This message comes from Larry Shapiro:
Last week, while visiting DCFD Rescue 1, a friend showed me something new on the station grounds — the National Fire Dog Monument. I took a few photos of this touching memorial, which honors two brave dogs from the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
From an article on WashingtonPost.com:
Austin Weishel, a Colorado-based artist, created a powerful sculpture titled “Ashes to Answers†that was recently installed at Fifth and F Streets NW in Washington, DC. The piece features an arson dog looking up longingly at his handler, symbolizing the bond between firefighters and their K-9 partners.
The monument had a special journey before arriving here. It traveled across the country for 15 days, stopping in eight cities. The life-sized bronze figures were mounted on wooden bases. After the tour, Austin noticed the wood was marked with strange scratches — the result of curious dogs scratching at the base during the exhibits.
Austin first discovered his passion for art at just 16 when he visited a bronze foundry near his grandparents’ home in Arizona. The owner gave him a lump of clay and told him to shape it into something, promising to cast it in bronze if he did. A year later, Austin returned with a small firefighter standing between the twin towers of New York. That moment sparked his lifelong career in art, which coincided with his joining a volunteer fire department.
The “Ashes to Answers†sculpture is now placed at a meaningful location, just across from the National Building Museum and near Engine Company 2 of the D.C. Fire Department. There are only 81 arson dog teams in the U.S. and Canada, and Washington, D.C., is home to two of them. These K-9 units play a crucial role after fires, using their incredible sense of smell to detect accelerants that may have caused the blaze.
While the monument is complete, there's still more to come. Jerry, one of the organizers, mentioned that Phase Two involves adding a bronze fire hydrant with water flowing into a dish, so local dogs can stop by and take a break. It’s a thoughtful addition that makes the monument even more meaningful to the community.
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