Coal the firehouse dog: rescued by the rescuers Published July 29, 2015 By John Parker Staff Writer TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- As a 5-year-old black Labrador, Coal wasn't necessarily a shoe-in to become the newest member of Fire Station 4. She had to earn the honor three months ago of serving as Tinker Air Force Base's only firehouse dog. A rescue, Coal had already been returned once to the Yukon shelter she came from. A family that had taken her in said they couldn't handle her. As one of the station's firefighters put it, "She's done some hard prison time." To become the station mascot, Coal needed public relations skills, especially with children. She also needed firefighter skills to stand guard inside Fire Engine 4 while her housemates rush to put out fires and help people in need. Capt. Tim Ward said Coal passed all her tests to earn her Tinker Fire and Emergency Services leather dog tag with its Station 4 helmet shield. She sealed her job recently at ZAC Camp, a weeklong water safety program for kids. She held her poise as 3- to 9-year-olds divided into Sharks, Dolphins and Seahorses competed to see who could cheer the loudest. "You can imagine 65 or so kids screaming at the top of their lungs," the captain said, "so she passed her initiation in being able to handle that." "She is 24/7 love," he added. "That's all she cares about is love."