Here at LION, we celebrate an extra special holiday at the start of October – National Fire Pup Day! Four-legged furry friends have played an important role in the history of firefighting. Working alongside firefighters, they’ve helped to save lives and have become synonymous with the firefighting profession, symbolizing teamwork, motivation, and bravery.
It all began in the 17th century when certain dog breeds that favored high energy, endurance, and good temperament were trained to accompany wealthy families on long carriage rides. By trotting alongside the horses leading the carriage, these dogs helped to protect the travelers from harm on their journey.
Not long after, carriage dogs found a new purpose: accompanying the horses hauling heavy steam pumpers and other firefighting equipment to the scene of a fire. In addition to their ability to follow a rapidly moving carriage, dogs were well-trained to stay calm during a fire and provided a comforting presence to the horses, who were often stressed while their handlers fought a fire.
Modern fire trucks outpace firedogs, and their role of accompanying vehicles to the scene of a fire faded away with time. Fortunately, fire dogs were already seen by the public as an essential part of the fire department team and continued to be ingrained in the fire community. They helped with new areas like serving as a morale booster in the firehouse – who doesn’t love to see a friendly pup at the end of a long, stressful, emotionally draining day?! They also visit schools to educate on fire safety and emergency preparedness, helping children to feel comforted and at ease when learning about what to do in case of an emergency. Some fire dogs have even had the chance to help after a fire by using their sharp sense of smell to sniff out any potential accelerants that may have been used to start the fire!
No matter their role at the firehouse, fire dogs are a core part of the history of firefighting. LION celebrates their storied past and their legacy of bravery on the job – and their great companionship off the clock! Happy National Fire Pup Day to our furry friends nationwide.