Search and Rescue K9 Team

A firefighter seated in front of a fire truck with a trained FEMA K9 dog wearing a vest.

Canine Search Response

The Search and Rescue K9s play an essential role in supporting first responders during efforts to locate missing individuals and victims of disasters. In these critical situations, K9s are able to perform tasks that would typically require the efforts of multiple responders. Their remarkable ability to detect scents that go unnoticed by humans allows them to navigate challenging environments, including debris fields, with agility and precision.

The Greeley Fire Department is honored to have Engineer Denise Alvord as a Search and Rescue K9 Handler. She is the proud owner of two highly trained K9s, Saker and Beta, who reside with her and engage in regular training sessions. These dedicated canines respond to requests for assistance both during official duty and in their off time. Each dog specializes in either “live find” or “human remains” search operations and is a valued member of Colorado Task Force 1 (CO-TF1), one of the 28 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces across the nation.

Saker and Beta are trained and available for local, regional, and national response in the following disciplines:

Disaster – assist in search of debris for survivors and victims' following events such as building collapse, fire, or severe weather events and natural disasters.
Water Recovery – searching from shoreline and/or out of a boat to locate a victim in a body of water
Human Remains (cadaver) – assist in locating human remains, to include searching wilderness/natural areas as well as urban environments, buildings, and vehicles.
Area Search (wilderness, urban, buildings, avalanche) – Search designated areas for missing persons.
Tracking/Trailing – Assist in locating a missing person (i.e., child or at-risk adult) by following the path walked from the person’s last known location.

The task force is made up of over 200 members, with 12 canine handler positions. In addition to numerous local and regional search and rescue responses, Engineer Alvord’s K9s have participated in these recent national deployments as part of their commitment to CO-TF1:

Maui Wildfires (2023)
New Mexico Wildfires (2024)
Hurricane Helene (2024)
Texas Floods (2025)

Saker (Serving Since June 4, 2013)

Saker is a Belgian Malinois born in Slovakia. He was selected by his handler, Engineer/Paramedic Denise Alvord when he was 11 months old and began his search training. Saker is a FEMA-certified Live Find Search dog, trained to help locate survivors in the debris following a disaster event. Saker is also trained in Area Search, Trailing, Avalanche and Water Search and responds locally and regionally, both in town and in the wilderness areas of Colorado to aid in the search for missing persons.

Saker was named after a type of falcon, his search style being fast with big leaps as he seems determined to learn to fly. He puts 200% effort and enthusiasm into everything he does, with the apparent motto, “Every day is the best day”. He enjoys visiting with the kids at Public Events almost as much as he enjoys his search work and firmly believes everything can and should be a toy.

K9 Saker demonstrates agility by jumping from a boat into the water during a rescue exercise.

Beta (Serving Since May 22, 2020)

Beta is a Belgian Malinois, born in Connecticut and paired with her handler as a 10-week-old puppy. Beta’s handler, Engineer/Paramedic Denise Alvord, raised Beta to be a working dog, but made sure she had time to be a puppy and develop into wanting the job before starting her formal search training at 10 months old.

Beta is a FEMA-certified Human Remains Search dog, trained to help locate the deceased victims of a disaster event. Beta is also trained in water recovery and non-disaster related searches for human remains in the wilderness or urban environment.

Beta was named for the radiological Beta particles, being small, high-energy and fast moving. She often appears to float across the debris piles as she searches. Beta loves to work, tending to get into mischief if she isn’t getting to work or train as often as she wants. Her favorite trick is to try to pick-pocket toys from anybody she meets (and of course anything can qualify as a toy in her mind).