The Indiana Department of Homeland Security's Search and Rescue Training Center is located at Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. The facility was built in 1990 by former State Emergency Management Agency employees who donating their time to the project.

The Search and Rescue Training Center offers K-9 courses in, disaster search, land and water cadaver detection, building search techniques, trailing, area search techniques, K-9 first aid and much more. The Search and Rescue Training Center offers other non-K9 courses such as Ground Search and Rescue Techniques, Boater and Helicopter Safety for Emergency workers, Tracking and sign cutting, as well as other SAR related courses.

On August 29, 2001 the Training Center was rededicated the Mari Hulman George Search and Rescue Training Center in honor of Ms. Mari Hulman George, owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, to recognize the contributions she has made in providing care to animals affected by disasters). With the dedication came a major renovation to the facility costing over $300,000.  This renovation included the addition of a new classroom, shower facilities, and a small kitchen area and more.  The facility also received renovations to make it ADA compliant.

The Search and Rescue Training Center has outdoor training facilities as well. There is a K-9 agility field, 3 rubble piles (one with a rappel entry and over 300 feet of tunnels), where participants can practice not only in K-9 related search techniques but confined space rescue and hazardous materials response training.

The facility is maintained by the Search and Rescue Training Center staff, and operates year-round providing students from across the country with the most current emergency response training programs in the nation. The Search and Rescue Training Center provides training to civilian volunteers as well as local, state, and federal emergency response and law enforcement agencies.  Various military teams also use the training facility and classrooms.

Search and Rescue Training Centers from across the country and around the world have participated in Search and Rescue training at our facility. Many of those same agencies have responded to major disasters such as the Okalahoma City bombing, as well as 9/11, missing person searches ,and many other national, state, and local incidents.

For more information, contact the IDHS Search and Rescue center at 812-526-0013, or, to learn more,  Click here.

Last updated May 20, 2013