For many years, Marin County Fire Captain Jim Boggeri had tried to get his Chief to authorize a canine search and rescue team for his department. The Chief remained unconvinced that there was truly a need… until September 11, 2001.
No sooner had the dust settled over Ground Zero than Jim got the go-ahead to enter SDF’s training program. His dream was about to come true.
Once he completed his training with the Search Dog Foundation, it was decision time. Which Canine Search Specialist would be his match? SDF Lead Trainer Pluis Davern has an uncanny ability to partner the right dog and handler, and is responsible for making these key decisions. But Jim had his eyes on Recon, a beautiful yellow lab. “As the dogs were brought out to meet us, Recon came bounding over at 60 miles per hour. I took one look and knew: we’re made for each other! Our personalities just jibed,” remembers Jim. Happily, Pluis agreed.
Jim and Recon have been deployed to several disasters, including Hurricane Katrina. In May of 2006, they worked a Mill Valley mudslide.
“It was treacherous for the residents. The working conditions were very different from what we train in, but the dogs never quit… They searched in very confined spaces below the house and in voids behind the walls. We were evacuated from the structure several times due to recurring mudslides. Recon’s understanding of the search in such an adverse environment was amazing.”
Jim and Recon’s primary assignment is with the Marin County USAR Team (Regional Task Force 1), but they also participate with Oakland Task Force 4. In June of 2005, they became an Advanced Certified FEMA disaster search team. Jim was appointed SDF Bay Area Training Group Leader, overseeing the weekly training sessions of all SDF teams in the region.
Recon’s name has a special story behind it. Shortly after 9/11, SDF Founder Wilma Melville received a phone call from Stephen Doyle, a firefighter and key player with the FDNY hockey team. His hockey teammate and best friend Timmy McSweeney had died in the line of duty at the World Trade Center. To honor Timmy’s memory, Stephen asked that an SDF trained disaster search dog be named after Timmy’s FDNY ladder company, “Recon.” A recently recruited dog formerly known as Ice became Recon.
Jim and his wife Kimberly traveled to New York to meet with Stephen Doyle and Timmy’s family. “It was one of the most influential, moving moments in my life, knowing that my fate could have been the same as Tim’s. I vowed then and there to honor Timmy’s legacy through steadfast commitment to work and family.”
Jim continues: “On the job, Recon is totally committed, dedicated and driven to succeed. He loves the search. Off the job, he’s just a goofy lab with incredible spirit. Every day is a good day in the life of a lab. Having a crazy, enthusiastic, over-the-top, but lovable dog can put a strain on the family from time to time, and I couldn’t have done this job without their unending support. My three children are all dog- lovers who happily embrace both Recon and our new bull mastiff, Cazzo.”
Jim is living his life’s dream and wants to inspire others to follow along this same path. His advice: “Understand the nature of the job and the commitment needed. Enjoy the successes, understanding that the highs and lows are extremes that will test your limits. Failure is simply not an option. I would like my legacy to be my commitment to fire service, and my respect and allegiance to my canine partner and the Search Dog Foundation.”
Judy Friedman is a volunteer for the Search Dog Foundation. Learn more at www.searchdogfoundation.org.
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