1
Master Sergeant James Franklin looked out at the group of ten fresh-faced trainees who were at the Disaster City Search and Rescue Academy for his month-long avalanche training program. He loosely held the leash to his K9 partner, an all-white Alaskan husky named Siku. The dog was scanning the area for anything unusual, as she often did. The trainees were expectantly waiting in their seats with their own K9 partners sitting beside them.
“For our first day of training, we are going to go over the different types of avalanches. As mountain rescuers, all of you know that there is slab, loose snow, icefall, wet, glide, slush, and cornice fall avalanches. What we’ll be teaching you is the different techniques for finding survivors in each condition. People die from carbon dioxide poisoning because it builds up in the snow around their mouth. Statistics show that 93% of avalanche victims can be saved if they are dug out within the first fifteen minutes, but after that, the numbers drop catastrophically. That’s what makes our job so important, and why our K9 partners are instrumental in recovering victims. They have the ability to locate them within a matter of minutes, and that’s often the difference between life and death.”
“Between Sergeant Franklin and myself, we have over eighteen years of avalanche search and rescue experience,” James’ fellow Disaster City Search and Rescue Academy instructor, Officer Ross Canter, explained further. His training partner’s own sable and white Alaskan malamute K9 partner, Ace, was sitting on his back haunches beside Ross. “We’ve seen it all, from small towns wiped out, to hiking groups stranded at twenty-thousand feet. We’re the best of the best, and by the time we’re finished training you—those of you that don’t wash out—will be able to say the same thing.”
“Tomorrow, we will be leaving for the Texas mountains where we have our own snow made for training purposes. When we run you through your first exercise, we will see who retains what we teach you today, and you’ll be able to show us what you’re made of.” James started to move through the rows of students with Siku by his side. “We’ll know immediately who is capable of handling this intense training versus who is going to fold under the pressure. Between the extreme conditions and the intensity of the searches, you’re going to be pushed beyond anything you’ve ever endured. Only the cream of the crop is going to rise to the top, so I would take this very, very seriously.”
“This isn’t like looking for some missing hikers, or helping lost skiers make it back to their resort. You will be tested in the most extreme of scenarios,” Ross added. “Only about half of you will make it through the training, and from that group, only a handful will ever come close to reaching the elite status of a rescue expert like my fellow instructor, Sergeant Franklin. He is the most decorated mountain rescue officer of all time. With over five hundred rescues, he’s unparalleled, and you were selected, out of hundreds of applicants, to have the privilege of being personally trained by him. Count yourself luckier than a lotto winner.”
The next six hours were spent going over the specific details of the different types of avalanches. The trainees took detailed notes, asked intelligent questions for the most part, and watched videos of specific examples. James was keeping his eye on one officer who didn’t seem to be paying close enough attention.
The instructors finished up and dismissed the trainees, making sure to remind them of the importance of getting plenty of sleep for their first day of practice.
“What do you think of the new batch of trainees?” Ross asked, as they walked across the DCSRA campus, passing by the auditorium, training center, and the dormitories. “I’m liking Mahoney for top of the class.”
“He would be the obvious choice, but sometimes the most confident ones wash out when their skills get pushed beyond what they already know. I’m more interested in seeing what Martinez can do. He doesn’t showboat his knowledge, but it’s clear he knows what he’s doing.”
“Who do you think’s going to wash out?”
“Daniels,” James stated bluntly as they reached the staff villa on the far side of the campus. “He doesn’t pay attention, and tends to answer without thinking. He won’t get very far with that attitude.”
They quickly went to their separate apartments, changing into jeans and t-shirts before meeting back out front to head over to the cafeteria.
“After dinner, why don’t you come out with me and the other guys?”
As they made their way through the line and picked out the items they were going to eat, James shook his head, resulting in his brown hair falling over his left eye. “I have to work out at the gym and then I need to run Siku through her paces at the K9 training arena.”
“Or, for once, you could put Siku in the DCSRA kennel and hang out with the rest of us. You can’t tell me playing pool and having a few drinks doesn’t sound good.”
It didn’t. James was a solitary man and would rather read about the latest rescue and K9 handling techniques by himself than spend his evening socializing. He knew, however, his fellow instructor wouldn’t understand that. Instead, he blamed it on the job. “Tomorrow’s a big day and I want to make sure I get plenty of rest before we test the trainees up on the mountain.”
“I’ve never known someone who is so much work and so little play,” Ross complained with a roll of his eyes. “You really need to get a life outside the academy. Don’t you want some company of the female variety?”
James shrugged. “I’m good; Siku is the only company I need.”
“If there ever was a definition of a man and his dog being his best friend, it’s the two of you.”
James knew that Ross was making a jab at him, but he didn’t care. It was true. James was more at home alone on top of a mountain with Siku than he ever was with a group of people. It was why it took him so long to accept the offer of becoming an instructor at DCSRA. He hadn’t been sure he was willing to subject himself to being around people constantly. When one of the victims he saved suggested that he should train other S & R K9 handlers, he realized he had knowledge that could help others, and it would be selfish of him not to share it.
“I think I’m going to take my dinner to my apartment.” James grabbed a box from the end of the counter. “I have a lot to go over before tomorrow.”
“You know it’s not healthy to work without any relaxation. It’s going to catch up with you, Franklin.”
James tried to ignore Ross’ comment, but it nestled into his heart, making him wonder if there was any part of it that might be true. Was he making a mistake by keeping his life all about search and rescue and leaving no room for anything else?
“There you are Franklin, Canter.” Ben Miller, the Deputy Commander of the academy came up to them with a serious expression on his face. This meant only one thing—they had a call out for assistance. “I need to speak with both of you right now.”
“What’s going on? Where are we headed?” Franklin inquired with anticipation. He hadn’t conducted a search with Siku in weeks and was already going through the different possibilities in his head. With it being right in the middle of the coldest part of winter, it could be countless scenarios.