TRUMBULL COUNTY The nose knows: Dog points the way for arson-probe unit

The dog's training was funded by State Farm.
By AMY HOUSLEY
INDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HOWLAND -- The Trumbull County Fire Investigation Unit is getting a helping paw from man's best friend.
The newest addition to the unit is Hydra, a 13-month-old chocolate Labrador retriever. Hydra and her handler, Matthew Balut, assistant fire chief, make up an arson investigation team.
Through a five-week training program at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, Hydra and Balut became certified in arson investigations.
Hydra's expertise makes her findings strong enough to hold up in court, Balut said.
The dogs in the program are trained to detect accelerants, such as gasoline, which are used to start arson fires.
The dogs can differentiate the smell from others, and even pick out the arsonist in a crowd if that person is nearby.
The sensitivity of an arson dog is considered to be even more accurate than most machinery used to detect the accelerants, fire officials said.
When an accelerant is found, Hydra goes into a sitting position to signal her success. She is then rewarded with food.
Training
Continually working with the dogs is a part of the program.
Balut said that they returned from the training May 10 and went to investigate their first fire six days later. Since then, Hydra has helped to investigate four more fires where she found the accelerants.
Hydra was picked for the program because of her drive, exuberance and sense of smell, Balut said. He added that she was one of the better dogs in the training class.
The arson dog program was created by State Farm Insurance Co. The program was created in 1993, and since then the company has paid to train 10 to 15 dogs each year. There are eight arson dogs in Ohio.
All costs for the training program for Hydra and Balut were paid for by State Farm.
Mike Schudel, a representative from State Farm, said that the company is involved because of the lives and money lost each year to arson.
National statistics show arson in the United States destroyed $1.48 billion in insured property, including buildings and vehicles, in 1999; there were 370 civilian deaths due to arson that year, he said.
Commitment
The dogs' handlers must be committed to the program. Balut said that he began looking into arson dog programs in 1998, and he knew it would be a commitment for both him and his family.
His family was supportive of the decision to attend the training and also to care for the dog.
Balut's son, Preston, got to name Hydra, chosen because of the Greek mythological monster with seven heads.
"He said that seven heads can smell better than one," Balut added.
ahousley@vindy.com