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San Francisco Fire Department pins badges on four FEMA‑certified K‑9 search teams
Summary
At its March 22 meeting the commission accepted a presentation and badge pinning for four San Francisco Fire Department canine search teams, noting the teams are FEMA‑certified and integrated into local operations and California Task Force 3.
The San Francisco Fire Department on March 22 presented badges and publicly recognized four FEMA‑certified urban search and rescue canine teams during a commission badge‑pinning ceremony.
Assistant Deputy Chief Shane Francisco introduced the ceremony and Captain Peter Gross and said the department has four FEMA certified urban search and rescue canine teams now integrated into regular operations and assigned to fire stations. Gross told the commission the three newest handlers were paired with their dogs in October 2015, completed rigorous training and achieved FEMA certification in April 2016.
Gross described the operational value of the teams: they assist in locating trapped or missing survivors in large incidents such as earthquakes and also respond to local building collapses or vehicle extrications. He noted the teams are also members of California Task Force 3 and that those task forces deploy with multiple FEMA‑certified teams to assist in large‑scale disasters.
Chief Joanne Hayes White and the commission presented badges to handlers and their canines: Captain Peter Gross and K‑9 Angus; Firefighter Eli Thomas and K‑9 Vader; Lieutenant Gareth Miller and K‑9 Vita; and Firefighter Ed Martinez and K‑9 Fritz. Commissioners thanked handlers and families and acknowledged the time and personal commitment required to train and maintain these teams.
During a brief question‑and‑answer exchange, officials confirmed the dogs live with their handlers, accompany them to assignments and train weekly to maintain readiness. Captain Gross said the program reduced deployment delays by providing an on‑site resource while awaiting task force assistance.
