The number of times the Watkins are called varies widely each year.  This year, they've assisted on five search missions so far but have worked on as many as 20.  Responding to so many incidents -  last year they were called on both Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve - is an enormous time commitment.  John said he's fortunate his employer of 29 years, Ocean Spray, allows him to leave at a moment's notice for the searches as a community service.  It also adds many miles to their vehicle.  Monthly training adds to the time commitment.

But the rewards are worth it, the Watkins said.  Reuniting a lost  person with their family or providing closure, "should that be the case," is what makes the calling worth the effort, John said.  He knows from personal experience.  In 1998, his 77-year-old uncle James Watkins, who had Alzheimer's became disoriented and disappeared from his home near state Route 105.  His disappearance launched one of the largest searches in county history.  James Watkins' body was found several months later, and it appeared he had drowned after falling into the Johns River.

John said the outpouring of community support and search teams from as far away as Canada inspired him to become an emergency searcher.  He ordered then 12-week-old Jasmine and began their training together

Darla became a certified searcher a year later.  They are in the midst of training their newest bloodhound, Abbie, to become a search and rescue dog.  Their other two bloodhounds, Lightnun and Thunder - aren't search dogs.  Thunder was rescued from an abusive situation and Lightnun was given to them by a retiree who couldn't care for him.  Lightnun does participate in outreach programs with the Watkins, though.   They also have three other dogs.

Each year the Watkins attend several local events including the County Fair to educate the public on how to prevent becoming lost in the forest and what to do if one does become turned around.

Last year alone, the Watkins spoke to more than 1,000 school-age children through their "Lost Child" program at various schools and libraries.  They teach young people how to prevent becoming lost in the forest and how to make themseleves more visible to those who will be search for them.

Top on the list of what to do when lost:  Stay put.  It's easier for rescuers to find a person who hasn't strayed too far, John said.

The Watkins show a video, answer questions and provide information first.  The dog is the finale.  Once Jasmine shows up, the kids are too thrilled to do much more learning, Darla said.

"They remember the Dog's name and not ours," Darla said with a laugh.  Before bringing her in, they hide a few of  the kids and Jasmine finds them.

A bloodhound's sense of smell is four times better than many other breeds and 400,000 times better than a human's nose.  Their long ears help funnel the scent to their noses and the scent also clings to the folds of skin that give bloodhounds their lonesome, forlorn look.  Bloodhounds follow the trail of dead skin cells, or skin rafts, that every human leaves behind, John explained.  A person's scent is as unique as their fingerprints.  A common misconception is that a dog-handling team can always find a person or arrive at a location where a subject has been reported lost, ahead of other searchers.  The major advantage dogs have over human searchers is they can track which direction a lost person took.  Searchers can then concerntrate their efforts in that direction.

If somebody is reported missing in rural Grays Harbor County, the sheriff's office and the county's Emergency and Risk Management Department alert local rescue teams as deputies begin organizing the search.  The state is contacted for liability purposes.  It is then up to the search group leaders to call up members and let the county know if they can make it, and how many searchers they can bring.  If somebody went missing in Grays Harbor or surrounding counties, chances are that the Watkins and Jasmine helped to find the person.