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R.I.P.: JFRD mourns loss of 1st certified search dog

Jade passed away peacefully at home with JFRD Chief Steve Riska’s family

1st certified JFRD search dog passes away

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department announced sad news on Wednesday.

Jade, the department’s very first certified live find K-9, passed away.

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Jade, who became part of JFRD in 2006, was on the search team for one of the department’s most high-profile search-and-rescue efforts: looking for survivors of the Berkman Plaza II garage collapse in 2007.

The garage for the then-new Berkman Plaza high rise collapsed when workers were pouring concrete on the sixth floor of the garage early in the morning on Dec. 6, 2007, killing 26-year-old Willie Edwards III and injuring 23 workers. Edwards was a father of two children.

Jade was handled by Capt. Roy Hall, then Chief Steve Riska, and lived with Riska’s family.

Jade passed away peacefully at her home, JFRD said.


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