A yellow Labrador retriever named Apollo is the newest member of the Hall County Fire Rescue team. Apollo is Hall County’s first accelerant detection canine.
The canine is part of the Arson Dog Program, which aims to increase awareness about arson and help the Hall County Fire Marshal’s Office with faster scene processing.
“Having an accelerant detection canine can greatly assist fire investigators in locating the origin of the fires that were ignited using accelerants such as gasoline,” said Fire Marshal Chief Michael Vieira. “This will aid in evidence collection and in determining if arson was the cause of the fire.”
Apollo has been through rigorous training for the past eight months. Fire Investigator/Inspector Lt. Cacey Henderson volunteered to become Apollo’s primary handler. Henderson trained to become a certified handler through the Canine Accelerant Detection Association (CADA). Two back-up handlers have also been put in place for operational readiness.
Hall County Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Kimberlie Ledsinger says Apollo investigated over 100 fires as part of his training. She says he is now ready to take on the full-time role of investigator.
Apollo has been trained to work with local fire crews, helping them to solve fires faster and more safely. He is also expected to help the community through fire safety and prevention education.
Hall County Fire Rescue expressed gratitude to the organizations that assisted with establishing the Arson Dog Program, including Blast Wingshooting Kennels, Reliant Investigations, and Georgia K9. Training and certifications were funded through the Friends of Hall County Fire Fund at the North Georgia Community Foundation.
