Team Info
Task Force: California Task Force 8 (CA-TF8)
Agency: San Diego Fire-Rescue
Level: DHS/FEMA Certified
Most Recent Certification: April 16, 2016
Search Dog Info
Breed: Black Lab
Sex: Female
Born: August 9, 2007
Donated by: Kerry Holden
Sponsors: Otilia & Emma Diaz, CFWC State Chairman for Public Issues – Marina District
Guardian: Carol Fenbers
In late 2008, Stella, a powerful female Black Labrador Retriever, came to Sundowners Kennels in Gilroy, CA for obedience training. Her owner, Kerry Holden, was in need of help, as Stella was a rambunctious and rowdy girl that had no manners.
Shortly after Stella’s arrival at Sundowners, SDF’s trainers began to see signs that this girl just might have potential as a Search and Rescue Canine. With permission from Kerry, Sundowners trainers Pluis Davern, Kate Davern and Sharon Hanzelka ran Stella through a battery of tests to see if she truly was a candidate.
They were happy to report that Stella possessed all the characteristics of a Search Dog and Kerry generously agreed to let her follow that path. So, by November, Stella’s training began two-fold. Not only would she get the obedience she needed, but she would also learn the ins and outs of Search and Rescue work.
In March of 2009, Stella graduated from training and was paired with Handler Matthew Kirk of San Diego Fire-Rescue. The team trained daily as members of California Task Force 8 and achieved Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Certification on June 13, 2010. FEMA Certification allows a team deployment eligibility with their task force anywhere in the United States when disaster strikes.
In accordance with FEMA regulations, which require teams to re-certify every three years, Matthew and Stella traveled to Virginia Beach, VA in June of 2013 and passed with flying colors. They did it again in Riverside, CA in April of 2016!
The team continues to train daily in San Diego in order to ensure that they are ready when the call to action comes!