LAKEWOOD ~ Lakewood, Colorado - The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) has recently welcomed a new member to their team, a four-legged canine named Ash. This skilled pup has already proven her worth by assisting in the investigation of seven fires since starting her job just 11 days ago.

Governor Jared Polis expressed his excitement for Ash's addition to the team, stating, "I welcome Ash to the Division of Fire Prevention and Control. Here in Colorado, fire season has become year-round, which is why we have doubled down on our fire response efforts. We want to do everything we can to prevent major fires while investing in important response tools. Ash is not only a good girl, but is now an important part of our work to keep Colorado communities safe, and we are excited to see all that she can accomplish."

Ash was trained as both an accelerant detection canine and a therapy dog by Jordan Detection K9s. She received her training at Jordan Detection K9 in Indianapolis, Indiana with her handler Matthew Morgan, who is also a DFPC Fire Investigator and Canine Handler.

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Chief Chris Brunette of the Fire and Life Safety Section at DFPC expressed their satisfaction with being able to offer this service of having an accelerant detection canine available for local fire and law enforcement agencies. He stated that Ash is one of only three accelerant detection canines available in Colorado and the only one currently at the state level who can quickly be dispatched to serve communities.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), municipal fire departments in the United States respond to an estimated annual average of 52,260 intentional fires each year. These fires result in 400 civilian deaths, 950 civilian injuries, and $815 million in direct property damage. However, these numbers may be even higher as arson is often an underreported crime. Arson dogs like Ash play a crucial role in determining the cause of many of these fires.

For agencies interested in dispatching the investigation team or for a demonstration of Ash's skills, DFPC can be contacted at cdps_dfpc_invadmin@state.co.us. Ash's addition to the team is a valuable asset in keeping Colorado communities safe and preventing major fires.

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