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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: Mayor Welcomes Seattle's First Arson Dog
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
3/29/2006 11:30:00 AM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Helen Fitzpatrick, (206) 386-1463
Alex Fryer (206) 684-8358
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Mayor Welcomes Seattle's First Arson Dog
SEATTLE- Mayor Greg Nickels shook hands . . . err paws . . . today with the Seattle Fire Department's newest member, Henny -- a 53-pound Black lab with a nose for sniffing out arson.
The Fire Department's first four-legged investigator demonstrated her talent for locating accelerants used in starting fires. The dog and her handler, Lt. Steve Baer, recently returned from six weeks of intensive arson training at the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) school in Front Royal, Virginia.
"Henny is more than a great dog, she is also a fire investigator's best friend," Nickels said. "With her nose for arson, she will help us crack some of the most difficult crimes to solve."
As part of the ATF's National Response Team, Henny and her handler can be deployed for major incidents anywhere in the country. Seattle was chosen to fill one of eight spots in the Accelerant Canine Detection Program which is funded by the ATF.
Arson is one of the most difficult crimes to prove because most cases have no witnesses and are based on evidence that burns up in a fire. Canine accelerant dogs are specially trained to sniff out commonly used ignitable liquids such as gasoline, paint thinner, kerosene, diesel or lighter fluid. Research has shown that accelerant dogs can detect traces of an accelerant down to one tenth of a part per million.
Henny is one of three arson dogs in Washington State.
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Office of the Mayor
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