Tennessee Task Force 2 Deploys Four Canine Teams to Memphis for FEMA Skills Assessment

Tennessee Task Force 2 (TN TF2) traveled to Memphis with four highly trained canine search teams to the Tennessee Task Force 1 training facility in Memphis to participate in the FEMA Foundational Skills Assessment (FSA), an essential milestone in developing fully deployable Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) canine teams.

Participating TN TF2 canine teams include:

• Captain Doug Pinkerton and K9 Jager
• Captain Jeff Hubler and K9 Hex
• Engineer Lauren Redding and K9 Churn
• Firefighter Will Smith and K9 Skye

The FEMA FSA evaluates critical capabilities required for disaster search certification.

Canines must demonstrate the ability to locate live victims, negotiate complex obstacles, work confidently in challenging environments, and respond effectively to handler direction.

Teams will conduct rubble pile searches, identify hidden victims using bark alerts, navigate unstable and confined areas, and show control, obedience, and search discipline throughout the assessment. Handlers are also evaluated on strategy, communication, and operational management.

Supporting the assessment will be a TN TF2 Medical Specialist trained in responder medical care and working dog emergency care—providing oversight that ensures the safety and readiness of both personnel and canine partners.

Search canines play an irreplaceable role during structural collapses, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, and other disasters. By rapidly locating survivors in debris heavy or unstable environments, these canine teams significantly accelerate rescue operations when every second counts.

TN TF2’s Canine Program is a coordinated effort involving handlers, canine trainers, medical specialists, logistics experts, and seasoned rescue professionals. Together, they maintain one of the state’s most capable and reliable search resources.

TN TF2 continues to lead the state in high level training, preparedness, and deployment readiness—ensuring that when disaster strikes, our community can depend on a team equipped with the highest standards of skill and professionalism. The task force remains ready to respond to any hazard, anytime, anywhere.