Steve Berko is a K9FR Operations Lead and Handler.  He owns a construction company and is conversant in managing large projects.

Steve was a First Responder to 9/11.  He was on site for several weeks providing material aid and support to the emergency workers searching for victims.

Dec. 14, 2012: Steve responded with his dog Dascha to the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy.  Dascha and he remained at Reid Intermediate School for the remainder of the school year being a comforting presence for students and teachers alike.

Deployments are fluid with ever-changing demands and needs while interfacing with a multitude of personnel and agencies.  Steve’s organizational skills and managerial experience with multifaceted events provides K9FR with a valuable skill set.

Donna Gleason
K9FR Canine Team Evaluator
Dog Trainer, CDBC, CPDT-KA, MA*

Donna’s background is unique as she posses both the academic credentials and field experience to conduct crisis canine evaluations. Her deployment experience combined with years of training dogs gives her practical insights into screening potential K9FR teams. Not to mention keeping our dogs safe during deployments.

“Dogs interacting during a crisis act differently than at home or when traveling. Their awareness of the stress and tension of the moment is internalized. The dogs provide aid and comfort to victims and survivors all the while managing their own stress. Not every dog or handler can do this. It is my job to screen teams for their effectiveness and demeanor… both the dog and handler as one.”

* Certifications & Degrees:

Certified International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (CDBC)
Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA)
Masters Degree in Behavior Modification (Fairfield University)

Donna relaxing with her dogs. One of which, Socrates, is a K9 First Responder.

Greenfield, MA.: Greenfield Police announced that Lt. William Gordon and Officer Laura Gordon were awarded the Massachusetts Fraternal Order of Police Community Service Award for the work they did with Rosie and Clarence after the Newtown School Shooting and Boston Marathon Bombing.

We are very proud of their work and professionalism. They were also given a very rare Newtown Police Sandy Hook Challenge coin!

Congratulations to Lt. Bill Gordon & Sgt. Laura Gordon of Greenfield, MA PD for this award! You are excellent ambassadors for K9FR. Job well done.

The City of Milford, CT and State of Connecticut honored K9 First Responders who provided aid and comfort to the Jonathan Law High School & Milford, CT communities after the tragic stabbing death of Maren Sanchez.

Steve Crimando is our Psychological First Aid (PFA) and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) instructor. Steve has extensive academic credentials and field experience.  He is active in both public and private sector responses.

Steve created a specific training protocol for crisis canine responders. This targeted training enhances the mandatory training from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress (NCTSN)

Read about his experiences and credentials here.

Congratulations to the 14 handlers who participated in the first statewide K9FR training. These teams were trained in PFA, CISM principals, FEMA protocols, CT OEM SRF, logistical operations, canine behavior/stress, and a variety of intervention techniques.

Experts from their respective disciplines taught each class. They provided valuable information and skill sets important to our success.

Looking forward to growing and learning more.

Excellent article in Dog News Magazine on Lt. Gordon from the Greenfield, MA Police Dept. about Officers Rosie & Clarence.  Article is on page 72.

Congratulations to the Yale-New Haven Hospital K-9 teams on their cover story.  Well done!  Article in PDF format may be viewed at this LINK.