The Calgary Fire Department officially welcomed a new dog into the fold on Thursday. The new K9, Titus, is a two-year-old American Field Labrador. He’ll help investigators determine the cause of fires and if they were potentially arson by detecting accelerants. Officials say Titus is trained to locate as little as 0.2 microlitres of ignitable liquid. “Working canines like Titus serve a unique role in the fire service as they significantly improve the accuracy and speed of fire investigations,” said Deputy Chief Pete Steenaerts. “What may take specialized tools hours to detect, Titus can identify within minutes.” Fifth fire dog Titus is the CFD’s fifth fire investigations dog since 1991 but the only one working currently. He joined the team in March and has already helped the fire department with 33 investigations. Titus serves alongside his handler, Brad Brookes, who’s been a Calgary firefighter for 18 years. “Titus helps us gather vital information and data to solve fire investigations—and the best part is getting to work with an animal every day,” Brooks said. “I love animals, and it’s truly special to represent the department with a partner like Titus.” Training and safety Titus, who was born in Wisconsin, began his training with the CADA Fire Dogs program at eight weeks old. He can identify many different accelerants including ethanol, acetone, paint thinner, gasoline, diesel, camp fuel and kerosene. Titus wears his badge and vest while on duty. To ensure he stays safe, Brookes clears any debris that could potentially harm Titus from the scene and makes sure air quality levels are safe before he proceeds. When he finds an ignitable liquid, Titus will show Brookes by laying on his stomach and pointing at the area with his nose. “He knows what he’s doing, I just help guide him there,” Brookes said. “There’s a deep trust between us. He searches, and I interpret the patterns he’s showing me, almost like painting a picture of what happened.” Titus is given a bath after every scene he attends, and receives regular veterinary check-ups. When off duty, Titus lives with Investigator Brookes and his family where he gets to be regular dog who naps and plays. If you want to meet Titus, he and Brookes will be reading at the Central Library at 11 a.m. on Nov. 27.
