COLUMBIA, Tenn. (WTVF) — A fire department in Columbia has found a unique way to support the mental health of its first responders – a therapy dog who provides comfort after traumatic calls.
Darby, an 11-year-old goldendoodle, now roams the halls of Columbia Fire and Rescue, offering emotional support to firefighters who regularly face high-stress situations.
"Her favorite way to do it is she'll come up to you and she'll just lean her head against you. We call it a head hug," said Firefighter Deja Dixon, who spearheaded the effort to bring Darby to the department.
Dixon initiated the program after recognizing how the job was affecting her mental well-being.
"The atmosphere at the station has changed significantly. It's boosted morale. Everybody seems happier. Even admin seems happier," Dixon said.
Fire Chief Chris Cummins fully supported the initiative, having made mental health a priority since the department lost one of their own in 2017.
"That really changed my viewpoint of the way we look at our mental health and our people. That took a toll on the department," Cummins said.
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation estimates that approximately 100 firefighters take their own lives every year.
Cummins emphasized that firefighters routinely experience traumatic events, making mental health support critical to their well-being and job performance.
"Every time we roll out, someone's having a bad day, it could be their worst day of their life. So every time we go out is important, and we've got to be 100% every time we go out, because if not, it shows in what we do, in our actions," he said.
As they risk their lives to help others, in the darkness, they hope Darby can be their light.
"There's something about coming back from a call and there's a dog just sitting there waiting. She'll just be bouncing back and forth on her paws. It's like she hasn't seen you in ages. She's just so excited every single time we come back. And it's hard not to be happy when you come back to that," Dixon said.
Darby has been living at Station 3 for almost a month, and she has an assigned caregiver in each shift.
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