Blaze's memorial is now at home in Washington State at the North Kitsap Fire and Rescue station.  You can view photo's and description of the actual bronze and granite installation on the NKFR website by clicking here.  It's exciting to see photos of the actual installation process! 

Today I need to thank Hayden's family for photographs of the installation of his memorial.  The countryside setting is beautiful and the bench that has been placed in front of the sculpture is perfect.   If you look closely you'll see that Hayden's signature has been etched into the granite, as well as his hand print.  His memorial was designed by Quiring Monuments.

It has been a delight to work on this sculpture for North Kitsap Fire and Rescue!  Blaze was a beloved member of their team and I'm happy to have been a part of his memorial.  Before Blaze's sculpture is placed permanently at the Fire Station it will make a stop at Quiring Monuments where a granite pedestal will be added.

You can learn more about Blaze by reading the following text which is included on the sculpture.

Blaze was born in Kingston, Washington. His parents, Reba and Buttons, were members of the Gary Steele family who, upon first seeing the new puppy, knew that he was destined for life as a fire dog. NKF&R’s members agreed. A contest was held to name the new mascot and, from among many entries, firefighters selected "Blaze" as the moniker for their littlest brother.

Blaze began his fire service career shortly after he was weaned, and was initially assigned to the operations division, riding in his own seat on the fire engine and responding to emergencies. But, after expressing his displeasure with his assignment by chewing through radio equipment and seat upholstery, Blaze was transferred to the community services division where he assisted with fire and injury prevention efforts.

 Unusually calm and friendly for his breed, Blaze charmed citizens – young and old – with his exceptional good-looks, his loving disposition, his patience with children and his impressive demonstration of the "Stop, Drop and Roll" technique. He lived in the fire station throughout his career and, between station tours and classroom visits, provided consistent service to firefighters by cleaning their plates and keeping their bunks warm when emergencies called crews away from meals and rest times. He often provided quiet comfort to both firefighters and civilians after difficult calls. Like many public safety professionals, Blaze sacrificed to serve. Most dogs crave the consistency of one master, but Blaze had to adapt to a life that included a large and varied cast of human companions.

 His frequent visits to local elementary and preschools earned him a place in the hearts of every child he met. When firefighters sponsored a party celebrating Blaze’s 10th birthday in 2004, more than 100 fans joined in the festivities. Later that year, he was named Grand Marshal of the Kingston Fourth of July Parade.

The Dalmatian breed is thought to have become associated with firefighters when the animals were used as calming companions for the teams of horses that pulled fire pumpers before the advent of internal combustion engines. Some say that these dogs – who love to run -- were also useful at improving response times by keeping other animals away from the horse teams as well as acting as watchdogs to protect horses and equipment from thieves. Although many firefighters own Dalmatians, modern "firehouse dogs" are rare. So, Blaze caught the imagination of local and national media, appearing in a number of newspaper and television stories. He once was the subject of a seven-minute live interview on CNN.

A succession of injuries and illnesses plagued Blaze as he aged but, thanks to the firefighters’ love and the community’s generosity, he recovered from several serious situations. As he approached retirement in his 13th year, he was struck by an illness that couldn’t be overcome.

This gentle and dedicated firedog will forever remain in the hearts of our entire community.