A fire department embraces a unique and furry approach to addressing the mental health challenges associated with the demanding job of first responders.
How Facility Dogs are Revolutionizing Mental Health Support for Firefighters
At the Wilmington Fire Department (WFD) in North Carolina, five dogs work happily to support the brave men and women who serve their community. The main duty of the four-legged comrades? Offer cuddles, compassion and unconditional love to help cope with the emotional challenges of firefighting.
RHYS, CLYDE, HEART, JETHRO and AXEL aren’t ordinary dogs; they are paws4people® Crisis Response Facility Dogs and are part of a larger Mental Health and Wellness program the department is promoting. All five dogs are trained to reduce cortisol levels after a stressful call and help firefighters and the public develop and manage positive coping skills.
Within recent years, the WFD realized how important it was to prioritize mental health. This led to the creation of the department's Mental Health and Wellness Committee, which initiated the idea of launching a Facility Dog program.
“It was about getting ahead of the curve, being proactive instead of reactive," said Lieutenant Josh Baltz, a committee member. “We wanted to create a safe environment where our firefighters felt comfortable seeking help for their mental health without stigma.”
The pilot program included a year-long trial where a WFD firefighter was allowed to bring his paws4people® Facility Dog, RHYS, into the station to see how the other firefighters responded. After the pilot proved to be incredibly successful, the department chiefs gave the green light to grow the program.
Three years later and five dogs strong, the WFD Facility Dog program is now the biggest entity within the paws4people® foundation. “It’s been so great to see how this program is growing and getting such positive attention from the community,” said Kyria Henry Whisenhunt, who founded paws4people® in 1999. “We’ve been getting calls from police departments and other neighboring fire departments asking how they can start their own program.”
According to Whisenhunt, the WFD Facility Dogs began their training at just three days old, with real-world exposure at the Wilmington Fire Department to familiarize them with lights and loud sirens. They then completed intensive obedience training to learn how to assist individuals.
The dogs were taught how to perform non-verbal commands, including "go kiss," "go cuddle" and "go visit," all designed to help lower the stress of the individual without them having to talk about the issue at hand.
“The primary duties of the Facility Dog is to help alleviate the stress a firefighter may experience post-call and help ease tension at the station, lower anxiety and address the long-term effects of emotional disorders like PTSD,” said Whisenhurt.
From cuddling on the couch to nuzzling during moments of distress after a rough day, the Facility Dogs integrate into the daily operations of the WFD firehouses. They even accompany firefighters on appropriate calls and provide a sense of security while on duty.
“It’s hard to put into words how much these Facility Dogs have helped our department,” said Lt. Baltz. “I’ve seen even the toughest guys in the department get on the floor and cuddle with them.”
Each Facility dog lives with its designated firefighter, who is known as the dog’s handler. While Lt. Baltz said it was an easy decision to take JETHRO into his household, it also comes with a lot of time commitment. Handlers must undergo a primary certification through paws4people®, which involves 50 hours of training and are also required to pass annual check-in tests.
Handlers are also responsible for covering all veterinary, food and training expenses for their Facility Dogs. The WFD holds fundraisers to help ease these costs, including publishing and selling an annual calendar featuring photos of firefighters with puppies in training.
According to Lt. Baltz, the benefits are well worth the costs. He said the program has helped build a sense of camaraderie amongst the firefighters and created an atmosphere where it’s okay to talk about how they are feeling.
“For centuries, you just had to tuck it away and deal with it,” said Lt. Baltz. “That time has gone and it’s been proven to not be a safe way to handle your problems. We need to get ahead of things and deal with things when they happen.”
Lieutenant Baltz understands the WFD Facility Dog program isn't going to fix everyone's problems. Still, he considers it a great tool in the fight against the mental health stressors, which come with the calls firefighters respond to every day.
"It's one way to be there for someone who is struggling before they fall into a dark hole and it's too late," he said. "That's ultimately what we are trying to do here, to bring awareness about the importance of mental health and show being vulnerable isn't a weakness."
Learn more about how you can purchase a calendar and donate to the WFD Facility Dog program here!