Murcia's new canine fire unit set to save lives in disasters and emergencies

Specially trained dogs will soon join Murcia’s fire brigade to help locate missing people in high-risk situations

Murcia City Council has announced the launch of its very own Canine Fire Unit, a first for the city, aimed at improving emergency response in dangerous and difficult-to-reach areas.

The new team, part of the Municipal Fire and Rescue Service of the City of Murcia, will use specially trained dogs to help locate missing people in collapsed buildings, forest areas and during natural disasters.

These types of rescues often require an urgent and highly accurate response, and the city says this new team could mean the difference between life and death in some situations.

The unit includes three experienced firefighters, all of whom already have solid backgrounds in canine rescue training. They’re currently working with three dogs: a six-year-old Belgian Malinois and a two-year-old Labrador, both in the advanced stages of training, and a seven-month-old Malinois puppy who is just getting started but reportedly showing great promise.

Together, they’ll be tasked with searching for people in critical situations where every second counts. These trained dogs will be able to operate in places that humans and machinery often can’t reach; from dense woodland to rubble-strewn areas after an earthquake.

Murcia has also invested in new GPS tracking technology, custom training equipment, and the construction of two on-site kennel facilities at the Infante and Espinardo fire stations. A technical study is also under way for two animal transport trailers.

To ensure high professional standards, the city has drawn up a detailed regulation document covering everything from access requirements and training protocols to long-term operational procedures. This is now being reviewed by the city’s legal services and is expected to be approved soon, along with the final activation and deployment plans.

Councillor Fulgencio Perona said, “The Murcia Canine Fire Unit is a step forward in our strategy of modernisation and reinforcement of emergency services. This team will allow us to act more quickly and effectively in high-risk scenarios, both for the citizenry and for the firefighters themselves. The Region of Murcia is an area with high seismic activity and frequent disappearances of people in natural environments. Having our own unit is a necessity, not a luxury.”

The unit is expected to become fully operational in the coming months, once all the final admin and legal processes are complete. Perona added, “Cities like Seville, Malaga, Cordoba and Alicante already have their own canine teams. Now Murcia joins them. It’s a big leap forward for our emergency services.”

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