Meet the newest member of the West Memphis Fire Department

Meet the newest member of the West Memphis Fire Department

Max the Dalmatian on the job at the WMFD

news@theeveningtimes.com

The West Memphis Fire Department has a new crew member, and he may look a little different than other firefighters currently at the department. Meet Max the Dalmatian!

Max joined the department Tuesday, Dec. 19, last month, at just seven weeks old, but he's already making a huge impact. Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Jones said he's already adjusting well, getting a ton of attention, and getting ready to work closer with the community 'Max's main job here at the fire department is going to be to interact with people,” Jones said. “We try to reach out to the public in every way possible and spread fire safety and prevention news.”

Dalmatians are known for their physical nature and guarding instinct; they were first used to run alongside horses in the 1700s.

German shepherds are often associated with police officers. The same can be said for Dalmatians and their association with firefighters.

But how did Dalmatians become the mascot of the fire service? The answer might surprise you.

Dalmatians are known for their physical nature — most can run long distances without tiring — and guarding instinct. In the 1700s, Dalmatians were found to have a calming effect on horses. Soon after the realization, they were used to run alongside horses in English stagecoaches. When other dogs would run out and try to scare the horses, the Dalmatians would chase them away. So during the era of horsedrawn fire apparatus, Dalmatians would run alongside the horses to make sure they weren't spooked or slowed down by pedestrians in the road. It has been said that they acted as 'sirens,' barking to alert pedestrians that the fire brigade was en route.

While on scene, the horses were not comfortable being near fire. As a result, the Dalmatians would stay behind and keep the horses calm. They would also make sure nothing was stolen from the apparatus while on scene. Soon enough, Dalmatians were a commonplace addition in firehouses and became a symbol of the fire service.

Obviously, horse-drawn apparatus were eventually replaced by motorized fire trucks. There's no longer a need for Dalmatians to keep horses calm or run ahead of the trucks to alert pedestrians.

Dalmatians are no longer useful in this regard. However, their characteristics as fire pups are still noted: Nowadays, Dalmatians can be seen riding inside a fire truck to a call, tagging along with firefighters to teach kids about fire safety, It's no surprise to see that Dalmatians love the fast firefighting lifestyle. The breed is not for everyone — they're described as having non-stop energy and need a way to release it. If not, they can become bored and quite destructive.

They require a lot of attention but they're hard workers — something firefighters are also known for.

For now, Max will go home with the Assistant Fire Chief, who actually bought Max from a breeder in Northeast Arkansas called 4Alarm Dalmatians, to sleep and be trained. In the coming weeks, Jones hopes Max will be able to start interacting with the public a little more.

By the Evening Times News Staff