The Los Angeles County Fire Department held its first flag ceremony in honor of a search canine on Monday, February 5, 2018. The ceremony was held for Tanker, the late K9 companion of Fire Fighter Gary Durian, at Fire Station 61 in the city of Walnut. Tanker passed away after a long-term illness on December 17, 2017.
Chief Deputy David R. Richardson Jr. and Battalion Chief Robert Harris presented the flag to Durian as he stood with his canine and handler counterparts in front of Engine 61. Fire Captain and Chaplin Paul Rusin shared highlights of Tanker’s career, noting that the canine with a gentle spirit touched lives both locally and internationally.
Tanker was partnered with Durian, a veteran Search Dog Foundation handler, on January 17, 2012. The pair achieved their FEMA Certification that June in Littleton, Massachusetts, preparing the way for future deployments with the Department’s urban search and rescue team, California Task Force 2. The pair deployed on seven missions together, including the response to major earthquakes in Nepal (2015) in Mexico City (2017).