Four-legged first responder: LONDON joins WFD crisis response dog team

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY-TV) – The Wilmington Fire Department added a new four-legged team member to its crew on Tuesday.

LONDON is a one and half year old black lab and he’s a new “Crisis Response Facility Dog” at the fire department. In partnership with paws4people, LONDON is the fifth dog to join the department’s crisis response dog program.

LONDON will aid in de-escalating stress post-calls, ease tension at the station, lower anxiety and reduce long-term effects of PTSD. Adam Molinelli, senior firefighter and LONDON’s handerl said LONDON will ease distress while on the scene of an emergency.

“If I’m shaking my leg, he’ll come up to me and wack his head my leg, or if I’m crying he’ll jump up on me and he’ll start licking my face,” Molinelli said. “I can also tell him to go cuddle that’s another command I give him to somebody.”

Molinelli said LONDON completed two months of training before he could be added to the program. LONDON will work at Fire Station Five on Shipyard Boulevard and go home with Molinelli when off duty.