Maryland Fire Marshal's Office welcomes new Accelerant Detection dog, Quinn

The Maryland Fire Marshal's Office welcomed a new four-legged member, Quinn, their first new Accelerant Detection K9 in more than 20 years. 

Quinn and his handler, Senior Deputy State Fire Marshal Adam Rounds, graduated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Canine Training Center and were deemed ready to help investigate the cause of fires. 

Quinn, a black Labrador Retriever, began training in the Puppies Behind Bars program, where he spent two years living with an inmate handler before being placed into a service program. The program then matches service dogs with law enforcement and first responders. 

Quinn was among eight teams that graduated and five littermates that were selected by the ATF for specialized accelerant detection training. The 12-week program focuses on fire scene investigation, scent detection, fire chemistry and safety procedures. 

The training process also exposes canines to six classifications of ignitable liquids. Quinn performed thousands of repetitions of scent recognition and detection and was rewarded with food and praise. Officials said this type of training enhances the ability to determine the origin of fires, creating a reliable and precise investigative tool.

Quinn will be assigned to work in Western Maryland with the goal of reducing response times for fire investigations that previously relied on K9 units from the Baltimore area. 

Quinn and Senior Deputy Rounds are one of 77 certified, ATF-trained accelerant detection teams in the U.S. 

With the addition of Quinn, the Fire Marshal's Office now has six accelerant and explosive detection teams in Maryland ready to respond at any time.