Brownwood Fire Marshal Buddy Preston and his canine partner Nika, the arson dog, will speak at the Pecan Valley Republican Women’s meeting at 12:00 noon at the Brownwood Country Club on May 23.
Nika was trained by Maine Specialty Dogs and certified by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. Through Nika’s keen sense of smell, she is able to locate gasoline and many other accelerants that are commonly used by arsonists to set fires. She resides with Preston, with whom she works as a team investigating fires throughout Brown and the surrounding counties.Buddy Preston is a graduate of Brownwood High School and first joined the fire service in 1982 as a volunteer firefighter. He went on to graduate from the Kilgore Fire Academy in 1992 and joined the Brownwood Fire Department that same year. He was appointed Fire Marshal in 2002. Buddy holds advanced certification as a firefighter, fire inspector, fire investigator, and arson investigator. He also holds a basic certification as a peace officer and is certified as a K-9 handler through the Maine State Police, Criminal Justice System.
Buddy was partnered with Nika through a grant sponsored by State Farm. They have been a team since 2011, investigating suspicious fires and making appearances at local schools and civic clubs to promote fire prevention and safety. While Buddy has long been known for his activities and contributions to the area, Nika is a welcome and invaluable resource in fire investigation. She is a rare asset for a community our size.
A buffet lunch is available for $12.50. Attendees are invited to come at 11:30 a.m. to eat and visit before the meeting starts at 12:00 noon.
