wilderness and Cadaver (water & land) searches, these teams undergo rigorous training and must meet strict standards before they are deployed on a mission. Ongoing training and continuing education is required for all members to maintain their skills at optimal levels.

Training in search and disaster response is conducted in diverse situations and often entails more than 50 hours per month for each member.

All members are responsible for providing their own personal equipment.

Contributions and donations are solicited to help defray the costs of team equipment, (radios, PFDs, First Aid Kits, etc.) training, and travel expenses.

In the News

04/18/2013 NC C.E.R.T. Third Annual Human Remains Detection Seminar in the news. Article from WITN, Washington, NC. (see news story) and WCNT story on the same subject (see news story)

10/18-19/2012 NC C.E.R.T. participated in a search for Jalesa Reynolds, a teen missing from Scotland Neck, NC since 2010. We used K9 teams to search several areas. (See story)

9/30/2012 Mark Hornby and K-9 Jordan were featured in a front-page Douglas County Sentinel article regarding the NAPWDA Georgia State Workshop See article

9/13/2012 Melisa Semenov and K-9 Sax were the subject of an article in the Chatham News and Record (Siler City and Pittsboro, NC) See article

9/7-9/2012 NC C.E.R.T. participated in a search for a missing 19 year old boy in the Tar River, Edgecombe County NC. We responded with other jurisdictions to complete the search using the team's boat, side scan sonar systems, and five team members. The location was identified by HRD K9 Jordan and later confirmed by recovery. See news story.

8/21/12 An NC C.E.R.T. K-9 Human Remains Detection team and a supporting member participated in a missing person search with the Sheriff and Investigators for the Catawba County Sheriff's Office. Foul play was suspected.See news article. See news video.

7/09/2012 NC C.E.R.T. teams participated with members of the Dare County Sheriff's Office and the NC Highway Patrol in a search involving a missing person. See article

5/20/2012 An article on Mark Hornby and K-9 Jordan appeared in the New Bern, NC Sun Journal Newspaper See article

5/17/2012 An article on Melisa Semenov and K-9 Sax appeared in the Chatham News and Record (Siler City and Pittsboro, NC) See article

5/06/2012 An article highlighting the NC C.E.R.T. Second Annual Human Remains Detection Seminar appeared in the Washington, NC Washington Daily News See article

11/23/2011 Two NC C.E.R.T. K-9 HRD teams participate with members of the Florence County Sheriff’s Office (SC), Florence County Coroner’s Office and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg (NC) Police Department in a Florence County search involving multiple suspected homicides. News story

Recent Events

4/18-21/2012 NC C.E.R.T. sponsors their third annual K-9 HRD Seminar in Washington, NC. (see pics)

1/14/2013 NC C.E.R.T. condolences to team member, Jack Thorpe, and his family on the passing of K-9 Jonah. Jonah was a special family friend and one of few dogs certified through NC C.E.R.T. and evaluated by Caroline Hebard. (more info)

11/10/2012 Teresa Cummings and K-9 Rebel pass the NC C.E.R.T. Trailing Recertification

11/09-10/2012 NC C.E.R.T. members in conjunction with members of the Robeson County SAR Team conducted a NASAR SARTECH II examination for members of the Chatham Emergency Management Agency's SAR Team from Savannah, GA

10/22/2012 K9 Hondo, a Belgian Malinois and former nationally certified narcotics detection K9, is in training by Mac Morgan in human remains detection. We welcome Hondo to the team and to his new career. (see pics)

10/20-10/21/2012 NC C.E.R.T. conducted a side imaging sonar class in Duplin County, NC (see pics)

10/14-10/19/2012 Mark Hornby & K9 Jordan attend an advanced water HRD course at the Canine Search & Recovery (CSAR) Conference in Eureka, MO

10/1-10/4/2012 Mark Hornby & K9 Jordan participate in the GA NAPWDA Workshop and recertify NAPWDA Land & Water HRD

9/28/2012 Brent Haynes passes the NC Police Dog Association Tracking / Trailing Certification with both K-9 Hank and K-9 Walter

9/28-30/2012 Chief Morgan teaches Intro to Cadaver Dog Training at NC SARTREK in Williamston, NC. See pics

4/19-22/2012 NC C.E.R.T. sponsors their second annual K-9 HRD Seminar in Washington, NC. 16 K-9 teams from five states participated. See news story

4/18/2012 Melisa Semenov and K-9 Sax pass their NASAR HRD Land Type III Certification

3/24/2012 Team Members Melisa Semenov and Mark Hornby are presented the 2012 "Keeper of the Flame" award by the CUE Center for Missing Persons for their dedication to the missing

2/20/2012 Mark Hornby & K9 Jordan pass their NSDA Land HRD Certification

2/17-19/2012 NC C.E.R.T. sponsors 12th Annual Eastern Search/Training Exercise (SARX) in Washington, NC

12/13/2011 Mark Hornby & K9 Jordan pass their NASAR HRD Water Type II Certification.

12/13/2011 Mac Morgan certified as NASAR HRD Land and Water Lead Evaluator.

12/12/2011 Mac Morgan & K9 Tucker pass their NASAR HRD Water Type II Certification.

12/4/2011 Members of NC C.E.R.T. and their K-9's participate in the Harmony NC Christmas Parade.

11/4-11/6/11 -- Melisa Semenov & K-9 Sax attend the Western Carolina University HRD Seminar

November 2011 -- New Team Member Dale Swiggett and K-9 KA-BAR training in Area Search (Air Scent)

November 2011 -- New Team Member Frances Neel and K-9 Dux training in Human Remains Detection

November 2011 -- New Support Team Member Debb Kiser-Gibbs. We thank Debb for all the time she spent listening to our ideas for the new logo and making it happen. Also for the computer time in doing the layout for our identification cards. We look forward to her experience in photography keeping our website updated.

10/2-10/6/2011 Mark Hornby & K9 Jordan participated in the GA NAPWDA Workshop and passed their NAPWDA Land & Water HRD Certification

10/30/11 Chief Morgan taught an Introduction to Cadaver Training Class at the NC SARTREK in Williamston, NC

6/24/11 Mark Hornby & K9 Jordan pass their NASAR Land HRD certification

5/21/11 Brent Haynes & K9 Walter pass their NC C.E.R.T. Basic Trailing certification

5/21/11 Mark Hornby & K9 Jordan pass their NC C.E.R.T. Basic Land HRD certification

5/21/11 Melisa Semenov & K9 SAX pass their NC C.E.R.T. Basic Land HRD certification. K9 SAX is the youngest K9 (13 1/2 months) to become operational.

5/21/11 Mac Morgan and K-9 Tucker pass their NC C.E.R.T. Basic Land HRD certification

4/8/11 - 4/11/11 NC C.E.R.T. sponsored HRD seminar in Wilson, NC

4/8/11 Mac Morgan and K-9 Tucker pass their NASAR Land HRD Certification

2/11/11 - 2/13/11 NC C.E.R.T. sponsored Eastern NC SAR Exercise (Mock Search) in Washington, NC

11/18/10 Jack Thorpe received the NC Highway Patrol's Highest award for going beyond the call of duty.

© 2000 - 2013 North Carolina Canine Emergency Response Team (NC C.E.R.T). Under NO circumstances may any content of this website be reproduced in any way. All photos are the property of North Carolina Canine Emergency Response Team, Inc. (NC C.E.R.T.) and may NOT be used without written permission. Anyone violating this will be subject to prosecution.