Sangamon County Rescue Squad K9 Team

OEM's decision to put the entire dept on stand down is because of a training issue and EMR/EMT certification. The general squad members are and have always been required to be EMR/EMT certified. That discussion is being had in other forums.

Regarding specifically the canine handlers, they have never been required to have the EMR/ EMT training. They already have a great responsibility in dealing with their canine cohorts and are/were not expected to do any patient care (thats why we use trailers and involve local fire/EMS responders). The handler responsibility has always been find the person, then remove the dog from the situation and let the trailers take over.

Now, we are required to have BLS level CPR (as are all squad members) and the handlers are all in compliance with this policy. Adding the additional requirement for handlers to be EMR/EMT certified is an unnecessary burden on a group of volunteers that already work their tails off (pun intended) and will not change patient care during the course of a response from us.

As of right now the entire Rescue Squad is in a "stand down" status, authority of the Office of Emergency Management Director. This means that we are not to respond to ANY calls for service (water rescue, K9 search, fire support/air cascade, etc.) and the Sangamon County Central Dispatch System / 9-1-1 has been advised to not page us for calls should they come in. We believe this is a temporary situation and will hopefully be resolved soon.

Any questions/concerns can be directed to the OEM Director (217-747-5101).

Plan on stopping by with your four-legged best friend! 🐕‍🦺🐩🐕

4th of July is quickly approaching and that means lots of fireworks! Fireworks are scary for animals. Make sure to keep pets indoors and take precautions to keep their ID up to date incase they slip out of the yard and end up on the run to escape the big booms. Don’t bring pets to fireworks celebrations or parties where fire crackers are being set off. Keep pets contained to a safe comfortable room in your home and perhaps use a television or ambient music to help drown out the noise. For pets that are particularly anxious, contact your vet for medicinal options.

‼️UPCOMING EVENT‼️

Tats for Tails 🐱❤️🐶
Saturday, June 25th 11:00am-7:00pm

Tattoos will be available for selection
from a pre-made flash sheet of designs
for $125 minimum donation! All designed made by resident and visiting artists!

35 Designs! 8 Artists !









Cash only! Walk-ins only! Good times only!! 🤩🤩

⚡️The proceeds will be donated to Friends of Sangamon County Animal Control for the care and well being of animals in need! ⚡️

Come check out the NEW Dog Park in Chatham tomorrow at their grand opening!

Do you have a plan for your pets in case a natural disaster strikes?

Tornado season is fast approaching in the Midwest and now is the time to prepare before it’s too late.

Here are some tips to help protect your pet:

•Bring all outdoor pets inside.

•Identify your family’s “tornado safety” location and practice bringing your animals into the space to avoid any increased anxiety (basement, bathroom, closet, central room with no windows, etc).

•Have a carrier or means to temporarily secure your cats and/or small animals.

•Keep an emergency kit in a shoebox or bag. Items to I consider including: photo of your pet, slip leads, water bottle, bowl, towel, baggie of food, collar with identification tag if they do not wear one daily, calming treats, copy of shot records, vet contact information

You can never be too prepared when it comes to protecting the ones you love!

Today is the beginning of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (April 10-16). This week honors the men and women who answer emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals, and render life-saving assistance to citizens. They are the first point of contact, the first first responder, and the unseen voice bringing calm to chaos. Let's celebrate and thank telecommunications personnel across the Nation 💛 ~ j