Michele Meets: Paw Patrol
I recently had the opportunity to meet Moose, a 22-month-old German Shepherd Belgian Malinois cross from the Czeck Republic, and the newest member of St. Mary’s K9 Program.
Moose and his security officer handler, Chris Firm, are part of the program’s highly trained team members who play an important role in patient and caregiver safety at St. Mary’s.
The K9 Program is made up of three full-time teams and two on-call teams who assist in security response and support our comprehensive workplace violence prevention program. Both human and canine team members must earn K9 certification to join St. Mary’s K9 Program. All are trained in handler protection and third-party protection through the High Desert Police K9 Association and National Police K9 Association.
Our other paired K9 teams are:
Diesel and McKenzie Diaz (pictured)
Athena and Rayna Thompson-Watkins
Te Ka and Kenyon Hendricks
Umi and Deanie Earthman, Special Operations K9 Manager at St. Mary’s
The presence of our K9 teams creates a psychological deterrent to criminal activity and violent behavior -- and can also de-escalate situations to allow for care and treatment. K9s can be deployed in a law enforcement capacity to obstruct criminal activity in situations where there is a potential for life-threatening bodily harm. The K9 team also offers comfort and support to our caregivers, greatly contributing to their sense of safety while providing care.
Since the K9 program was implemented:
Workplace violence events in the Emergency Department have decreased by approximately 30 percent
Injuries have decreased by approximately 50 percent
Don’t let Moose’s size and intense stare fool you, he’s still a huge sweetheart. Moose loves coming to work and looks forward to being loved on by the staff, patients, and visitors he is trained to protect. When he’s not working, he enjoys playing ball, carrying around his stuffies, getting belly rubs, and playing in the sprinklers. Be sure to stop and say hello anytime you see them.
You can also meet Moose and his two- and four-legged colleagues on Sept. 30 at St. Mary’s Ball, “A Night for Heroes,” benefiting our K9 Program. The event will be held at the Grand Junction Convention Center. RSVP by Sept. 8, details below.
