To mark Arson Awareness Week, the San Bernardino County Fire Department is highlighting two hard-nosed fire investigators, along with the human firefighters who hold their leashes.
Ginnie and Dinty doggedly serve the county as arson K-9, according to their handlers, Assistant Fire Marshal Brian Headly and Fire Investigator Shawn Reiss.
“Alongside their handlers … [they] play a vital role in investigating fire scenes and protecting our communities across all 20,000 square miles of San Bernardino County,” according to a statement from the agency.
The animals are specially trained to sniff out evidence, such as chemical accelerants, that help fire officials detect and investigate arsons.
“The importance of the arson dogs is their noses. They have a greater sense of smell,” Reiss explained.
Reiss said he had been partnered with Dinty for five years
“Dinty’s been awesome,” he said. “He’s an older dog, but he works. He basically doesn’t need me to do anything… If it’s there, he’s going to find it.
Headly was first paired with Ginnie in 2022.
“Ginnie has assisted in many cases with arrests and convictions. The dog can cover a wide area quicker than a person with a machine,” he said.
“It’s the greatest thing in the world. Dog’s best friend,” he said. “She lives with me. My family loves her. She’s a dog being a dog at home, but once you put the food bag on and we get to a scene, she knows it’s time to got to work and she does a great job.”
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Meet San Bernardino Co. Fire Department arson dogs Dinty and Ginnie
Reporting by Brian Day, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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