San Bernardino County Fire has introduced the newest member of their elite investigative team, canine (K-9) Ginnie, a 2½-year-old yellow Labrador retriever. Ginnie and her handler, Assistant Fire Marshal Brian Headley, recently returned from a 4-week training on the East Coast; going through 200 hours of intense training led by the highly accredited Paul Gallagher, owner and head trainer of Maine Specialty Dogs. In April 2021, County Fire launched its first arson canine (K-9) program in over 20 years. Fire Investigator Shawn Reiss and his K-9 Dinty, a 5-year-old black Labrador retriever, have responded to over 50 fire investigations since May 2021 and have assisted several outside agencies with their investigations. Ginnie & Dinty are currently the only arson canines in San Bernardino County and two of six teams state-wide.
