Specially-trained dogs can play a critical role during a search and rescue and Tuesday was test time for trained dogs across the country.

Fire arson dogs can speed up an investigation and investigators know how important and useful they can be. They make investigating the cause of a fire go by more quickly.

While other officers need to be recertified, arson dogs do as well, to make sure they are doing their job accurately.

Six-year-old Alie is one of several arson dogs going through the test. The process includes going through burned out motel rooms, which were deliberately set on fire to test the dogs and their trainers.

During Tuesday's testing, the accelerant was gasoline. The dogs must find every drop on their own.

Paul Gallagher, a fire certification inspector said, "What we're looking for is their pattern, making sure that the dog indicates, does the correct indication, that the handler knows how to read the animal, knows how to work the animal and is not just hanging on to the animal and walking through."

The testing compresses the canine investigators' fire training into three days and all dogs must be recertified every year.

There are three arson dogs in Iowa and two in Nebraska. In 2004 there were 90 arsons in Iowa and 169 in Nebraska.

Chuck Hoffman of the Nebraska Fire Marshal's Office says that the arson dogs make investigating fires easier.

"They allow us to search an area or examine an area much quicker for possible use of an accelerant," said Hoffman.

The dogs can figure out where the accelerant is that was used in the fire in only five minutes, compared to the hours it would take investigators.

As fast and accurate as the dogs are, they do not know exactly what the substance is.

"They can't tell us exactly what it is," said Hoffman. "We still have to take a sample and submit it to a lab."

Though additional testing is needed, a well trained dog can dramatically narrow the search.

State Farm purchases and initially trains arson dogs which are then sent to fire departments around the country.