"Brad," a male, yellow/chocolate mix Labrador Retriever is an Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives-trained fire accelerant detection canine. He was acquired through the ATF to help the City of Buffalo with arson investigations.
Mayor Brown and Fire Commissioner Lombardo today introduced Brad as he demonstrated his special accelerant detection skills at the Canine Training Facility in Buffalo. He and Sal Colangelo, Commander of Buffalo's Fire Marshall's office, make up a detection team of only 84 accelerant dogs in the United States trained by the ATF.
"This is another example of seeking creative methods for enhancing and strengthening all aspects of fire safety in Buffalo," said Mayor Brown. "We're happy to have Brad on board and we look forward to utilizing his unique skills in analyzing a variety of fire-related issues, particularly arsons."
Colangelo and Brad spent 6 weeks of training together at an ATF facility in Front Royal, Virginia. Brad also trained on odor detection for 12 weeks. He is certified in detection of 21 ignitable liquids. The dog's principle job is to assist the investigators in finding accelerants that may have been used in a fire.
"The mission of the Buffalo Fire Department is to ensure the highest level of quality fire, EMS and specialized services to the residents of Buffalo," said Commissioner Lombardo. "This is a very valuable and highly reliable specialized service, which will assist the Fire Department in many ways. We're very happy to have Brad in the department."
