INTERVIEW ABOUT DALLAS: LONG BEACH’S LIVE VICTIM SEARCH DOG

By Kathleen Mest

Photo by California Task Force 5

Wade and Dallas

I have the privilege of being friends with the Haller family and discovered that Long Beach Fire Department’s Live Victim Search dog is their pet, Dallas. What?! I guess I thought “fire-dogs” lived at the fire station?? So I met up with Wade Haller (Dallas’ handler) to find out more.

LB908: How long have you worked with the Fire Department?

Wade: I’ve worked for LBFD for 25 years as Firefighter, Firefighter/Paramedic, Captain, Paramedic Coordinator, USAR Medical Specialist, and Canine Search Specialist. I am also an OC FEMA task force member.

LB908: Dallas is a Live Victim Search dog. What does he do?

Wade: A live victim search dog is a specially trained canine to find live people in a disaster.

LB908: You have handled the only two Live Victim Search dogs that Long Beach has ever had. How are they trained?

Wade: The canines we use are donated by the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation. They take care of recruiting and initial training of canines to pair with first responders. Canines are recruited from shelters, rescue organizations and donations…no dogs are bred or purchased. They say, “Dogs go from rescued to rescuers.” The handlers go through a two week live-in training academy to begin the pairing process and then train two times a week with local teams until they achieve FEMA certification, then re-certify with FEMA every 3 years. This website provides more information: searchdogfoundation.org

LB908: And last question, does Dallas start his work day with a puppuccino?

Wade: No!! He has to be conscious of his nutrition just like any elite athlete.