Episode 14: Transforming Firefighter Mental Health: Wilmington Fire Department’s Facility Dog Program

Send us Fan MailFeaturing: Host Dan Meyer & Lieutenant Josh Baltz Date published: 9/6/2024🚒🐕 Discover how facility dogs are revolutionizing firefighter mental health!In this podcast episode, Lieutenant Josh Baltz from the Wilmington Fire Department in North Carolina discusses the impact of their facility dog program. Lt. Baltz details how specially trained dogs are integrated into daily operations to provide crucial support for crisis response and mental health every day. He shares personal experiences and highlights the program's broader effects on the department and the community, emphasizing the cultural shift it has fostered and the improvements in mental health outcomes. Tune in to learn about the logistics of the program, the role of the dogs in the fire service and a valuable model for fire departments looking to implement a program across the nation.Join us as we continue to bring together customers, industry professionals and Pierce experts in future episodes, providing a platform for insightful discussions on the advancements and challenges within the firefighting community.Whether you’re in the market for the latest in fire apparatus technology, or just passionate about the firefighting community and its evolution, this episode of Pierce™ Dispatch is for you.For any feedback, questions or to subscribe, visit the Pierce™ Dispatch page.