The Orange County Fire Authority’s newest recruit won’t be laying fire hoses or rushing into burning buildings, but will be comforting firefighters when they come out of those buildings.
Pax, a 3-year-old Labrador retriever, is trained to support first responders during and after crisis situations. He’s paired with Firefighter Wade Munson, a member of the OCFA’s Peer Support Team who is the agency’s first to train as a canine peer support specialist.
“The addition of K-9 Pax and firefighter Munson enhance an already robust array of services that our Behavioral Health & Wellness Program provides,” OCFA Fire Chief Brian Fennessy said, emphasizing the firefighters’ mental health is a top priority of the department.
Pax was donated by Thor’s Hope Foundation and trained by Performance K9 Training.
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