London Fire Brigade: Six well-being dogs welcomed
London Fire Brigade (LFB) now has six newly qualified wellbeing dogs to help firefighters recover from traumatic incidents.The scheme works by members of staff volunteering to be trained with their pet dogs to give emotional support to crews.Working on a request basis, they can now visit any of the 102 fire stations across London to offer teams a morale boost.Borough commander for Hammersmith and Fulham, Lucy MacLeod, who volunteers with her dog Blue, said: "He is happy to be stroked, adores being made a fuss of and he is very calm around people."
Lucy said that Blue, a miniature Australian Shepherd, "generally loves being around humans".She added: "Evidence shows that animals like Blue, can have a calming influence on people and provide a positive distraction; there's no judgement from a dog."
To qualify to support colleagues, the duo had to complete 20 modules in the Oscar Kilo 9 (OK9) Dog Trust's handlers course and a behavioural assessment. Owners also had to pass a two-day Mental Health First Aiders course and a one-day OK9 peer support course.
'Bridging the gap'
Once everyone has completed training, the team will have 10 dogs and their handlers but the fire service hopes to recruit more in the future.Head of health and wellbeing at London Fire Brigade, Natalie Elliott, said: "Our fire crews are called to all manner of incidents, not just burning buildings."Some of these incidents may have a significant impact on a person's mental health... it's impossible to know who and how someone is going to be affected from the outset, but we do know that some incidents will stay with our staff long after they've left the scene."The wellbeing dogs help provide support and are key to bridging the gap between early interventions such as peer-based post incident support and more structured support, such as trauma therapy, which the brigade provides."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
4 days ago
- The Independent
Fires breakout in London after soaring heat across UK
London Fire Brigade (LFB) has warned Londoners against using disposable barbecues and urged caution due to a heatwave, with temperatures expected to exceed 30C. The LFB responded to two grass fires in Rainham recently and recorded 332 barbecue-related callouts between 2022 and May 2025, with 17 resulting in casualties. LFB assistant commissioner Pat Goulbourne emphasized the high risk of fires spreading rapidly due to the dry conditions and urged the public to prevent incidents. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber heat-health alert for the entire country from Thursday to Monday, indicating potential impacts on health and social services. The Met Office reported that UK heatwaves are becoming longer and hotter, with the chance of exceeding 40C now over 20 times more likely than in the 1960s due to escalating climate trends.
Daily Mail
08-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Fire warning issued to households over common vape mistake
One common vape mistake could lead to highly toxic fires that are nearly impossible to put out. Fire safety experts have warned that if vapes are thrown around or frequently dropped they could start a 'ferocious' fire. When the devices are treated carelessly, it can trigger the lithium batteries inside vapes to have a severe chemical reaction. The reaction known as thermal runaway, can cause explosive and highly toxic fires that are almost impossible to put out. It can occur when a vape is damaged, short circuits or exposed to high temperatures. The London Fire Brigade has also warned that a recent increase in vape-related fires across the UK is due to the devices being disposed incorrectly. When general rubbish or recycling is collected, vapes are often crushed, compacted, punctured or soaked in liquids. This can cause the batteries to overheat or ignite. File image: Fire safety experts have warned that if vapes are thrown around or frequently dropped they could start a 'ferocious' fire Even if they do not start a fire, damaged batteries also release harmful chemicals and materials that can damage the environment if not recycled responsibly. The lithium batteries need to be disposed of at a recycling centre. Many vape retailers offer take-back services for disposable vapes. Some councils also have recycling points at household recycling centres. Consumers can check their local council's website to find out if this is available in their area. Between 2020 and 2024, the London Fire Brigade were called to 41 vape-related fires. Giuseppe Capanna, product safety expert at charity Electrical Safety First, told The Sun: 'If you own a vape it's really important you treat it with care, avoid carelessly throwing it around which may cause the battery inside to become damaged over time. 'Ensure you use a compatible charger for your device and keep it away from areas where it may be exposed to high temperatures or risk coming into contact with water.' Electrical Safety First urged vapers not to 'bin the battery' following the ban on the sale of disposable or single-use vapes from June 1. A survey for the charity found almost three in five vapers plan on throwing their old vapes into their household's general waste or recycling bin, prompting fears of fires in refuse trucks and waste centres. This is despite 71 per cent of vapers admitting that they are aware that improper disposal of vapes can cause fires.
