At Camp Butmir, the K9 Team of the Fire Department Vogošća trained alongside EUFOR’s Aviation Detachment (AV DET), taking an important step towards strengthening Bosnia and Herzegovina’s emergency response capabilities.
A Search and Rescue dog cannot experience a helicopter for the first time when lives are already at risk. That confidence, trust and readiness have to be built beforehand through training. Those dogs are trained to search for people in some of the most challenging situations, including floods, landslides, earthquakes, mountain rescue operations and missing-person searches.
Today’s training focused on helicopter familiarization and deployment for the SAR dogs and their handlers a capability currently not available in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For the dogs, this meant gradually becoming familiar with the helicopter environment: the noise and vibration of the aircraft, safe movement around the helicopter, boarding and landing, transport and, ultimately, deployment after landing.
For the handlers, it was about learning how to safely manage their partners throughout every stage of the operation. And for both, it was about one thing, being ready when it matters most.
“This training gave our team an opportunity to experience helicopter operations together with our dogs and to build confidence in a completely new environment,” said Davorin Sekulić, a member of the K9 Team of the Fire Department Vogošća. “For a Search and Rescue team, preparation is everything. When a call for help comes, there is no time for hesitation.”
The training also demonstrated the strong commitment and professionalism of the Vogošća K9 team and its handlers, who work with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first licensed Search and Rescue dogs.
Lieutenant Colonel Alessandro Guadagno, Commander of EUFOR’s Aviation Detachment, said: “It is a real pleasure to see our AV DET personnel training with the K9 Team of the Fire Department Vogošća. We are truly impressed by their professionalism, dedication and the bond between the handlers and their dogs. As EUFOR also employs dogs in our EOD teams, we understand how important specialized and realistic training is for both the dogs and their handlers. Today’s training is an important step in developing a capability that can make a real difference in an emergency.”
The exercise represents the first organized helicopter familiarization and deployment training for Search and Rescue licensed dogs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, helping establish an operational capability that can significantly enhance the country’s ability to respond to emergencies.
Behind every trained dog is a dedicated handler. Behind every successful rescue is preparation. And when seconds count, that preparation can save lives.
EUFOR continues to support local authorities and organizations across Bosnia and Herzegovina in strengthening their capabilities and contributing to a safe and secure environment for everyone.
