After 6 years of dedicated service, Clearwater Fire & Rescue Department had to say a tough goodbye to one of their hardest workers. With tears in their eyes, they sat next to their beloved partner as he listened to his final radio dispatch.
Quincy was a 12 year old Labrador mix that served his community for 10 years, offering his skilled nose in the search for the cause behind hundreds of fires. Responding to over 300 calls during his time with the fire department, he was a respected member of the community.
Quincy’s story began at an adoption event at the Pet Pal Animal Shelter in St. Petersburg, when he was just 6 months old. Quincy was tucked away in the corner of his cage, frightened by the many people passing him by. He soon locked eyes with a very special little girl, and knew he had found his forever family.
Soon after the Nueberger family brought Quincy home, they knew he was made for more. He was a bit on the wild side, but he sure was smart! Employed by his local fire department, Neuberger asked if Quincy could be the next pup to receive accelerant-detection training, since their previous arson dog had just retired. The training was approved, and Quincy spent the next six months training at the Florida Canine Academy.
Quincy went on to have an incredible career working alongside his firefighting colleagues, helping to sniff out and detect the cause behind hundreds of fires.
“He’s another tool in our toolbox that we use to determine the cause of a fire. For Quincy, it only takes minutes. Sometimes, seconds.” – Neuberger
With such an incredible career behind him, the news of his serious medical issues broke the hearts of so many Floridians. After much thought from his family, they made the difficult decision to put him to sleep. They just couldn’t see him in pain any longer.
On the day they laid him to rest, the Clear Water Fire Rescue sent out his final radio dispatch, thanking him for his dedicated service. He passed in the arms of his loving family.
“Retired after a decade of hard work, today he will rest in peace.” – dispatchers
We thank you for your years of service Quincy, and we send all of our love to your family!
