The Rio de Janeiro State Military Fire Department (CBMERJ) has revealed that it gained 14 new specialists on 11 September.
The 11th Class of the Search, Rescue and Rescue with Dogs Course (CBReSC/25), of the 2nd Forestry and Environmental Assistance Group (2nd GSFMA), graduated after 14 weeks of physical, technical and psychological training aimed at the formation and management of sniffer dogs.
The course prepares binomials, the duo formed by a firefighter and his dog, to act in real-life emergency situations, such as disappearances in forested areas, landslides, collapsed structures and other disaster scenarios.
Throughout the training, students faced challenging conditions, simulating hostile scenarios that required resilience, preparedness and a strong trusting relationship with their dogs.
Activities included large-area search techniques, veterinary basics, obedience, socialization, specific odor detection and teamwork.
Lieutenant Colonel Alberto Nagipe, Commander of the 2nd GSFMA and Director of CBReSC/2025 shared: “This course reaffirms the Rio de Janeiro State Military Fire Department’s commitment to operational excellence and its mission to save lives.
“The integration between service members and their dogs represents one of the most effective ways to respond in the extreme situations we face daily.
“More than just technical, the training emphasizes the partnership built between firefighters and animals, based on trust and nonverbal communication.
“Thanks to their highly developed sense of smell, dogs become an irreplaceable resource, capable of locating victims in hard-to-reach or low-visibility locations.”
The ceremony also included tributes to former commanders of the 2nd GSFMA, instructors from the 11th CBReSC/2025 and the retirement of three search, rescue and salvage dogs from the CBMERJ Kennel: Akira, Meg and Brec.
The Rio de Janeiro State Military Fire Department (CBMERJ) has revealed that it gained 14 new specialists on 11 September.
