Arson is one of the most expensive property claims in the United States. Each year billions of dollars in property damage and hundreds of lives are lost as a result of fires set by arsonists.
Arson dog teams are trained to locate potential evidence of arson following a fire. The dog alerts the handler, usually a firefighter or law enforcement official, to the specific location of an accelerant (gasoline, oil, fuel) and the handler collects the evidence for laboratory confirmation. This evidence is vital to an arson investigation and in the prosecution of this deadly crime.
Since 1983, the State Farm Arson Dog Program has trained and placed more than 425 dogs and their partners in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian province to help investigate suspicious fires.
Florida has the second most arson dog teams (9) in the country, just one team behind Illinois (10 teams). Meet the Florida Arson Dogs and where they serve.
1. Cody McIntyre and K9 Rico – Florida Office of the State Fire Marshal (Tallahassee, FL)
2. Ross Holt and K9 Icy – Florida Office of the State Fire Marshal’s (Plantation, FL)
3. Matt Huffman and K9 Shay-Ley – Florida Office of the State Fire Marshal (Jacksonville, FL)
4. David Young and K9 Fresca – Florida Office of the State Fire Marshal (Jacksonville, FL)
5. Paul Snider and K9 Buffett – Florida Office of the State Fire Marshal (Lake Wales, FL)
6. Jeff Batz and K9 Booker – Florida Office of the State Fire Marshal (Lake Wales, FL)
7. Daniel Koehler and K9 Ruthie – Florida Office of the State Fire Marshal (Daytona Beach, FL)
8. Joe Cox and K9 Camy – St. Lucie County Fire (Port St. Lucie, FL)
9. Jason Revoldt and K9 Nessie – Orlando Fire Department (Orlando, FL)
Additional Resources:
B-Roll Arson Dogs in training: https://vimeo.com/558640559
Photos of Arson Dogs: https://www.flickr.com/photos/warriorwoman531/sets/72157719067167276/