Dr. Pat Grant

Dr. Grant has been a team member of the California Task Force 3 Urban Search and Rescue since its inception in 1991. She has deployed as a FEMA Type 1 Canine Team with her partner Topper to the Oklahoma City Bombing in April 1995 and to the World Trade Center in September 2001. She was also the veterinarian on the Incident Support Team for the Columbia Shuttle Recovery Mission in February of 2003. In addition to her team activities with search and as a canine coordinator, Dr. Grant is a rostered DHS/FEMA CSSCP Evaluator, the certification process for search dogs. She also teaches as a subject matter expert in the Medical Specialist Course given to medics and doctors, teaching them to care for their canine charges.

Dr. Grant received her veterinary degree from Texas A&M University in 1984. She is also a charter member of the Monterey Bay Search Dogs since its inception in 1984, and she works part time at a local wildlife rehabilitation center.

Read "Topper's Story".

Chantal Rose

Chantal has 13 years of Search & Rescue experience in both wilderness and urban settings. Chantal is the Training Director for Monterey Bay Search Dogs and serves as the Canine Coordinator for both California Task Force 3 (CATF3) and the Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office SAR Team.  In addition to being a certified K9 handler, she is an Instructor for Mar-Ken International, a P.O.S.T. Evaluator, and an OES Search Manager. Chantal also regularly contributes to the community as a Hug-A-Tree Presenter.

Chantal's training includes Rescue Systems 1, Wilderness First Responder/CPR, and NIMS 700-800

Steve Hilts

Steve has been a member of Monterey Bay Search Dogs since 2002. He and his k9 partner Daisy are a FEMA certified disaster Search and Rescue team and member of California Task Force 3 (CATF3); they deployed with the Task Force to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Hurricane Ernesto in 2006, and most recently, to Hurricane Gustav in 2008. Steve also volunteers for the Red Cross as a member of their Disaster Action Team and as an Emergency Response Vehicle Driver. He deployed with the Red Cross to Hurricane Dean and the San Diego fires, both in 2007.

Steve loves being outdoors, and enjoys Ocean Kayaking, rock & ice climbing, mountain biking, long distance running, hiking and swimming, and Yoga. He is a nationally Registered EMT-B and an Advanced SCUBA Diver.

Chris Melville

Chris and his k9 pal Kai are members of Monterey Bay Search Dogs and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Team, specializing in wilderness area search. Chris is also a member of Santa Cruz County's Technical Rescue Team (Kai would like that too but he can't stop stepping on the rope). Chris and Kai are both NASAR SARTECH II certified, and Chris is a Rope Rescue Technician II.

Chris's interests include emergency and wilderness medicine (he is currently a certified First Responder, and was certified as an EMT-1A in 1982, 1989 and 1994); he worked as a volunteer firefighter in Felton, CA during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Ages ago, Chris was an instructor for the Southwest Outward Bound School and taught rock climbing and mountaineering for the UC Santa Cruz Recreation Dept. He enjoys climbing of all sorts, and is a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver.