Superior Search and Rescue

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Houghton, MI
Superior Search and Rescue

Superior SAR is a volunteer team serving the copper country with search and rescue services.

08/22/2026

We were excited to welcome Lauren from the Keweenaw Community Foundation to join our K9 team for a training day!

This visit was especially meaningful because KCF recently awarded our K9 team funding for portable AC units for our vehicles. These units will help keep our K9s safe and comfortable during trainings, events, and deployments, especially during the hot summer months when heat can be one of the greatest risks to working dogs in the field.

Lauren also captured some incredible professional photos of our K9s while she was here!

A huge thank you to the Keweenaw Community Foundation and to everyone who continues to support our K9 team, whether you have helped by hiding for a training search, flanking, donating, or even writing a letter of support. Every bit of support helps keep our dogs and handlers ready to serve our community!

Keweenaw Community Foundation

08/21/2026

This past week, team leadership member, Wes, led our team through a training session focused on pack essentials.

We discussed what should be included in a pack for a shorter search versus what’s needed for a 72+ hour deployment, as well as the importance of adjusting gear and clothing with the changing seasons.

Being prepared means having the right equipment for the mission, the conditions, and the amount of time we may be in the field.

Thank you, Wes!

08/20/2026

This month, Superior Search and Rescue had the opportunity to volunteer with Mercy EMS’s Camp 911! Mercy EMS

Leo and Isaac led children through compass and orienteering exercises.

Tim and Kayli led shelter building. We’re proud to support programs like Camp 911 that give kids the knowledge, confidence, and skills they need to stay safe!

08/07/2026

Thank you, Jenna, for leading another outstanding training on compass and wilderness navigation!

Members built essential search and rescue skills, including compass reading, pace counting, wilderness navigation, understanding azimuths and bearings, and the foundational knowledge needed for both the field and SARTECH II certification testing.

One of Jenna's greatest strengths as an instructor is her ability to tailor each training to the individual learning needs of our team. She creates engaging, hands-on experiences that challenge members at every skill level while ensuring everyone leaves more confident and better prepared.

We're grateful for the time, knowledge, and dedication she continues to improve our team skills and help us become more effective responders for our community.

08/06/2026

We had a fantastic time at the Copper Shores Community Foundation Picnic!
Copper Shores

Throughout the day, we gave tours of our mobile command trailer, taught families about the Hug-A-Tree program, handed out educational materials, and shared how our team serves the community during search and rescue missions.

Visitors also had the opportunity to meet members of our Drone Team, who showcased their UAV equipment and explained how aerial technology supports search operations in the field.

K9 Paavo made an appearance to demonstrate the capabilities of our K9 Team... although, if we're being honest, he was mostly there to collect as many pets as possible!

A huge thank you to Copper Shores Community Foundation for hosting such a wonderful event and for their continued support of our mission. Their generosity has helped make an exciting essential upgrade to our team possible, and we can't wait to share more about it very soon. Stay tuned!

Thank you to Aspirus Health for sponsoring our hand-out/educational materials.

07/30/2026

On Saturday, July 11th, all three Superior SAR K9 teams were able to successfully pass their AWDA certifications in both non-scent discrimination area search and scent specific trailing search.

Congratulations to K9 Paavo and handler Paige, K9 Harlow and handler Hunter, and K9 Dolly and handler Amber for their accomplishments! The entire Superior SAR team as well as many other volunteers helped with hiding for the canines in all sorts of weather.

We are lucky that we had opportunities to practice in some challenging and other times fun environments and appreciate those that offered their land to train on. With an extra special thank you to Newbold Fire Department for hosting and guiding us and our AWDA evaluator for making the trek up to test us.

Another huge thank you to Keweenaw Community Foundation for funding our K9 team and giving us the tools we need to keep our K9 partners cool and safe on hot days like this.

Newbold Fire Department
American Working Dog Association

07/15/2026

In July, our team came together for a classroom training led by Jenna, focused on essential navigation skills. We covered compass functions, map reading, and how to properly orient yourself in the field. The training also explored how to interpret terrain using contour lines and map features.

Following the presentation, team members paired up for hands-on practice, working alongside experienced teammates to apply what they learned in real-time scenarios.

A huge thank you to Jenna for leading another impactful and informative training that strengthens our team’s readiness in the field!

07/04/2026

No shortcuts to certification!

K9 Dolly, Harlow, and Paavo have officially kicked training into high gear, adding extra sessions each week as they prepare for their upcoming certification tests. That means twice the training, twice the problem-solving, and plenty of muddy paws along the way.

Every search, every challenge, and every reward brings these teams one step closer to being mission ready. We're proud of the hard work our handlers and K9s are putting in.

07/02/2026

This weekend, Superior Search and Rescue put our skills to the test during a full-scale mock search. From setting up our command trailer and deploying the drone to coordinating search teams, practicing Incident Command, managing radio communications, conducting grid searches, providing patient care, applying splints, and performing stretcher carries, every piece of the puzzle came together.

These realistic scenarios build confidence, strengthen teamwork, and prepare us for the moments when our communities need us most.

A huge thank you to Jenna for planning and leading an outstanding training. Your time, knowledge, and leadership continue to make our team stronger.

Address

PO Box 682
Houghton, MI
49931

Website

http://www.superiorsar.org/

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