Meet The Santa Monica Fire Department's Newest Member — A Black Lab Named Roger

SANTA MONICA, CA — Firefighters and other members of the Santa Monica community have a new furry companion, a Labrador retriever named Roger.

The Santa Monica Fire Department this week launched its new K-9 Peer Support Program, meant to support the mental health of firefighters, city employees and community members. As part of the program, Roger will work with a handler to visit fire stations, attend critical incident debriefings and interact with the public during community events, officials said.

"Through Roger's efforts, the program aims to provide comfort, reduce stress and promote emotional resilience for Santa Monica Fire Department personnel as well as the broader community," Fire Chief Matthew Hallock said in a statement. "We are thrilled to introduce this program as a proactive step in supporting the mental wellness of our firefighters and city employees."

The program is a response to the stressful and often traumatic nature of firefighting, officials said.

Locally, the Redondo Beach, Orange County, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Torrance fire departments have similar programs.