PUASAR020 — Develop a canine search team for USAR incidents

Generate a complete, audit-ready assessment tool for this unit in minutes: candidate assessment, assessor guide with model answers, and a coverage matrix mapped to every component below. Reviewed and approved by your qualified person, exported under your branding.

Generate PUASAR020 free See a real sample

Every new account includes a free credit — no card, no subscription.

What an assessment for PUASAR020 must cover

56 assessable components: 5 elements (21 performance criteria), 23 performance evidence and 12 knowledge evidence requirements. An audit-defensible tool maps every question and task back to these — that mapping is the coverage matrix Auditori generates alongside the assessment.

Elements & performance criteria

1 Maintain canine obedience

1.1Canine search specialist maintains canine obedience while canine is heeling, off lead
1.2Emergency stop with recall is performed by canine search specialist with canine
1.3At the direction of the canine search specialist, a down stay is performed by canine while under distraction
1.4Canine specialist ensures canine tasks are performed without canine demonstrating aggressive behaviour towards people or other animals

2 Demonstrate canine agility

2.1Under canine search specialist direction, an agility course is completed by canine, within required timeframe
2.2Under canine search specialist direction, a turn on an elevated plank is performed by canine
2.3Agility course is negotiated by canine and canine search specialist in a controlled, safe and appropriate manner

3 Maintain direction and control

3.1Canine is directed by canine search specialist to required elevation, direction commands are given to canine and elevation is jumped on by canine
3.2Elevation is sustained by canine for a minimum of five seconds until directed by canine search specialist
3.3Direction and control course is negotiated by canine and canine search specialist within required timeframe
3.4Ability to control work at a distance by canine is demonstrated by canine search specialist

4 Develop canine to indicate live human scent

4.1Location of and commitment to live human scent is demonstrated by canine and is interpreted and acted on by canine specialist
4.2Alert exercise is undertaken by canine and canine search specialist within required timeframe with location of live human scent being correctly indicated by canine with a bark alert

5 Manage canine in a search to locate victims

5.1Interviews and site assessment is conducted to establish an appropriate search strategy
5.2Canine is deployed off lead and appropriate actions, indications and characteristics are used by canine and canine search specialist to ensure search area is covered within required timeframe
5.3Control of canine is maintained by canine search specialist at all times and assistance to canine is provided, as required
5.4Adjustments are made to search strategy by canine search specialist, as required, in accordance with changes in information, environmental conditions, search progress and current rescue work being undertaken
5.5Location of live human scent is indicated by canine with a bark alert during search of a collapse site
5.6Canine actions, indications and characteristics are interpreted correctly to identify the presence of live human scent by canine specialist
5.7Appropriate care, safety and welfare procedures for canine and canine search specialist are followed, in accordance with organisational policies and procedures and relevant legislation
5.8Post search examination of canine is conducted, in accordance with organisational procedures

Performance evidence

adjusting handling and search strategies in response to changing environments
applying canine and Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) industry guidelines, standards and procedures
applying Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements
assisting canine at search sites
caring for canine
collecting, analysing and organising information to develop an effective search strategy
completing site assessments
conducting a search of a nominated search area
constructing and completing direction and control course training
controlling a canine, off lead, including in public locations
demonstrating appropriate commands when handling a canine
demonstrating canine agility including completing recall, emergency stops and moving in different directions
developing canine to indicate live human scent
following organisational policies and procedures
handling a canine to maintain control and prevent accidents or injury to canine search specialist and/or others including members of the public
implementing USAR canine search methods and techniques
interpreting actions and indications given by a canine
maintaining direction and control of canine including with distractions
maintaining physical fitness of canine
managing canine in a search to locate victims
managing timeframes and priorities in response to changing search environments
undertaking post search examination of canine
working search canines in a controlled and safe manner

Knowledge evidence

alert behaviours of canines and their causes such as a bark
canine capabilities within Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) operations including canine behaviour, physiology, psychology, olfactory system and care
canine welfare legislation
factors that can determine appropriate search strategies
hazard identification and risk analysis
industry guidelines or standards on USAR canine search methods and techniques
organisational documentation, policies and procedures
principles of canine training including control, association, repetition, commands, rewards, correction, positive motivational methodologies, obedience and agility
safe working systems to reduce canine related incidents
scent theory and its application to the USAR environment
site assessment
Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements including risk mitigation

Unit content sourced from training.gov.au — © Commonwealth of Australia, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Auditori is not affiliated with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

See what you get before you start

Real, unedited Auditori output (RIIHAN201E shown), branded for a sample RTO:

Questions about assessing PUASAR020

What does an assessment tool for PUASAR020 need to cover?

To satisfy the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence, an assessment for PUASAR020 needs to address all 56 unit components: 5 elements with 21 performance criteria, 23 performance evidence requirements, 12 knowledge evidence requirements, and the foundation skills. A coverage matrix mapping each question and task to these components is what an auditor looks for.

How does Auditori generate an assessment tool for PUASAR020?

Auditori pulls the current release of PUASAR020 from training.gov.au and generates a complete package: candidate assessment, assessor guide with model answers and observation criteria, and a coverage matrix mapping every component. A suitably qualified person then reviews and approves the draft in a built-in workflow — consistent with ASQA's guidance on AI use in VET — before export as branded PDF and editable Word.

Is the first assessment tool really free?

Yes. Every new account includes one free credit — enough to generate the complete assessment tool for PUASAR020 — with no card and no subscription required. After that it's pay-as-you-go per unit.

Can I check my existing PUASAR020 assessment instead of generating a new one?

Yes — upload your existing assessment or learner guide and Auditori maps it against every element, performance criterion, PE and KE of PUASAR020, showing exactly what's covered and what's missing. Mapping costs a quarter of a credit.

Related units

Your PUASAR020 assessment tool, in minutes.

First unit free. No card, no RTO registration, no subscription.

Generate PUASAR020 free