The Canyon Lake Fire Department has five new team members, known as the “hug team.”
The department applied for and received a grant from the Shapira Foundation’s Hug Patrol. The program donates stuffed animals, known as the “hug team,” to emergency responders to comfort young patients in the midst of challenging and stressful emergencies, such as a fire or medical incident.
The “hug team” consists of Randle the Bernese Mountain Dog, Philbin the Bear (beige), Philbin the Bear (chocolate), Kian the Spaniel, and Karina the Labradoodle. Each team member comes with its own name tag. The department received 50 stuffed animals.
“Your Canyon Lake Firefighters are thrilled to showcase their unwavering support for the community’s younger members and hope that our level of care is a gentle reminder that they’re not alone,” Canyon Lake Fire Chief Jeff LaTendresse said.
