Vadim
Likholetov
SAR Officer & Professional Dog Handler
Field experience across wilderness search, structure collapse response, and operational dog handling.
Professional Summary
15 years in Search and Rescue, from volunteer to USAR team leader. Wilderness search, structure collapse rescue, and dog handling. Relocated from St. Petersburg, Russia to Tampere, Finland in May 2022.
Certifications & Training
SAR Dogs Team
Vitamin (Labrador)
- Age:
- 2008-2023
- Status:
- SAR Certified (Retired)
- Achievements:
- 2 victim finds (deceased)
Vader (Malinois)
- Age:
- 12 years
- Status:
- SAR Certified (Retired)
- Achievements:
- 2 live victim finds (dementia cases)
Red (Malinois)
- Age:
- 5 years
- Status:
- SAR & HRD Certified
- Achievements:
- Passed IRO National MRT (Rubble) test 2023, 6 deceased persons found in Turkey deployment
Jeeves (Labrador)
- Age:
- 1.5 years
- Status:
- In Training
- Achievements:
- Early SAR development phase
Major Deployments & Experience
Turkey Earthquake Response (February 2023)
Deployed to Adıyaman with international rescue forces. Located 6 deceased victims under rubble with SAR dogs.
SAR Team Otklik - Founder & Leader
Built a volunteer USAR team in St. Petersburg, operating 24/7. The team covers wilderness lost-person search, SAR dog training, and USAR operations. Gained IRO membership after a 3-year advocacy process.
Structure Collapse Operations
Deployed at every major structure collapse in the St. Petersburg area, including the fireworks plant explosion (2017), a major structure collapse (2019), and a demolition building's sudden collapse (2022).
Training & Development
Taught wilderness search and recovery courses for European SAR teams in Latvia and Estonia. Built structure collapse training programs. Certified LPB (Lost Person Behavior) trainer; completed the SWDI (Scandinavian Working Dog Institute) instructor course.
IT Solutions for SAR
Built IT tools for SAR work: a calls database, statistics analysis, and operational management systems.
Operational Videos
Fireworks Plant Explosion (2017)
Emergency response and search operations
Major Structure Collapse (2019)
USAR operations and victim recovery
Building Collapse (2022)
Demolition building sudden collapse response
SAR Dog in Action
Real live victim find footage
SAR Dog Action During Turkey Deployment (2023)
Search for victims in multistore building collapse