At the 26^th IRO World Championship for Search and Rescue Dogs, the duo from Finland presented a brilliant performance. In the end, they won the gold medal in the discipline of Area Search in a gripping thriller. In our interview, Kirsi talks about this moment, her start in search and rescue dog work, the regular training sessions, and her future plans.

Congratulations on winning the world championship. How did you experience the victory?

Many thanks to the IRO and the organisers of this unforgettable event! My first reaction was that I started crying when I got the news about the first place. I hugged Jedi for his great performance, really unbelievable! One day before the start of the WCH our team was still uncertain if we would be able to participate in the competition due to our flight being cancelled. And five days later, there I was waiting to step on the podium to listen to the Finnish national anthem. I feel happy and grateful.

When we arrived back to Helsinki-Vantaa airport, several people from our club “Finn Rescue K9 Association” (FRF K9) and from our training group were there to celebrate our success. It is such a precious feeling to belong to a team and I thank everyone sincerely for sharing that moment with me.

What is the motivation for you to take part in major sporting events like a World Cup?

I love search and rescue, and international events are the greatest opportunities to meet old and new friends, to have fun and to network with people. I have participated in World Cups since 2014 and it is really an amazing experience.

I am proud to represent FRF K9, and by being an active member of the international search and rescue dog community I want to set an example to network and share knowledge on training and mission readiness requirements for search and rescue dogs globally. I also want to convey the message that even the wildest dreams can be realised. You just need to believe in yourself, and have a bit of craziness, or at least a thing that we call “sisu” in Finland.

How did you get into search and rescue dog work?

All in all, it all starts from having a strong desire to help people, which makes me feel good. I got my first dog in 2005, a Welsh Springer Spaniel-Dalmatian Mix. He was super active, and I wanted to have a meaningful hobby for him, so we joined a great local search and rescue team in eastern Finland 17 years ago. In 2008 when I moved to Helsinki, I joined my current training club Helsinki Search and Rescue Dogs and was also accepted into the mission readiness team with my second dog named Iines. Jedi is now my third SAR dog.

What does your daily life look like and how often do you train?

In my daily life, I am running between my work, private life, and dog training, which I all love very much. I am working as a regulatory toxicologist, as an authority officer focusing on hazard and risk assessment, protection of humans and the environment from hazardous substances. In search and rescue, I am a trainer and leading our group trainings in Rubble and Area Search twice a week. In addition to that, we train Obedience, Tracking, Water Rescue, Mantrailing and Avalanche Search. During extra time, Jedi and I relax by hiking or running wildly in a forest with our friends.

I am currently in training to become an IRO Judge and very motivated to complete that. I enjoy watching search and rescue dog teams progress and succeed in tests and certification for mission readiness. I am always willing to organise tests, training courses, exercises, and mission readiness tests for my colleagues. Search and rescue is a way of life, and when you are a true search and rescue dog person, you understand that it gives so much more than it takes.

How often do you get called to a mission?

Currently Jedi and I are qualified to work in three mission readiness groups. Two of the groups are registered under the Voluntary Rescue Service in Finland: a wilderness search team that works under Police command and a national USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) team for Rubble Search that is under the command of Helsinki Fire Rescue Department. The third group is under the Finnish Sea and Lake Rescue Association. So far, only the wilderness searches have been active, and we are called for a mission approximately once a month. With my previous dog, I have also been lucky enough to find a missing person alive. I will never forget the feeling. It was far more rewarding than winning the world championship.

What are your goals for the future together with Jedi?
From the day I started to train for search and rescue I have been keen on developing my skills in this area. With Jedi I work in many different search and rescue dog disciplines: we are in level B in Area, Rubble and Avalanche Search and starting in level B in Tracking and Water Rescue next year. In Mantrailing we tried level A once without success; that seemed to be a difficult discipline for us, particularly due to its influence on Jedi’s behaviour in Tracking on the field. I hope that one day I will become an IRO Judge and that Jedi will have completed level B tests in all disciplines. We still have a lot to learn.

My most important goal as search and rescue dog handler is to save human lives. Jedi is such a faithful friend, always ready to work, doing his best and enjoying any task he is given.

I also hope that I can bring positive spirit in the trainings, give encouragement, advice and support that people find useful, contribute to develop search and rescue techniques and tactics, and function as a role model for beginners or anyone who wishes to develop themselves in this field.

Let’s work together, help each other, and save lives! Together we are more!

Level B = Highest testing level
Level A = Second highest testing level