Two accelerant detection canines (better known as arson dogs) demonstrated their skills at sniffing out ignitable liquids used in arson fires today at the Cincinnati Fire Department, 430 Central Avenue. The event coincided with Arson Awareness Week (May 4-10), a time dedicated to educating Ohioans on arson issues.

"We are in Cincinnati today to showcase two members of Ohio's comprehensive arson fighting team during Arson Awareness Week," said Charles G. McGrath, chief of the State Fire Marshal's Arson Bureau. "Our arson dogs, Smoky and Carla, are quickly showing that man's best friend can be an arsonist's worst nightmare."

Today's demonstration was co-sponsored by the Ohio Department of Commerce and the Cincinnati Fire Department. During the demonstration, Dennis Cummings, an arson investigator for the Division of State Fire Marshal, led the two Labrador retrievers he handles. Investigator Cummings showed how four-year old Carla and nine-year-old Smoky can sniff out ignitable liquid accelerants used to start arson fires. When one of the dogs locates an ignitable liquid's presence at the fire scene, Investigator Cummings rewards them with food.

The dogs enhance law enforcement’s ability to prosecute arsonists by saving arson investigators time by pinpointing accelerants at a fire scene and providing more accurate samples for laboratory analysis.

Smoky and Carla are available at no charge to assist any Ohio fire department, arson task force or law enforcement agency.

"The State Fire Marshal's office is only one part of the arson fighting team here in Ohio," said McGrath. "Diligent local officials, like those here in Cincinnati, are crucial to our success in prevention, education, and criminal prosecution."

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The Division of State Fire Marshal is part of the Ohio Department of Commerce. The Fire Marshal’s Office trains firefighters, enforces the Ohio Fire Code, investigates the cause and origins of fires and explosions, provides fire prevention programs, and performs other services. Other Commerce divisions enforce regulations regarding industrial compliance, financial institutions, real estate, securities, and unclaimed funds among others.