Smokey, a Labrador/Retriever mix based out of Station 2 in Jacksonville, Illinois, was named this morning on NBC's "Today" as the winner of the "Chicago Fire" Top Dog Competition. Smokey will appear on NBC's "Chicago Fire" in a cameo role during an episode later this season.
As a 6-month old puppy, Smokey was inside a home that was engulfed in flames. Eventually, her lifeless body was brought out and, with the aid of firefighters and a veterinarian, was kept on Oxygen for three days, hand fed, and nurtured. Now she is a training tool for school children and the community as the firefighters have taught her safety techniques such as "stop, drop and roll," among other civic duties the 4-yr-old pooch performs. Following the "Today" appearance of the three canine finalists on Sept. 24, the winner was decided by public voting on www.today.com/topdog, which began last Tuesday and finished yesterday. Smokey won the contest with 51% of the vote. Dempsey, a 2½ year-old Boxer/Mastiff mix from Indianapolis, came in second. Wilshire, a Dalmatian from Los Angeles, finished third.Photo courtesy of NBC
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