“I’ve just always had a passion for serving and encouraging people, it’s an innate personality trait and instinct I’ve always had,” Dusty King, EMS Lieutenant with South Metro Fire Rescue, shares that he comes from a line of public servants with a service mindset.
He and his K9 companion, Herbie, make it their purpose to care for their own team within South Metro Fire Rescue. Hired for the Peer Support Team, Herbie is a trained service dog. He is cared for and has benefits just like any employee.
“Service dogs in general are trained for very specific needs. Herbie’s trained to read the room. He’ll walk into a room and catch things even our own social awareness won’t pick up on. If someone has emotions that don’t match the room, Herbie immediately senses it,” Dusty shares.
As members of the Peer Support Team, it is part of Dusty and Herbie’s job to deploy and bring support after traumatic incidents. What do these visits look like? They’re simply a moment for those involved to slow down and process with the team. They can say as much or as little as they want.
“Herbie is really good at starting conversations. He’s calm and will either lie down next to people. He’ll nudge them with their nose. He’ll just sit and offer himself to be petted when he senses things. It’s really interesting to be able to see how people respond.”
“The K9 program logs about 40 hours a month in supporting our members through station and staff visits,” Dusty informs. “We deployed for days at a time to surrounding agencies as a mutual aid response to include the Castle Rock and Bennet Fires when they lost members within the year. We spent time with each shift that worked, as well as admin staff facilities.”
The Peer Support Program understands the mental strain of first responders. Dusty talks about how, “Within 30 days of a traumatic event, if you don’t deal with it in some way, you’ll have a post-traumatic injury that is now associated with that experience that now prolongs likely into your life.” Their goal is to not let it get that far.
The K9 program is an asset. Dusty explains, “There’s a ton of research around why canine animals are so successful, especially within first responders and military, related to mental health therapy. Just the act of petting a dog does so many things that talk therapy will do. You increase and decrease hormones. Blood pressure goes down. Heart rates come down.”
Herbie gives people permission to breathe, take a moment and not be okay after something traumatic.
Outside of his job, Herbie loves to play, chase toys and sit on the couch with the family to watch a good show. He loves going to the park and playing with other dogs as well.
If you see Herbie or Dusty at a community event, feel free to say hi and learn more about the difference they’re making for the South Metro Fire Rescue and within mental health for first responders.
Herbie is really good at starting conversations.