Mr. Rowdy is our resident firehouse dog. Rowdy is Gladwyne Fire Companies 4th Dalmatian. Rowdy is 9 years old! He lives in our station with the career staff and live ins 24/7, 365 days a year. While rowdy does not respond to emergencies (he wants to), rowdy is a huge part of our family.

Dalmatians were a natural choice for firehouses in the 17th century because they were known for their compatibility with horses, their endurance, and their ability to run long distances. They would run in front of the fire carriages, clearing the path and keeping other animals away. They also acted as living sirens, barking to alert pedestrians to the approaching fire engines.