DENVER — West Metro Fire started the dog therapy program four years ago with two dogs, Remmey and Captain. Fast forward to today, and the program is the largest in the state, with 11 therapy dogs.
“The dogs bring an amazing sense of calmness and excitement to our crews. The dogs are just a really good addition to our crews, and we’ve added to our toolbox of mental health and wellness," said Capt. Reed Norwood at West Metro Fire station 3.
Firefighters respond to thousands of calls each year, some of those calls can be difficult and hit close to home for some firefighters, which can leave a lasting impact on crews, even for those who have years of experience.
“I think historically, firefighters, we would just bury whatever we were experiencing. That includes hard calls and whatever’s going on at home. We’ve now emerged from that chapter, and we’re really taking the stigma of mental health across the fire service, and the dogs are a key component to break down those barriers," Norwood said.
While the therapy dogs don't respond to emergency calls, they still have important duties to do at the fire station. Each dog has to be trained, certified, provide relief from stress or trauma, adapt to station surroundings, and just like firefighters - they'll work two days straight.
“I think talking about therapy dog program and expanding it here at West Metro has really allowed us to talk more about therapeutic tools that we offer and it’s not something that we have to keep to ourselves or not talk about as a crew," Norwood said.
On top of everyday duties, the therapy dogs also patiently wait by the door for crew members to return from a call.
West Metro Fire has all type of dogs. There's no breed restriction.
As the program continues to grow, Norwood said, he receives calls from other agencies who are looking to add therapy dogs to their organization.
“I get contacted almost daily. A lot of people have reached out from Europe, who are trying to do the same thing," he said. "The thing that I stress for people who are looking to start a program is make sure you get that early support from your fire chief, administration or directors from your city. You really have to talk about your program up front about how the dogs are certified, how the temperament is measured, and a good program support from your administration."
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