
Canine Follows Her Nose to Detect How Fire Starts
Clip: Season 4 Episode 358 | 3m 10sVideo has Closed Captions
Meet the only ATF accelerant detection K-9 in the state of Kentucky.
She's among one fire department's most valuable assets but she doesn't wield a hose or drive a truck. She does however follow her nose to help investigators determine what started the fire. Laura Rogers introduces us to Millie the fire dog.
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Kentucky Edition is a local public television program presented by KET

Canine Follows Her Nose to Detect How Fire Starts
Clip: Season 4 Episode 358 | 3m 10sVideo has Closed Captions
She's among one fire department's most valuable assets but she doesn't wield a hose or drive a truck. She does however follow her nose to help investigators determine what started the fire. Laura Rogers introduces us to Millie the fire dog.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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[MUSIC] She's among one fire department's most valuable assets, but she doesn't wield a water hose or drive a truck.
She does, however, follow her nose to help investigators determine what started the fire.
Laura Rogers introduces us to Millie the Fire Dog.
>> Captain Michael Cornwell has spent more than a quarter century in emergency services ten and law enforcement.
Before joining the Bowling Green Fire Department.
>> I kind of marry both my love of the law enforcement and the fire side together and absolutely love what I do.
>> A lot of that love comes from working with Millie, who plays a crucial role in determining the cause of a fire.
>> When I got the opportunity to have a dog to work with me all the time, it's been a joy for sure.
>> Good girl.
>> A joy and an advantage in fire investigations.
>> Millie is the only ATF accelerant detection canine in the state of Kentucky.
>> That means she's sniffing out things like gasoline, diesel fuel and lighter fluid, which may have played a role in how a fire started.
>> She comes in with her nose and lets us know exactly where the ignitable liquid is, and then it's my job to determine why that ignitable liquid is there.
>> She's also helped alert authorities to fires that have been set deliberately.
>> Millie has definitely helped us identify evidence to help in an arson investigation.
Everything that Millie alerts on, we will collect and send to the Kentucky State Police Crime Lab.
She has saved us so much time and accuracy.
>> The K-9 learned her craft in a six week training with the Bureau of Alcohol, tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
She's a food reward dog, meaning she's doing exercises like this one, 3 or 4 times a day, seven days a week.
>> She has never had a bowl of food like your pet at home.
Everything Millie has eaten has come out of my hand.
Once I put that food pouch on, that's her sign that it's time to work.
So once she sees that she is energetic, she's ready to go and she absolutely loves working.
To her, it's a game.
It's all fun.
>> There's time for fun as well.
Captain Cornwell says Millie's favorite toy is a tennis ball.
>> Millie does a lot of things here at the fire department.
>> That includes public education, visiting places like schools to teach kids fire safety.
>> We will do a demonstration for the kids to show what Millie can do, and while we have their attention, we'll hit them with the fire safety message when you bring a dog in.
Also, it just ups that excitement and and really draws that attention in, which gives us a better chance to reach them and, and actually get our message across.
>> Millie and Captain Cornwell will soon hang up their hats or helmets, so to speak.
Millie turns ten in May, and that means retirement.
>> Millie and I both wanted to retire together, so Millie and I, both on July 31st, are going to retire together and lay up in a hammock together somewhere.
>> As long as tennis balls are involved.
Millie is good with that game plan for Kentucky edition.
I'm Laura Rogers.
>> Well, Millie has been with the Bowling Green Fire Department for eight years.
She's assigned to the ATF Louisville Field Division, which covers Kentucky, West
One Year After Severe Weather Outbreak
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: S4 Ep358 | 2m 46s | A look back at one of the most destructive spring weather events in Kentucky’s history. (2m 46s)
Program Give Children a Place to Rest Their Heads
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: S4 Ep358 | 3m 11s | Student help build beds for children in need. (3m 11s)
What Made Last April’s High‑Risk Storm Unusual for Kentucky
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: S4 Ep358 | 3m 18s | NWS explains why last April’s storm stood apart from other severe systems. (3m 18s)
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