Team Info
Task Force: Virginia Task Force 1 (VA-TF1)
Agency: Fairfax County Fire & Rescue
Level: FEMA Certified
Most Recent Certification: October 31, 2020
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 Newman, who realized that his incredible drive meant Ivan was going to need a job to keep him truly happy and fulfilled.
In November 2013, SDF Trainer Sonja Heritage was instructing a Drive and Decoy Workshop in Tennessee that Kim attended with Ivan. Drive and Decoy classes are designed to teach canine handlers how to harness a dog’s drive, better read canine behavior, and assist their fellow teammates by being the best possible “victim” for the dog.
Immediately upon observing Ivan in drive mode, Sonja 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 Lieutenant 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 Lieutenant. Adding Canine Search Specialist to her resume allows 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. 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:
- December 11, 2015 – Missing Person Search – Alexandria, VA
- September 6, 2017 – Hurricane Irma – Florida & Virgin Islands
- September 20, 2017 – Hurricane Maria – Puerto Rico
- August 15, 2021 – Earthquake – Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Currently VA-TF1’s Canine Coordinator, Kristi continues to train regularly with Ivan to be ready when the next call to action comes, most recently the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey, Syria, and the surrounding region early on February 6, 2023.