Los Angeles County Fire Learns Canine First Aid

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December 2011

When LACoFD emergency operations personnel respond to an incident, they don personal protective and other safety equipment to ensure their health and wellbeing while working under dangerous conditions. However, there is a group of first responders in our Department who are unable to wear such equipment �" our search and rescue canines. These valiant dogs climb over uneven, treacherous terrain to find victims trapped after a disaster, and must be unhindered by protective gear in order to do their job properly. They often get injured, and providing them the medical care they need at a disaster site can be difficult.

To ensure our canines can receive proper medical attention if they are hurt while on deployment, their handlers attended the 3 Barks' K9 Critical Care Clinic on November 12, where they learned how to provide lifesaving first aid to their furry partners. During their full day of hands-on training, each of our Department's 11 canine search and rescue handlers learned basic dog anatomy, the most common types of search and rescue-related injuries, and how to observe and monitor their canines for injuries. Punctures and lacerations to their paws is a frequent canine injury says Fire Fighter Specialist Jason Vasquez, who is teamed with Maverick, a German Shepherd. "Because of the rubble, the canines can often slip and hit a piece of rebar, glass or other sharp object," he says.

Dehydration is also high on the list of injuries, as canines are often working in severe weather conditions. Vasquez experienced this firsthand when he and Maverick were deployed to Galveston, Texas in the wake of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in the Gulf Coast area in September 2008. "It was incredibly hot and Maverick became dehydrated," he recalls. Waiting for a veterinarian to arrive to treat Maverick "was the longest 15 minutes of my life," he says.

An additional benefit to our handlers being able to provide first aid to their canines is that the dogs are more relaxed when they receive treatment because they are used to their handlers touching them as opposed to a stranger. Handlers practiced inserting IVs, splinting limbs, stopping bleeding, taking temperature and administering skin tests on their canines. Vasquez said it was very similar to paramedic school, where attendees practiced treating their classmates. "I was a little nervous starting an IV on Maverick," Vasquez admits, "but he took it better than I did!"

By learning these techniques, our handlers will not only be able to recognize if their canines are injured, but provide immediate treatment. "The new handlers will definitely benefit from this course," he says. "They have the education and experience so that when they are deployed, they will know what to do and not have to rely on someone else to treat their canines."

This free class was given by 3 Barks, the new pet safety program for MySafe:LA, the non-profit public education partner for the Los Angeles City Fire Department. Because LAFD has their own canine search and rescue teams, they invited our personnel to take part in this training. The November 12 class was the first of two, which covered the basics. An advanced first aid class will be held a few months from now, which our handlers will also attend.

Thanks to LAFD for putting on this course and sharing their resources with our personnel!

Republished with permission of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. View original article here.



Author:Los Angeles County Fire Department