David Thompson Search & Rescue (DTSAR) is an all-volunteer organization that hosts one fund raiser annually – the Le Tour de Koocanusa bike ride. The ride is held in conjunction with the River Front Blues Festival the second weekend in August. Registration for this year’s ride is open until August 8 for the August 11 ride. Interested riders can register online at letourdekoocanusa.com. Le Tour de Koocanusa is an 83-mile bike ride that is fully supported by our medically trained members at three food stations, two hydration stations, and in chase vehicles.
The ride includes a ticket to the Blues Festival on Saturday night for the riders to relax and to tour the Search and Rescue barn if requested.
Proceeds from this fund raiser have helped DTSAR purchase needed equipment. This year the proceeds have went toward the purchase of a new boat that is multipurpose but it has made a huge difference for the search dogs and their handlers. The new boat allows the search dogs to get close to the water so they can easily detect human scent from below the water’s surface.
During the recovery of an individual from the Thompson Lakes the search dogs accurately determined the location of the individual from the scent source in the water. Search dogs are valuable resources that can reduce the amount of time spent searching. DTSAR search dogs are certified by the National Search Dog Alliance and have been called on nationally to help with recoveries on disasters like Katrina and the Oso mudslide in Washington.
We would like to thank this year’s sponsors for their generous donations to Le Tour de Koocanusa that helped to purchase this boat.
Thanks to all riders and sponsors for helping us to achieve our mission “So others may live.”
(Picture) Left to right: Susan Lippert search dog handler and search dog Bailey, Dick Balcom Boat Unit Leader, Terry Crooks K9 Unit Leader/search dog handler, search dog Beacon.