How to Support Our Heroes (And Their Hounds) 

First responders work tirelessly to keep our communities safe, facing danger and stress on a daily basis. From firefighters to police officers, and K-9 units to search and rescue dogs, these heroes (and their hounds) deserve our respect. Supporting them can help them continue to make a difference in the lives around them. If you're unsure how to contribute, consider the following ways to support first responders—and their canine partners.

How to Support First Responders 

First responders often put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe. To thank them for their sacrifices and show your support, consider implementing one or more of the suggestions below. 

1. Donate to Charities and Funds 

There are many charities that support first responders and their families with monetary donations, services, and more. Giving to these charities is a direct way to support our first responders. Just remember to never give away money over the phone to avoid scam donations. 

You can look for local charities to give your donations to, or check out some of the national charities below: 

• National Fallen Firefighters Foundation: Give to families that are dealing with the loss of a fallen firefighter
• First Responder’s Children Foundation: This charity provides scholarships for children with parents that either died in the line of duty or became permanently disabled due to their work.
• National EMS Memorial Foundation: To honor the commitment of fallen Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel, this charity uses donations to create a permanent EMS memorial in Washington, D.C.
• Responder Rescue: The purpose of this charity is to provide emotional and financial assistance to first responders who are injured, sick, or suffering from a traumatic event.
• Code Green Campaign: Donate to support first responder mental health advocacy and education programs.
• The Gary Sinise Foundation: This charity developed a First Responders Outreach program meant to provide equipment and training to first responders, including police, firefighters, and EMS personnel. 

2. Volunteer Your Time 

If you’re unable to donate financially, consider donating your time. A quick Google search should help you find any local volunteer opportunities helping out police, fire, or EMS services. Your community may need volunteers to host local events or complete administrative work. 

If you can’t find any existing ways to volunteer, check out the Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) program, which directly helps police offices according to tasks local communities set. If you don’t already have a VIPS program running locally, contact your police office to inquire about setting one up. You can also volunteer at the American Red Cross Foundation, which aids in disaster recovery and other emergency preparations. 

By volunteering your time, you can help take some of the day-to-day pressures off of local police, fire, and EMS services, so they can spend their time where they’re needed most. 

3. Advocate for Policy Change 

One of the best ways to support first responders is by advocating for policy change. Ask your local police, fire, and EMS departments what changes they would like to see in their fields, then take action. You can encourage local and national policymakers to make changes in funding, mental health programs, or staffing issues. Attend town hall meetings and write letters to your delegates to spread the word about challenges facing first responders.   

Don’t forget to advocate for Emergency Medical Dispatchers (EMDs) as well. These courageous people are the first, first responders—taking emergency calls, sending help, and providing prearrival care instructions to callers. Not every state recognizes EMDs as first responders, so if your state doesn’t, advocate to change this designation. 

How to Support Police, Fire, and EMS Dogs 

People aren’t the only ones helping our community EMS services. From K-9 units to search and rescue dogs, military working dogs (MWDs), arson dogs, and more, man’s best friend certainly makes a difference in our neighborhoods. Here’s how you can support these heroic hounds in their lines of duty. 

1. Respect Their Working Role 

Working dogs are more than just pets; they are highly trained animals meant to perform a certain task. Be sure to respect their working role by avoiding petting, talking to, or approaching the animal without their handler’s permission. Adopting these safe behaviors prevents distracting animals from their jobs and maintains the public’s safety. Interference may provoke a dog to bite when it’s not necessary, so remember to respect these animals. 

2. Donate to Working Dog Programs 

Just like you can donate to programs that support first responders, you can also donate to charities that focus on supporting their canine companions. If you’re an animal lover, consider donating to charities such as: 

• The Warrior Dog Foundation: This charity helps working dogs transition from an operational environment to retirement. It provides mental and physical rehabilitation and rehomes MWDs, K-9s, and other dogs that would otherwise be euthanized.
• National Disaster Search Dog Foundation: The mission of this organization is to rescue and recruit dogs to aid firefighters and other first responders with finding people who have been buried alive following a disaster.
• K9s for Warriors: This organization rescues dogs to train as Service Animals to provide to veterans with PTSD or other complex trauma. Their goal is to end Veteran suicide with the partnerships.
• Spikes K9 Fund: Donations directly go to supporting America’s working dogs through training, care, and other needs. 

3. Adopt Retired K-9s 

After years of service, K-9s retire and occasionally need new homes. While it’s common for police handlers to adopt their retired K-9, this isn’t always the case. If you have a background training or handling dogs, you might want to consider adopting a retired K-9 that might otherwise be euthanized. You can apply to adopt retired Contract Working Dogs (CWDs), MWDs, or police dogs through Mission K9 Rescue. This organization places retired animals with homes suitable for their needs. The adoption fee is $375 plus the cost of transportation to your home if needed. 

The Bottom Line

First responders and their working dogs make great personal sacrifices to protect our communities and lives. Their sacrifices deserve not only our respect, but also our support. You can show gratitude to first responders and their dogs by donating to charities, volunteering your time, advocating for policy change, or adopting retired working dogs. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of first responders—and their heroic hounds.