A dog's life is typically one of luxury, but not for the FDNY's K-9 unit. These dogs spend their days helping to save lives and investigate fires.

The K-9 unit is part of the FDNY's Bureau of Fire Investigations. Each K-9 teams up with a fire marshal to help find people who are trapped in building collapses and to help sniff out potential incidents of arson.

The FDNY says the dogs are perfect for the job because of their incredible intelligence, nimble bodies and uncanny sense of smell. They are trained to canvas building remains for the scent of humans so that they can be rescued. They were recently used at the building collapses in the Morris Heights and Mount Hope sections of the Bronx.

The dogs train daily to stay in top shape for these stressful situations, including once a week at the FDNY Fire Academy on Randall's Island.

Each dog in the K-9 unit is named for a fallen FDNY hero, and they each live with their fire marshal partner.