K9s to Practice Missing Person Searches at Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre Station

Search and Rescue dogs and their human handlers from the California Rescue Dog Association (CARDA) will practiced their search and rescue skills during a training session Monday night at the Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre Station.

"The safety and security of our customers is our top priority at BART," BART Board President John McPartland said. "Finding ways to partner with other public safety organizations is just one of the ways we can increase our readiness. CARDA is a highly trained and dedicated group of volunteers and we're happy to help facilitate this training."

CARDA is a volunteer search and rescue dog organization operating under the California Emergency Management Agency (CALEMA), on call 24 hours a day to assist law enforcement, emergency response and other official agencies. CARDA volunteers assisted after the 2010 San Bruno gas pipeline and in the search for five-year-old Hassani Campbell. CARDA dogs are a variety of breeds but all are highly trained. Those involved in Monday's practice are trained in "trailing," following the path that a lost person has taken. For more information about CARDA, visit www.carda.org.