North Wales Live
08-06-2025
- North Wales Live
'I've never seen so many' - jellyfish invade North Wales beaches in their thousands
A huge invasion of 'pretty' jellyfish on the west Wales coast has left residents and tourist stunned. At this time of year beaches are often littered with the creatures but the sheer numbers being seen are beyond anything in recent memory. A boat owner reported seeing 'millions' of jellyfish in Cardigan Bay and rough seas last weekend may have brought many closer to shorelines. With the UK currently gripped by a marine heatware, caused by the mild spring, warmer sea surface temperatures were expected to trigger a surge in jellyfish populations. Online reports suggest large numbers on Gwynedd's beaches, including Criccieth, Fairboroune and Traeth y Greigddu (Black Rock Sands), near Porthmadog. Some of the most impressive invasions were seen at Barmouth, where one long-time local reported: 'There are thousands of them along the shoreline, I've never seen so many. They are about the size of a hand and have 4 purple rings visible in them.' These are Moon jellies, the most common jellyfish in UK seas. Their most distinctive feature are the four circles visible through a translucent bell – these are actually their gonads, their reproductive organs. In recent years, Spain has witnessed similar jelly surges and, ahead of this year's peak summer season, tourists have been warned to expect to see more washing up on popular beaches. In recent years, swimming bans have been implemented, blamed on climate change and rising sea temperatures. Last summer, nearly 7,500 swimmers needed medical treatment for jellyfish stings on the Catalan coast, 41% up from the previous year. The good news for Welsh beachgoers is that Moon jellyfish are mostly harmless – their stings pose little risk to humans. 'We used to go swimming amongst them lol,' said one local. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now Neither are they a major threat to dogs, though they are slightly more vulnerable: potential symptoms can include itching, drooling and minor agitation. They may also lick paws or rub their face. In some cases, vomiting is possible if dogs lick or eat Moon jellies. More severe reactions are rare, though it's something to be aware of. Other jellyfish have been reported around the coasts of Anglesey and Gwynedd in the past week, including Blue, Compass and Crystal jellies. At worst, all these give a mild irritating sting like a nettle rash. Larger, harmless Barrel jellies are also washing up. When seen, a frequent comment is how beautiful they look. On finding a Moon jellyfish, one woman said online: 'I've seen these on Black Rock Sands they are so pretty with their purple rings.' At Anglesey Sea Zoo, Brynsiencyn, a large number Moon jellies can be viewed in a tank: as many visitors attest, watching clouds of them gently undulate can be utterly mesmerising. 'They have short, delicate tentacles that hang down from the sides of the bell,' said the zoo. 'They catch their plankton prey using a layer of mucus over their bells - before passing the microscopic meals into their mouths parts using special tentacles.' Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox The ones seen at Barmouth were small, likely juveniles: adults reach the size of a dinner plate and these have been spotted off Aberdyfi. 'There were some huge ones floating past in the sea, bigger than a football,' said one crabber. More dangerous jellies, such as the Lion's Mane and Portuguese Man o' War, typically arrive in smaller numbers later in the summer. Beside the colour and interest jellyfish add to beaches, they help sustain marine and shoreline ecosystems by providing a meal for other creatures such as turtles, gulls and crustaceans. Their arrival on beaches is often said to be a sign of warmer weather ahead - large numbers were reported in west Wales during the long hot summer of 1976. But don't get too excited: while the Met Office said there is 'potential for some warm or hot weather to develop' later this week, there will still be plenty of the wet stuff around.
