Wheeling Fire Department Introduces Set of Paws to Squad
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WHEELING - A furry friend joined the ranks of the Wheeling Fire Department Monday morning, as the staff welcomed its first therapy dog, Delta, to the squad.
The 7-month-old male purebred golden retriever will serve as a source of serotonin for Wheeling's firefighters, helping combat the daily stressors of the job through cuddles and head scratches.
The furry addition was devised by the department's peer support group, with Chief Jim Blazier explaining the WFD strives to stay ahead of the mental health issues employees may encounter. When the opportunity to acquire Delta from a trainer in North Carolina arose, Blazier knew the canine would fill a much-needed role as a stress reliever in their ranks.
"The idea is that Delta is well-behaved and very tame," explained Blazier. "If he goes into a group of people, he will levitate towards folks that are maybe more stressed than others."
The science behind Delta's stress-sensing skills stems from his ability to recognize elevated cortisol levels in those around him. Delta then remedies the problem by approaching whoever he senses with high-stress levels for belly rubs and head pats.
Apart from providing immediate relief from cortisol spikes, Blazier noted that Delta will also help mitigate the risks of the prolonged stress of the job. Explaining that firefighters often face increases in heart rate and blood pressure as well as weight gain due to high cortisol levels, the chief noted these symptoms could lead to long-term health problems, such as heart diseases and cancer.
By causing firefighters to release the "feel good hormones" of serotonin, oxytocin and dopamine, Blazier hopes Delta will prevent these conditions among his staff.
"The enemy of firefighters is heart disease, strokes and high blood pressure," noted Blazier. "There's a lot of negatives to the amount of stress in the job, so Delta's job is to release that stress somewhat."
Delta's stress-releasing abilities were displayed as he greeted visitors to the station on Monday, approaching whoever entered the room to be pet. Delta's handler, firefighter Ryan Loveland, explained the canine was still a little timid due to his last two months with Wheeling Fire being packed with training and meeting WFD staff.
"Delta’s definitely got a lot thrown at him here, but he’s taking it in stride, and he’s doing really well maintaining his good behavior," said Loveland. "He's patient with us as we get to know him, so it’s been an enjoyable process."
Delta will embark on scheduled visits to all seven stations of the WFD, with Loveland explaining Delta's name is based on the department's three shifts of "Alpha, Bravo and Charlie." The "D" for Delta marks the next letter in their shift order since the dog is for "the whole department and all of the community."
A day on the job for Delta consists of visiting Wheeling firefighters and hammering in his six commands with his handler. Loveland explained the command they are working on the most with Delta is having him automatically head to his kennel when alarms go off at the stations.
"We don't want to put him in the crate ourselves because that may delay our response time, which we don't want to do in any way, shape or form," said Loveland.
Apart from keeping sharp on his commands, the majority of Delta's day is spent distributing cuddles to the squad. Describing officers' faces as "lighting up" when Delta comes through their doors, Loveland noted already seeing the dog's positive impact on firefighters during their visits.
"I’ve seen a lot of very tough grown men melt whenever they see Delta, and it’s a very humbling sight," described Loveland. "Right out the gate, Delta's presence is kind of giving us the opportunity to disconnect from those stressors, even if it’s for five minutes."
Describing Delta's personality as "extremely laid back," Loveland is excited for the dog's future with the WFD. Noting Delta rarely gets shaken and just "minds his business" while at the station, Loveland believes the mutt's greatest asset to the department is "hanging out with the guys and giving out cuddles."
"He's really good at cuddling," added Loveland. "We all just enjoy his presence and kind of come down-to-earth for a few minutes while petting and loving Delta."