- November 6, 2024
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At a time when the community is recovering from the impacts of three successive hurricanes, the Sarasota County Fire Department has someone lending a helping hand, and paw.
Firefighter Mark Maiure said at the time of each of the storms, the demands of the role were extensive.
“As soon as they released us at night, we were out running calls and didn’t come back,” he said.
However, since August, a partnership between the Sarasota County Fire Department and the Humane Society of Sarasota County has been offering an additional way to uplift firefighters' moods.
“(The dogs) are always showing up, and they’re give, give give and nothing but a bundle of love,” said Paramedic Mary Kate Rea.
Hannah Howard, communication coordinator with the Humane Society, describes the organization as “Pretty much on call for (the fire department) all the time.”
The partnership began when Jesse Schilling, acting battalion chief of safety and recruitment, reached out to the Humane Society.
The first station to be visited was Station 9 on Bee Ridge Road, which was located in an area heavily impacted by the flooding during Hurricane Debby.
“With the rise of first responder suicides, we need to start taking mental health a little bit more seriously, so any extra tool we can have to deal with that is a good thing,” said Maiure.
Additionally, Rea said that not only do firefighters have the task of responding to people on their worst day, but many personnel were also affected personally by the storms, with damage to their homes.
Schilling said due to the size of the department and its wide geographical layout, the humane society, which operates over 80 pet therapy teams in its HSSC Pet Therapy Program, has been well-equipped to cover the full area.
Currently, it has traveled to all 25 stations, whose personnel total 540, and by Nov. 1 had clocked about 55 hours with the department.
Stations extend to locations outside Sarasota including St. Armands Key, through the fire station at 47 North Adams Drive beside St. Armands Circle, and Venice.
Aid agreements with surrounding agencies mean that the department also assists other departments such as the Longboat Key Fire Rescue.
The therapy animals encompass a variety of dogs from Chihuahuas, to Goldendoodles, to mastiffs, and even include hypoallergenic dogs and a cat named Marshmallow.
"With this collaboration, it makes a lot easier to spread that emotional toll on an animal, if you will, because these animals also take in a lot of our feelings, a lot of the interactions, and it wears on them," Schilling said.
Volunteers stop by on an impromptu basis, while firefighters also have the option to schedule times with the animals.
The partnership extends to fire departments with which SCFD shares a cooperative relationship, including the Englewood and North Port fire departments, and Station 7 of the East Manatee Fire Rescue.
At the same time the partnership benefits the fire department, it has also allowed the Humane Society the opportunity to interact with the public, through open house events at the fire stations.
"We strive to provide resources for our community every day, but especially in the wake of disaster,” said Anna Gonce, executive director of the Humane Society, in a written statement to the Observer. “We have amazing Pet Therapy Volunteers who jumped at the chance to show support and express gratitude to our first responders. We're so grateful for the opportunity to nurture an ongoing relationship with our area first responders.”
Rea noted there is plenty of research on the power of dogs to elevate moods.
“Instead of carrying that (stress) for the next 24 hours, maybe you have a dog at home, now you come back to the station, you get that de stressor immediately," she said.
Maiure said since all firefighters have different ways of coping with their experiences, the program will offer another avenue for firefighters to attend to their mental health.
“Some people can handle it well, some people can’t,” he said. “Some people have other means of dealing with that, and some people don’t. So for the people that don't, this program could be great… Call a dog. How can you have a bad time when there's a dog around?”
Currently, the county also offers an employee assistance program to connect staff with mental health resources.
“We're just grateful we can provide a little bit of a break from their day-to-day and everything they have to respond to, and try and take their minds off things and put a smile on their face,” Howard said.
