Penticton fire chief heads to Bahamas with search dog Sammy as part of rescue team | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Penticton fire chief heads to Bahamas with search dog Sammy as part of rescue team

Penticton Fire Chief Larry Watkinson with his search and rescue dog Sammy.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Penticton Fire Dept., Mike Biden

PENTICTON - Penticton fire Chief Larry Watkinson has joined rescue efforts in the search for victims of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas.

Deputy Chief Chris Forster says Watkinson and his disaster dog Sammy left on the weekend as team members of Lower Mainland-based Heavy Urban Search and Rescue team to help with rescue efforts in the Bahamas.

Watkinson received a request to support rescue efforts a week ago after initial searches began finding victims in the rubble.

Forster says the search and rescue work is basically an extension of Watkinson’s professional career as a firefighter.

“He’s very experienced. This is something he has put a lot of his life into,” Forster says.

The City supported Watkinson’s efforts by allowing him the time to go on the search and rescue effort.

Watkinson and the team were last deployed internationally in 2015 in Nepal. He is expected to be gone for a week.

Sammy the search and rescue dog waiting for his flight to the Bahamas.
Sammy the search and rescue dog waiting for his flight to the Bahamas.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Penticton Fire Dept.

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