“Echo” the emotional support dog has been assisting firefighters through their battles with brush fires, and all other calls, for firefighters in Santa Clarita and across Los Angeles County.

Tuesday, members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department from Santa Clarita Station 107  joined Local 1014, the Los Angeles chapter of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) in formally accepting two trained peer support dogs as part of a donation from a newly launched peer support K9 program.

The comfort dogs, known as “Echo” and “Milo”, are specially trained to support firefighters who are dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety and other behavioral health conditions.

The dogs were provided by a partnership through the nonprofits Thor’s Hope Foundation, Performance K9 Training, Inc., and the Patriotic Service Dog Foundation.

Echo, a 3-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever, was recently deployed to the Bobcat Fire where she provided support for over 500 firefighters who had been deployed for weeks.

Meet Echo, a @LACOFD Peer Support comfort dog assigned to the #BobcatFire, and her handler Firefighter Jake Windell. Her job is to offer comfort to de-stress firefighters and personnel that have spent countless hours working this incident.#LACoFD pic.twitter.com/j9gLs0UB4D

— L.A. County Fire Department (@LACoFDPIO) September 22, 2020

Echo was donated four months ago to her handler, Jake Windell, a firefighter and paramedic with Station 107 in Canyon Country as a part of the peer support K9 program.

“She’s amazing, this is one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had at the fire department. We were out at the Bobcat Fire for a week, interacting with crews coming off the line where they’ve been for 24 hours, beaten and exhausted,” said Windell. “With all the different things going on, with COVID, with the wildfires, being able to bring some smiles and laughter has been an amazing experience for her and I.”

Windell first presented the idea of bringing in comfort animals to his command chain four years ago, and after being approved, was able to get in contact with the various charities involved, including the Patriotic Service Dog Foundation.

“She is a lover more than anything, her biggest reward is being petted. She’s not an attention seeker as in she jumps on you, but she moves from person-to-person looking for her next pet,” said Windell. “She’s a goofball and she snores so loudly when she’s asleep. She is funny and loving and a great fit for the department and station. She’ll chase a ball forever, but she’ll also lay down next down to a guy if he’s going through something and just be there for him.”

Echo was originally a comfort dog assigned to a marine with PTSD after she graduated from her first year of training. According to Windell, the marine’s symptoms prevented him from being able to even leave his home. But, after two years with Echo, the marine was able to re-engage with society, getting a job and reconnecting with his family. The man credited Echo with being integral to his recovery process and returned her to the program in the hopes that she would go on to help others.

“I feel like this is a new program for us and we’ve had a great partnership with our local union, 1014, that allows us to put our members first and bring mental health to the forefront and change the stigma of asking for help,” said Windell. “Echo allows us to bridge that gap and allow them to have that break. That’s the best medicine out there.”

Within the past few years, there has been a nationwide shift to focus more efforts on the behavioral health of first responders whose rates of suicide have recently increased, surpassing the yearly number of line-of-duty deaths.

This alarming statistic has led to LACoFD’s expansion of its internal Peer Support program whose trained members have also been deployed to assist with large-scale incidents locally and regionally.

“As a captain, you’re always looking out for the mental health of your crew. You see a lot of tragedy in this job, and that can get to you, but they don’t always want to talk about it,” said Station 107 Fire Captain Louis Cervantes, the station that Echo and Windell call home. “You can bring in the dog and it gives them a way to get it out.”

Cervantes noted that he believes that expanding the program to help other stations would go long way towards supporting the brave men and women who serve the community and that Echo’s loving reputation is well-deserved.

“She is so friendly, she definitely loves a cuddle,” said Cervantes.

Milo, a 3-year-old chocolate Labrador Retriever, will also help firefighters unwind and de-stress from their job demands as first responders.

Milo, a 3-year-old chocolate lab, will also help firefighters unwind and de-stress from their job demands as first responders. Photo courtesy of LACoFD.

Cervantes reminded residents that one of the best ways to support your local firefighters is to have a plan to evacuate and be prepared for brush fires, especially in light of the historical fire season plaguing California.

See Related: How To Prepare, Evacuate For Wildfires

“I think that’s what’s on the forefront this brush season, which it’s been pretty chaotic, people need to have a plan and practice and prepare,” said Cervantes. “‘Ready! Set! Go!’ is a great example, because when (a fire) does happen in your neighborhood, people panic and forget about their plan. If they are ready, especially if they live in a heavy brush area, it is always a bonus for them and us.”

The launch of the Peer Support K9 Program is the latest addition to L.A. County’s peer support program, which includes over 130 trained peers.

Windell encouraged the community to keep up with Echo’s adventures with the Los Angeles County Fire Department and Station 107 through her Instagram account @echothefiredog.

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