Marking a milestone for the Columbus Division of Fire, Fire Marshal Thomas Buth and his K9 sidekick Zorro, currently with the East Cleveland Fire Department, have completed an intensive training program, while Arson Investigator Scott Gelbaugh and his K9 partner Zuri with the State Fire Marshal’s Office also graduated from the department's esteemed Ignitable Liquid K9 Handler Course.
In a celebration of this achievement, a social media post by the Columbus Division of Fire heralds Zorro as the East Cleveland Fire Department's inaugural K9 detective specialist in accelerants, mentioning that Zorro has made significant strides in the brief time since graduation – contributing to securing two confessions from arson suspects. East Cleveland Fire Chief David Worley, in communication with Hammond, acknowledges the swift and profound impact of the K9 unit, saying, “In the short time since completing the course-approximately six weeks-our new K9 Unit has already demonstrated remarkable results."
Both Buth and Gelbaugh have expressed their gratitude for the high caliber of the training they received, praising the preparedness it offered them for certification. "Columbus Fire training was top notch. Dennis did a great job of getting us both ready for the certification and we were able to pass it no problems,” Gelbaugh relayed in appreciation of the program. Buth also commented on the significance of Zorro's role within the East Cleveland Fire Department, asserting: “I am very grateful that the Columbus Division of Fire Canine Division here was able to accept us and have us be a part of this,” and he expressed hope that this initiative would continue long into the future, as the Columbus Division of Fire detailed.
