The Honolulu Fire Department welcomed a four-legged friendly member to their team!
Eve is a 2-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever. She can sniff out trace amounts of ignitable liquid such as gasoline or oil.
Eve completed 200 hours of training under the State Farm Arson Dog Program and is now a certified accelerant detection canine. She trained alongside her handler, HFD fire explosives investigator Micah Ancheta.
"Arson dogs are trained to use their proficient noses to identify evidence of a fire that was started on purpose. Evidence can be gasoline, oil, or other types of ignitable liquids. Those highly refined skills and disciplines are why we are very fortunate to welcome Eve into our department," Honolulu Fire Department Chief Sheldon Hao said at Eve's induction ceremony.
In 2020, 41 of the 236 building fires were believed to be intentionally set. In 2021, 39 of the 254 fires were found to be intentionally set.
Eve demonstrated her detection skills at the ceremony. She was able to sniff out gasoline from a mock line-up, and found the location of the ignition fluid from a rotating device.
Eve is the only active arson dog in the state. She is only the third ever accelerant detection canine in Hawaiʻi.
