Search Teams, Virginia Task Force 1 (VA-TF1)

Ivan & Kristi Bartlett

Team Info

 

Task Force: Virginia Task Force 1 (VA-TF1)
Agency: Fairfax County Fire & Rescue
Level: Certified

 

Search Dog Info

 

Breed: Belgian Malinois
Sex: Male
Born: November 11, 2012
Donated by Kim Newman
Sponsors: Godwin Pelissero, Julie Brandau Community Service Memorial Project, Lucy Swartz, Oluv C. Joynor Foundation
Guardian: Jean Brennan
Named in Honor of Ivan Matesevac

 

 

After a breeder had an accidental litter, Ivan was given to canine enthusiast Kim Newman of Snellville, Georgia. Kim then gifted Ivan to a friend who wanted a dog of their own, but Ivan proved to be a lot for the average pet owner to handle. Little did they know how driven he would become! Ivan was returned to Kim, who realized that his incredible drive meant Ivan was going to need a job to keep him truly happy and fulfilled.

 

After observing Ivan in drive mode at a training workshop, SDF’s training team identified Ivan’s potential and wanted to see more of what he could do. Kim explained that Ivan was the dog in the litter who would lie in wait for the opportunity to sneak in and steal other dogs’ toys, and then not let them go! He was also the type of dog that nothing ever bothered for very long. Realizing these traits made Ivan a great potential search dog, Kim agreed to donate him to SDF’s program.

 

By January 2014, Ivan had arrived at SDF’s National Training Center in Santa Paula, CA, and began formal search and rescue training. The canine trainers soon learned that Ivan was carefree, full of joy, and loved to play in water! He also had a lovely, sweet temperament—he knew when it was time to work but had an amazing off switch when he was told to settle down. Perfection!

 

On August 6, 2014, Ivan graduated from SDF’s training program and was partnered with Battalion Chief Kristi Bartlett of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. Kristi has been a member of Virginia Task Force 1 (VA-TF1) since 2010, where she operated as a Hazmat Technician prior to her promotion to Battalion Chief. Adding Canine Search Specialist to her resume allowed Kristi the opportunity to be of better service to communities affected by disaster, depending on their needs.

 

Kristi and Ivan originally achieved FEMA certification in Maryland on April 25, 2015, recertifying in 2020 and 2023. VA-TF1 is one of only two FEMA Task Forces in the United States that are equipped to respond to disaster zones outside our borders. Once certified, Kristi and Ivan became eligible to deploy to international disasters.

 

To date, the team has deployed on the following missions:

 

 

Currently VA-TF1’s Canine Coordinator, Kristi continues to train regularly with Ivan to be ready when the next call to action comes to lead the teams into disaster zones.