Fire Department celebrates new therapy dog with powerful story

BEING A FIREFIGHTER IS NOT ONLY PHYSICALLY DEMANDING, BUT MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY AS WELL. CHRIS PETERSON SHOWS US HOW THE THOMASVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS DEALING WITH THE STRESSES OF THE JOB. WITH THE HELP OF A NEW FURRY ADDITION. THE THOMASVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS A NEW MEMBER, AND HE’S NOT PUTTING OUT FIRES, BUT HE HAS A REALLY IMPORTANT JOB TO DO. IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT BEING A FIREFIGHTER IS A STRESSFUL JOB. TRAUMA IS SOMETHING THAT WE SEE A LOT OF, A LOT MORE THAN MOST PEOPLE. THAT’S WHERE THIS ADORABLE LITTLE GUY SAVES THE DAY. MEET DOC. THIS FOUR MONTH OLD YELLOW LAB IS A TRAINED THERAPY DOG. WHENEVER WE HAVE STRESS, IT PUTS OFF CORTISONE. DOGS NATURALLY SENSE THIS CORTISONE, SO IT WORKS TWO WAYS. THE DOGS SENSE THE CORTISONE. AND THEY. AND IF THEY’RE AROUND THE PEOPLE AND PEOPLE START PETTING THE DOG, THEN. THEN THE OXYTOCIN ARE PUT OFF FROM THE BODY THAT ACTUALLY HELP ALLEVIATE OUR STRESS AND HELP CALM US DOWN. DOC ALREADY KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT RESCUES. HE WAS RESCUED HIMSELF. HIS MOTHER AND NINE OTHER SIBLINGS WERE JUST PUT OUT AND THIS RESCUE CAME ALONG AND WORKING WITH IS K9 ACADEMY, AND THEY TOOK THEY CONTACTED ME AND TOLD ME ABOUT THE DOGS AND SAID, IF YOU’D LIKE, WE’LL WE’LL PICK OUT ONE THAT WILL WORK GOOD AS A THERAPY DOG FOR YOU. DOC IS STILL GETTING USED TO HIS NEW SURROUNDINGS. BATTALION CHIEF WADDELL SAYS FIREFIGHTERS ARE BIG AND NOISY, BUT HE’S QUICKLY MAKING FRIENDS. DOC HAS ALREADY ATTENDED A SCHOOL EVENT AND IS AVAILABLE TO ANY AGENCY IN THE CITY THAT NEEDS HIM. BUT THIS PUP’S MAIN MISSION IS TO HELP THOSE WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR US EVERY DAY. WE DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF BEING OF LOOKING AT OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND SAYING, HEY, WE NEED TO KEEP THEM IN SHAPE. AND NOW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE IS TRYING HARD TO CONCENTRATE ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND KEEP THEM HEALTHY THAT WAY. ALSO. DOC IS CONTINUOUSLY IN TRAINING, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, HE’S REALLY GOOD AT HIS JOB ALREADY.