K9 Search

Springfield Township Fire Department has a Search and Rescue K9, available 24/7/365 to police and fire departments across Northwest Ohio.
K9 Darwin is a 8-year-old Black Labrador Retriever. Darwin is a human remains detection dog who specializes in both land and water. Darwin is also capable of human remains detection for fire scenes and natural disasters. He began training in Human Remains Detection at 8 weeks old.

Darwin is handled by Firefighter/Paramedic Shelbie Flegal and lives at the fire station while Shelbie is on duty, so he is available for a quick response. He lives with her at home with her family when he is not working. Darwin and their handler are certified through national organizations and maintain their certifications annually. They also participate in training across the state throughout the year to keep up their skills.