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News and events from the Seattle Fire Department

Henny the Seattle Fire Department Arson Dog Retires

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Photo Courtesy Mike Heaton

May 15—After 6 years on the job and more than 100 fire investigations, Henny the Seattle Fire Department “Arson Dog” has retired.

Henny fire joined the Seattle Fire Department in 2006 as the very first accelerant detection dog or “Arson Dog”. Henny and her handler Captain Stephen Baer graduated from the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Accelerant Detection K-9 school.

Henny is a black lab and is trained to detect petroleum-based fuels in the amounts that humans or machines can’t smell.

Since joining the SFD, Henny has assisted with in 134 fire investigations. Henny has been utilized by the ATF, FBI and other fire and law enforcement agencies around the state.

Captain Baer and Henny’s teamwork has led to arrests and the determination of causes in fires that included losses in the tens of millions of dollars.

Captain Baer transferred from the Fire Investigative Unit to become the Officer-in-Charge on Engine Company 8 located on Queen Anne Hill. Henny, is already enjoying her retirement. She will remain a full-time pet for Captain Baer and his family.

Madison Park BofA ATM Fire Under Investigation

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November 9—Seattle Fire Investigators along with “Henny” the accelerant sniffing dog investigated a suspicious fire at a Madison Park Bank of America bank branch. Around two a.m., a Seattle Police Department patrol officer spotted the bank’s ATM machine smoldering at the branch located in the 4100 block of East Madison Street.

Engine Company 34 arrived to find a small amount of flames and smoke coming from the cash machine. The fire had extended inside the bank and up in the attic area between the ceiling and roof of the building. Firefighters found the bank branch doors and windows to be locked and secure so they made forcible entry inside the bank in order to fight the flames. It took nearly 40 minutes to extinguish the fire.

“Henny” the accelerant sniffing dog “hit” on a couple of items located in the debris at the fire scene. Those items are being sent to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab to be tested for accelerants.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Damage estimates are pending.

Fire Prevention Month Kicks Off at MOHAI

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DATE: Saturday October 8, 2011

TIME: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

LOCATION: MOHAI 2700 24th Ave East(Admission is Free) 2700 24th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112

The Seattle Fire Department, in partnership with the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) will kick off Fire Prevention Month with a special program that includes a variety of educational activities for children and their parents.

Henny the Arson Dog and her handler Captain Steve Baer will demonstrate how she uncovers evidence at arson scenes. The black lab has been used at more than130 fire investigations during the past five years in both Seattle and neighboring jurisdictions.

The Seattle Fire Department Public Education Unit will set up a home fire evacuation obstacle course. The demonstration teaches children how to crawl low below the smoke and heat as well as how to get out and stay out if they experience a home fire. Kids will also learn to choose an outdoor meeting place with their family and at that meeting place, how to call 9-1-1 and give emergency dispatchers important information they need to provide help.

Everyone will get a chance to tour The Great Seattle Fire Exhibit which includes the infamous glue pot that supposedly started Seattle’s massive blaze of 1889. The fire destroyed 120 acres (25 city blocks). Thousands of people were left without homes and thousands more were left without jobs due to their workplaces burning down. At the time, the City of Seattle estimated damages of more than 8 million dollars. The number may have been as high as 20 million dollars if you add in personal losses and water and electrical damage.