The Passing of a Fire Service Canine Icon

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From: http://lafd.blogspot.com

The Passing of a Fire Service Canine Icon

It's been more than ten years, but it seems like yesterday: the April 1995 act of domestic terrorism that took 168 lives in Oklahoma City.

Among the memorable images of that horrific day is a photograph of Oklahoma City Firefighter Chris Fields cradling the lifeless body of 1 year-old Baylee Almon. For most, that Pulitzer Prize winning photo remains an indelible reminder of the immediate and local impact of the cowardly attack.

An equally lasting image for many was a photograph of exhausted Florida Firefighter Skip Fernandez and his disaster search dog partner Aspen, who worked tirelessly for days in search of survivors.

For a nation that sat poised at the television clinging to hope, that widely published photograph and later oil painting and derivative works by noted artist Fred Stone have come to represent the indefatigable rescue efforts, while also capturing the collective emotion of our country in the aftermath of terrorism.

Thanks to Skip and Aspen, many Americans learned of our nation's nascent Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) system, and of the heroic disaster search canines that serve as highly respected - and often beloved - "force-multipliers" for this national network.

It is therefore with sadness that we share word of Aspen's passing, following a battle with cancer during his well-earned but all-too-brief retirement.

As a team, Skip and Aspen served with distinction during many of Florida Task Force 1's noteworthy deployments, and the men and women of America's Fire Service remain proud to this day of their long-term devotion and commitment to our mission of saving lives.

Our condolences go out to Skip for his loss, and to members of the disaster search canine community who will remain challenged to replace Aspen's spirit and capabilities.

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To learn more about the Oklahoma City National Memorial:

www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org

To meet and learn how you can actively support the amazing Disaster Search Dogs in our area:

www.searchdogfoundation.org

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman

Los Angeles Fire Department

http://lafd.blogspot.com