Thursday, August 26th is National Dog Day. As part of the celebration, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) hosted members of the media to demonstrate a small portion of the capabilities of FLL's K9 device. The event is co-sponsored by the TSA and the Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) K9 unit.
Sgt. Todd Yoder and Officer Richard Betensky of the Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) FLL K-9 Unit
BSO's Sergeant Todd Yoder and Officer Richard Betenski explain how officers become managers of the force. The first is a rigorous selection process for officials. This was followed by a three-month intensive training course for officers and military dogs at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. After completing this course, BSO handlers return to FLL for K9 assignments and familiarization with the airport. Officer Betensky is responsible for initial familiarization training and all refresher training for the FLL. TSA handlers follow similar procedures.
Due to South Florida's climate and the amount of time dogs spend outdoors, a variety of breeds are used. The dogs and their handlers often work 10-hour shifts. While on duty, their duties range from terminal patrol to airside ramp duties. These duties include checking airport personnel working around aircraft on the ground. The dogs are monitored very closely to prevent overheating, dehydration, etc., especially while in patrol cars. According to Officer Betenski, the dogs had no idea they were working. They're doing what comes naturally to them, and they can earn rewards for these tasks by playing for a few minutes before moving on to work.
TSA K-9 Brierly and handler TSA Inspector Michael Shade successfully detected
TSA Inspector Michael Shade and his dog Brierley demonstrate the daily tasks of explosives detection to a line of passing passengers. When the suspicious bag was discovered, Brierley immediately raised the alarm and was rewarded with his squeaky toy. Next, BSO Deputy David Kofalk and his dog Darly demonstrated how to detect suspicious elements in a bag left in a visible area of the terminal. Once again, once a threat is detected, Dally is rewarded with praise from her squeaky toy and handler.
K9 devices play an extremely important role in the daily operations of FLL and airports around the world. They carry out their duties much of the time away from the sight of the traveling public, yet they maintain the highest levels of safety and security at the airport. This time around, it was nice to see one or two of their features in person.
