The Board of Public Health and Safety on April 2 authorized contracts for evaluators to conduct a FEMA-sanctioned canine evaluation scheduled April 25–27. The evaluations will certify teams in live‑find and human‑remains detection, a FEMA requirement for national deployment.

Tom Neil, division chief and program manager for Indiana Task Force 1, said the city is hosting the evaluation and has 16 teams from across the country scheduled to take the exam. Neil described the evaluation as a rigorous FEMA certification that uses rubble piles and simulated voids: "If they do a false alert, they fail the test." He said FEMA funding is available through a federal USAR cooperative agreement and the funds were set aside in 2022; the grant must be spent before its August 31, 2025, expiration.

Neil presented multiple individual evaluator contracts (most not to exceed $3,300) and explained that Gary Hay, the lead evaluator, should be paid up to $4,000 to account for an additional day of duties. A board member identified a typo in the packet and the board amended item D to change the requested amount for Hay to $4,000. The board then voted to combine and approve items C through I (with D amended) in a single motion.

Neil said the city has submitted deployment and reimbursement paperwork to FEMA for prior deployments and is in contact with FEMA headquarters; he and other staff told the board the cooperative agreement funds have been drawn down in prior instances and staff are monitoring federal processes that could delay reimbursements.

Votes at a glance

• Agenda items 040225C–I (K‑9 evaluator contracts) — Multiple evaluator contracts, most NTE $3,300; Gary Hay (lead evaluator) amended to NTE $4,000. Motion to amend D (Hay) to $4,000: approved. Motion to approve items C–I (as amended): approved.