Specially Trained Dog Detected Bed Bugs At Charleston Fire Stations – ABC NEWS 4

Rex is a certified bed bug detection canine. Fire officials say he sniffed, searched, and inspected for tiny pests at sixteen Charleston Fire Department stations. (Brian Heins/WCIV)

Man's best friend became a savior for the Charleston Fire Department.

Rex is a certified bed bug detection canine. Fire officials say he sniffed, searched, and inspected for tiny pests at sixteen fire stations.

"When he goes in a home, he doesn't care if he finds bed bugs. He cares about finding a little tennis ball. He associates the scent of live bed bugs with that tennis ball," explains James Trimble, owner of Confidential K9, a Charleston-based business specializing in drug and bed bug detection services.

Trimble and his wife own Rex, a purebred Belgian Malinios. For the past four weeks, they visited every city fire station.

"We completed inspections of all the fire stations. And they've all been found clean of bed bug infestations," confirmed John Tippett, interim fire chief of the Charleston Fire Department.

Tippett says bed bugs were found at four fire stations. After using city-owned equipment to kill the bugs, they tossed out infested furniture. Then, Rex re-inspected the buildings.

"All the firefighters are back in their normal work stations, Tippett said. We've taken care of all the needs that they have as far as replacing any linens that might have been lost in the process."

Fire officials explain it was a tedious process. And it helped them learn how to prevent the pests.

"Spacing out the beds, reducing the number of beds, laundering the linen, and general cleanliness of the stations and apparatus are what we're looking toward right now," said Kenneth Jenkins, battalion chief for health and safety of the Charleston Fire Department.

It was a bed bug battle won with the help of James Trimble's special dog.

All in all, Rex performed like a champ," Trimble said.

ABC News 4 tried to find out how much the city spent to finally get rid of the bed bugs. But city officials won't confirm a figure. James Trimble said it costs about 10-cents a square foot for Rex to inspect a building. At least one fire station is 13-thousand square feet.

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Specially Trained Dog Detected Bed Bugs At Charleston Fire Stations - ABC NEWS 4