Search Teams

Our Search Teams

California Regional Task Force 7 (CA-RTF7) Ventura County

California Task Force 1 (CA-TF1) Los Angeles City

California Task Force 2 (CA-TF2) Los Angeles County

California Task Force 3 (CA-TF3) Bay Area

California Task Force 4 (CA-TF4) Oakland

California Task Force 5 (CA-TF5) Orange County

California Task Force 7 (CA-TF7) Sacramento

California Task Force 8 (CA-TF8) San Diego

Nebraska Task Force 1 (NE-TF1)

New York Task Force 2 (NY-TF2)

Oklahoma Task Force 1 (OK-TF1)

Tijuana Task Force 1 (TIJ-TF1)

Utah Task Force 1 (UT-TF1)

Virginia Task Force 2 (VA-TF2)

Bolt & Calvin Giddings

Bolt & Calvin Giddings

 

Team Info

 

Task Force: Utah Task Force 1 (UT-TF1)
Level: In training to certify

 

 

Search Dog Info

 

Breed: Labrador Retriever
Sex: Male
Born: March 30, 2023
Sponsor: The Joel and Dena Gambord Family

 

 

Bolt’s journey to the Search Dog Foundation began in Alabama, when his previous owners realized his high energy and boisterous spirit were far more than a typical pet home could manage. Hoping to find the energetic black Labrador Retriever a proper outlet, they posted a rehoming listing on Facebook. Fortunately, an SDF canine recruiter spotted the post. After just one ball toss and a quick hunt game, she knew she was looking at a potential disaster search dog! She fostered the “loud, rambunctious, funny boy” until transportation could be arranged to bring Bolt to our National Training Center in Santa Paula, where he would begin his new life. 

 

Upon arrival on campus, Bolt proved to be an incredibly smart cookie who thrived in his learning. While he is an energetic and boisterous guy, trainers quickly noticed he also possessed a soft, sweet side. Bolt accelerated through his foundational work, mastering collaborative toy play, basic obedience, and advanced control. As he moved up to the sophomore class, he excelled in the barrel field—learning to search past intense food and toy distractions—and began tackling complex odor pictures on the rubble. We were thrilled to see this boisterous boy find a true outlet for his incredible talent in our program. 

 

Matching Bolt’s drive is his handler, Calvin Giddings. Calvin was drawn to the first responder community because of his love for complex, high-pressure environments where teamwork is essential. He found his perfect niche on the ski patrol, a role that combined three of his passions: skiing, helping others, and dogs. Growing up, Calvin had always admired working dogs and their handlers from afar, but entering the first responder world gave him a practical appreciation for them. In the high-stakes world of avalanche search and rescue, dogs remain the only tool on the mountain capable of reliably finding a human every single time. 

 

Calvin’s trajectory expanded further into Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) when he met FEMA handler Craig Kuhnly. Craig took Calvin under his wing, teaching him the intricacies of canine search and rescue both on and off the snow. Today, Calvin serves as the Assistant K9 Coordinator for the Powder Mountain Ski Patrol Avalanche K9 program and is a Canine Search Specialist (CSS) candidate for Utah Task Force 1 (UT-TF1). Through this work, Calvin became well-acquainted with SDF, which has long been an invaluable partner to Powder Mountain, where we’ve placed fellow SDF alum canines Lady, Leo, and Raven. 

 

The connection between Calvin and Bolt actually began before they ever met in person. Calvin was scrolling through Facebook when he stumbled across an ad for Bolt. Within thirty minutes, he was on the phone with SDF’s Tracy Darling, who described Bolt as a “search stud with severe FOMO, highly motivated to work, and a lot to handle.” Calvin’s immediate response was simple: “He sounds perfect.” 

 

When they finally met on campus and played tug together for the first time, Calvin knew the match was right, thinking to himself, “That’s a lot of dog. He’ll do.” Calvin fell in love with Bolt’s high-strung, high-drive work ethic, balanced perfectly by his sensitive nature. For Calvin, having a dog who is completely crazy for the job but still wants to snuggle up after a long, intense day at work is the ultimate partnership. 

 

Calvin and Bolt were officially paired on July 18, 2026. Working as a team, their goals include achieving their foundational certifications and state-level avalanche certifications to ensure they are ready to answer the call whenever disaster strikes. We are incredibly proud to continue our legacy with Powder Mountain through this pairing, and we look forward to seeing Calvin and Bolt make a life-saving difference wherever they are needed most.