Oklahoma City Fire Department K9 Laya Has Died

The department announced that K9 Laya, a search-and-rescue dog, passed away after a decade of service.

Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Emergency Response

Oklahoma City Fire Department K9 Laya Has Died

The Oklahoma City Fire Department announced the death of K9 Laya, who served with the department and Oklahoma Task Force One. The search-and-rescue dog passed away after a decade of dedicated service to the community.

Why it matters

K9 Laya played a critical role in supporting emergency response operations for Oklahoma City residents and beyond. Her work provided essential support to search-and-rescue teams during deployment efforts.

K9 Laya completed a 10-year tenure of service with the Oklahoma City Fire Department and Oklahoma Task Force One. The total number of successful search-and-rescue missions she completed remains undisclosed.

The players

Oklahoma City Fire Department

This is the primary agency responsible for fire protection and emergency medical services within Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma Task Force One

This is a specialized search-and-rescue team that handles urban disaster response across the state of Oklahoma.

Andrew McCann

He serves as a Deputy Chief with the Oklahoma City Fire Department and worked directly with K9 Laya.

The details

Laya served alongside Deputy Chief Andrew McCann during her career, assisting with search-and-rescue operations throughout Oklahoma and other regions. She provided specialized support to responders navigating disaster sites.

The department announced the death of K9 Laya on October 2, 2026.

Seasonal Patterns

The loss of K9 Laya highlights the vital reliance on canine assets within the Oklahoma Task Force One search-and-rescue deployment protocols. This service record underscores the critical nature of trained animals in maintaining the efficacy of regional disaster response strategies.

The retirement of such a long-standing asset emphasizes the ongoing need for public support of local K9 training programs. Residents can continue to support these vital disaster response teams through official departmental outreach channels.

The takeaway

K9 units provide essential capabilities that human-only search teams cannot replicate in disaster environments. The decade of service provided by Laya demonstrates the high level of commitment required to maintain operational readiness in emergency services.