Community

Wheeling Fire Department introduces set of paws to squad

WHEELING -- A furry friend joined the ranks of the Wheeling Fire Department on Monday morning, when the staff welcomed its first therapy dog, Delta, to the squad.

The 7-month-old male 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 that 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," Blazier explained. "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 helps remedy 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 disease and cancer.

By causing firefighters to release the "feel good hormones" of serotonin, oxytocin and dopamine, Blazier hopes Delta will help prevent these conditions among his staff.

"The enemy of firefighters is heart disease, strokes and high blood pressure," Blazier noted. "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 petted. Delta's handler, firefighter Ryan Loveland, said 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," Loveland said. "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.

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 the shift order since the dog is for "the whole department and all of the community," Loveland said.

A day on the job for Delta consists of visiting Wheeling firefighters and hammering in his six commands with his handler. Loveland said 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," Loveland said.

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 said he is 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," Loveland described. "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 dog's greatest asset to the department is "hanging out with the guys and giving out cuddles."

"He's really good at cuddling," Loveland added. "We all just enjoy his presence and kind of come down-to-earth for a few minutes while petting and loving Delta."