Meet The Group

Status: Operational Wilderness, K-9 ALERT & Land Cadaver (HRD) K9 ALERT Treasurer.

Qualifications: STL, MTM, Dispatch, K-9 Evaluator

David joined K-9 Alert in 1991 and became a operational wilderness team, with his dog Boone, in 1993. Boone, who was a Malamute and Elk hound mix, enjoyed responding to many searches until his retirement in 1998.

In 2006 David rejoined the group and in January 2009 started training Ryka. She is a "career change" GSD from Leader Dogs for the Blind in Michigan and was donated, in kind, by Penny Jones and her New Vision Kennels in Milan MI. Ryka and David became operational, for Wilderness, March 2010 & Land HRD July 2013.

In 2017, made the leap and started training a second dog. Argo, from the Eichenluft Kennel, was born in July 2016 and started his SAR training in February 2017. He hopes to follow his working lineage and become operational in Live Find wilderness. His indication is a tug at handler and reward is vigorous tug play with anyone that will hold his toy.

Status: Training Officer, Previously Operational Wilderness, Land HRD & Water HRD

Qualifications: FTL, MTM, K-9 Evaluator

Diane and Izzy joined K9 Alert in December 2008 and became Operational Wilderness in February 2010. They achieved Operational status for Land HRD in November 2012 and for Water HRD in July 2014. Diane was an elementary special education teacher for four years and is now an attorney. She is amateur radio operator KJ4LHQ. Izzy was a black German Shepherd Dog who had earned his AKC Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog certification. He and Diane enjoyed participating in obedience, agility, and rally. Izzy is greatly missed by all. RIP Izzy

Status: Operational Wilderness Live. Member of K9 Alert since November 2015.

Qualifications: STL, MTM, Paramedic

Kona is a black lab mix who received her AKC Canine Good Citizen certificate. Her favorite reward for a job well done is her squeaky tennis ball. She lives in Norfolk with several 4 legged siblings and one 2 legged little brother.

Jason has been involved in Search and Rescue since 2011, and fire and rescue since 1989. In addition to being a stay-at-home dad, he is a paramedic and Lieutenant with Princess Anne Courthouse Volunteer Rescue Squad in Virginia Beach and a member of the Virginia Beach EMS SAR team. Jason is a general class ham radio operator and also a CPR and first aid instructor. His wife, Ellie, is a management team member with one of our sister groups, Tidewater Search and Rescue.

Status: Wilderness Handler-in-Training, Vice President

Qualifications: STL, FTS, MTM

Lee and Max joined K-9 Alert in July, 2015. Max is an Australian Cattle Dog mix and an alumnus of the PenPals program. Lee has been involved with search and rescue since February 2011 as a member of Piedmont Search and Rescue. He is currently a software consultant in the Chesterfield County area and amateur radio operator KM4DCR.

Status: Operational Land Cadaver (HRD), K9 ALERT President

Qualifications: FTM, NSDA,NASAR,NAPWDA

Mark and Jordan joined K-9 Alert in March, 2013 and became Operational Land Cadaver (HRD) Sept 2013. Mark became active in search and rescue in 2009 after retiring from a career providing IT solutions to airlines worldwide. Jordan was bred by Canine Companions for Independence to be a service dog, but had a career change when Mark adopted him in November 2010. Mark and Jordan are certified by three national SAR organizations in land and water HRD and have been working on Virginia certification since joining the team. Mark is an EMT-basic and has amateur radio license KJ4SGV.

Status: Wilderness Handler-in-Training

Qualifications: Former Wilderness and Water HRD handler

Matt joined K-9 Alert in 2002 and became operational in Wilderness and Water HRD with his dog Clio in 2004. Clio, who was a German Shepherd Dog, enjoyed responding to many searches until her retirement in 2010.

Matt rejoined the group in August of 2015 and started training Vega in November. Matt is amateur radio operator KI4JQU.

Status: Handler-In-Training, Trustee, Dispatcher

Qualifications: STL, Amateur Radio Operator KM4GBT

Mike originally joined K9 Alert in 1990 and was active until his dog, Buddy, retired.
After his own retirement from a career in computer networking, Mike rejoined K9 Alert in 2015. His current dog, Ruby, is a “career changed” Lab/Golden mix from Leader Dogs for the Blind in Michigan who was generously donated by her puppy raiser, Sara Bowe. Mike and Ruby are working toward Wilderness Live Find certification.

Status: Operational Wilderness Live

Qualifications: FTM

Pam and Ena joined K9 Alert in 2015 and became wilderness air scent certified in April 2017. Pam is a retired NASA engineer, resident of Hampton, and amateur ham radio operator KM4IMN. Ena is an energetic, food and ball loving, happy mixed breed rescue.

Status: Associate Member

Qualifications: FTM, FTL, MLSO, PSO, K-9 Evalutor

Pete has been with K-9 Alert since December 1999 and just recently retired his second dog Brie ( Australian Shepard) specializing in Land HRD. Pete & Brie had become operational Land HRD in 2010. Previous to Brie, Pete and his first dog a German Shepard "Duke" held Wilderness and HRD state certification.

Pete lives with his wife Susan in Prince George County. On his Fridays off, Pete volunteers his time to teach children in the Tri-city area about what to do if they get lost in the woods and what to carry with them to help in their survival. Since 2001, Pete and Duke/Brie have taught these outdoor lessons to nearly 21,000 children. In his other spare time he talks to Boy Scout, Girl Scout, church groups, civil air patrol and puts on demonstrations at county functions. Giving back to the community is an important goal to the members of our organization and Pete does more than his fair share. Pete is amateur radio operator KG4UZI.

Status: Operational Land Cadaver (HRD), K-9 ALERT Secretary

Qualifications: FTM, EMT-B

Rachel and Zeke started training in 2012. Zeke is Rachael's second dog. Mik and Rachel were operational prior to 2012. They became operational in Humans Remains Detection in early 2016.

Wilderness/ Air Scent handler in training.

Qualifications: Former Volunteer Firefighter/ EMT and CPR Instructor.

Tracey joined K-9 Alert March of 2017.
Tracey is currently a full time Deputy Sheriff, owner of Fireman's Run Farm and ~N~ TOUCH Equine and Canine Sports Massage Therapy. Her dog Greyson who is 15 months old now , was a surrendered 8 week old puppy that was to high energy for his previous family. Tracey took Greyson on after he was surrendered and realized he had a high drive and started him in tracking training at 10 weeks old. They continue to train in tracking but have found him a new job in Search and rescue.