11/10/2026
K9 Search and Rescue NI Welcomes 17 New Recruits Following Intensive Training
K9 Search and Rescue NI is delighted to announce that 17 new recruits have successfully completed four days of intensive training, marking an important milestone in the continued growth and development of the organisation.
Throughout the four days, recruits were put through their paces, learning essential new skills, developing their knowledge and demonstrating the commitment, teamwork and determination required to become part of an operational search and rescue team.
An important part of the training was a dedicated first aid learning day, providing recruits with realistic, in-depth training to help prepare them for the challenges they may encounter during operational deployments. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Jonny from First4Aid for delivering an engaging and realistic day of training, equipping our recruits with valuable knowledge and practical skills.
Having successfully completed their initial training, all 17 recruits are now ready to join operational teams, where they will continue to develop their skills under the guidance of experienced members, gaining the knowledge and practical experience required to support real-world search operations.
As members of K9 Search and Rescue NI, they will help strengthen the organisation’s ability to respond to incidents involving missing people, supporting searches both across Northern Ireland and further afield, including potential international deployments.
Speaking following the successful completion of the training, Team Leader Ryan Gray said:
“Bringing 17 new recruits through four days of intensive training is a fantastic achievement and a real reflection of the continued growth and ambition of K9 Search and Rescue NI.
“Joining a search and rescue team is about much more than learning new skills. It requires commitment, teamwork, discipline and a willingness to keep learning. Completing this initial training is just the beginning of their journey. They will now move into operational teams, where they will gain further experience, develop their capabilities and learn from those who have been doing this work for years.
“Every new recruit strengthens our ability to help families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Whether responding to a missing person incident here at home or supporting operations overseas, our focus remains the same: to provide a professional, dedicated service and do everything we can to help locate missing people and bring them home.”
The successful completion of the course represents another significant step forward for K9 Search and Rescue NI, strengthening its volunteer capability and helping ensure the organisation continues to develop the people, skills and experience needed to serve the public. These additional 17 volunteers bring our strength to 47 volunteers.
K9 Search and Rescue NI would like to congratulate all 17 recruits on their achievement and welcome them to the team. Their journey starts here.
