The Santa Monica Fire Department welcomed its newest addition to the crew on Monday: Roger, the support dog.
Roger, a 6-year-old English Labrador, is a certified support K-9 trained in providing comfort and companionship. He is the first team member in SMPD’s new K-9 Peer Support Program.
SMPD launched the program this week, an initiative that the department said is designed to support the mental health and wellbeing of firefighters, as well as other city employees and community members.
“Working alongside a designated peer support team handler, Roger will visit fire stations, attend debriefings after critical incidents, attend community events to interact with the public and be available to firefighters and city employees in need of emotional support,” SMPD explained in a release.
This will be the furry trailblazer’s second job. Fire officials told KTLA that Roger was originally trained as a guide dog to help the blind and visually impaired and that, once that role ended, he received additional training to be a peer support K-9.
“We are thrilled to introduce this program as a proactive step in supporting the mental wellness of our firefighters and city employees,” said Fire Chief Matthew Hallock. “The presence of a therapy dog has been proven to lower stress levels, improve morale and encourage open conversations about mental health.”
SMPD noted that, given the intense and often traumatic nature of the work that firefighters face, adding Roger to the crew and launching this program is meant to help prioritize a healthy and supportive work environment.
“We believe this initiative will make a meaningful impact on our team,” said Chief Hallock.
