Shawn Campana has been a firefighter with Miami Dade Fire Rescue for the past 24 years. She currently holds the rank of Captain and has been on special assignment for the past 3 years as the Peer Support K9 Coordinator to build the MDFR K9 program.
She joined the Peer Support Team in 2015 and began the K9 component pilot studies in 2016. Her role as the K9 Coordinator includes setting standards for training and certifications, writing policy for the 3 parts of the program which includes Crisis Response K9s and Therapy Dogs for the CISM team response, Station dog etiquette and training, and Service Dog training for MDFR firefighters struggling with mental health issues.
She started the program after losing friends/coworkers suicide, and going through her own battle with PTSD, and has seen the value and benefits in healing working with canines can provide. She became a certified dog trainer from Animal Behavior College, specializing in Service, Therapy and Crisis Response K9s. She started the program with her Service Dog Charlie. Charlie is a Service Dog, Therapy Dog and Crisis Response K9.