MARK-9 — The Team — Susannah Charleson
Susannah Charleson and Puzzle
Susannah
Position: FAS Team / Dog Handler / Public Information Officer
Joined the Team: 2001
Certification: Texas Task Force 2, Level 2, Level 1, Senior. SARTECH III, SARTECH II, Amateur Radio License (Technician), FEMA courses: National Incident Management System (NIMS), Basic Incident Command System (B-ICS),ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents (IS-200), Special Needs Planning Considerations for Service and Support Providers (IS-00197.SP), Animals in Disaster: Preparedness (IS-10) and Community Planning (IS-11), Disaster Basics (IS-292), Orientation to Hazardous Materials for Medical Personnel (IS-346), Introduction to ICS for Schools (IS-100.SC), Multi-Hazard Emergency Planning for Schools (IS-362), Introduction to Residential Coastal Construction (IS-386), ICISF courses: Responding to Airline Disasters, pt. 1, pt. 2, Cultural Diversity and Effective Crisis Response, Student Witnesses: A Case Study of Flight Risk and Crisis Response After School Shootings, Using Canines as Assisted Therapy in Disaster Rehab Areas, Time and Debrief Effectiveness: An Examination of Delayed Debrief and Critical Incident Stress Scenarios.
Email: susannah.charleson@gmail.com

Flying search and crime scene photography for local law enforcement agencies led Susannah, a flight instructor and commercial pilot with 4000+ hours as pilot-in-command, to MARK-9. She currently works either as FAS team or as a canine handler with her Golden Retriever, Puzzle.

Her SAR-related research interests include coordinated air/ground search procedure, the behavior of Alzheimers' walkaways and rescue strategies for them,and animal behavior as clue detection in the search environment.

Susannah teaches GPS navigation, media interaction and some specialty courses for the team. She hosts a local television program and is MARK-9's media liaison. Susannah is currently enrolled in the Certificate of Specialized Training program, International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, majoring in two tracks: Mass Disaster and Terrorism and Schools and Children Crisis Response, and with the Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists, Certified Trauma Responder certification.

Away from Texas, Susannah enjoys working tall ships from the Great Age of Fighting Sail, while here she works the wind flying the Piper Arrow co-owned with teammate Ellen Sanchez.