HARTFORD – Ten police officers and their four legged partners were among the first tandems to partake in a special kind of training at Hartford Hospital.
The hospital’s Center for Education, Simulation, and Innovation – or CESI – began a course that helps teach K9 handlers lifesaving tactics for their dog partners.
Using a high tech simulated canine named “Axel” the handlers were taught new tactics on how to administer emergency care to their canine cohorts.
Connecticut State Police Trooper Phil Soucy, who helps to teach the course said, “the object is to provide canine handlers and canine handlers to be life saving measures for their dogs, to provide immediate medicine for them.”
Steve Donahue, the director of CESI, added that having a hi-tech tool like Axel the Sim-Dog is invaluable. “Axel takes their training to the next level, “ Donahue said. “We want to be provide them (canine handlers) with the skill sets they need to help save their partners lives.”
Officers from the State Police, Department of Corrections, and city departments like Hartford and Branford all took part in the one day course at Hartford Hospital.