When it comes to detecting arson, four legs is better than two. Howard County has announced a new member of the team hired for his nose to help detect fires set intentionally.
After his handler stepped in to help him get sworn in, since he has paws and not hands, the 2-year-old black Labrador retriever was celebrated as the newest member of the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services as an arson accelerant detector.
He went with his trainer to complete the canine accelerant detection program hosted by Maine State Police.
“Beacon and Captain (Craig) Matthews will assist not only here in Howard County, but at fire scenes throughout the Baltimore, Washington Metropolitan Area,” said Fire Chief Louis Winston.
This is because there’s only a handful of arson dogs like Beacon in the area. Arson dogs can do in seconds and minutes what takes humans days or weeks when it comes to locating evidence of gasoline, lighter fluid or kerosene.
Captain Craig Matthews, with the Department’s Office of the Fire Marshal, and Beacon’s handler, explained how it works.
“Beacon is a food reward dog, unlike your typical police dog that is play, can’t throw a ball or a Kong in a fire scene, because it’s unsafe for to do so for the dogs,” Matthews said.
He said that many of the fire scenes have holes in the floor, broken glass or sharp metal objects, so they do a food reward system instead of toys.
“So when Beacon finds the source of an ignitable liquid, he will then sit and he will use his nose to point to that spot, and then I will reward him with a small handful of food,” Matthews said.
Beacon and his trainer are expected to respond to an average of 80 investigations in a year. Beacon is the fifth arson accelerant detection canine to serve Howard County and second to accompany Matthews.
The swearing-in is timely as October is Fire Prevention Month.
“Each time Beacon is out, things will be a little bit better and a little bit safer for everyone,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball.
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