Friday, April 18, 2025
Four people in bright safety vests stand in a classroom.One is reading from a paper in their hands, and one is holding a walkie-talkie.
A woman with her back to the camera reads a piece of paper while another woman waits in a chair. They are behind a privacy curtain. On the table are vaccination supplies.
A white board with the words Activity Log written on it. Incidents reported, vaccinations given, and other data is tallied on the board.

 

 

The Professional Roles IV: Leadership and Professional Engagement class conducted a vaccination clinic simulation recently, experiencing the intricacies of a large-scale community health initiative. The students practiced their leadership and organizational skills while working through the challenges of setting up and running an incident command system, monitoring costs, clinic administration, and managing community relations. 

Two women sit in chairs at a table, laughing. One woman kneels next to them on floor. Next to her a dog sits on his haunches. The table in front of everyone is covered with pens and medical supplies.

Adding to the experience was a special guest: K9 Rudy, crisis canine with the Johnson County Sheriff's Office. Rudy and his human partner, Detective Sergeant Alissa Schuerer, visited the college to educate students about crisis canines and participate in the simulation.

K9 Rudy, a two-year-old mixed breed dog that came from an animal rescue organization, officially started at the Sheriffs Office in July 2023. He immediately began training, earning his therapy dog certification and his crisis response certification over the next ten months. 

A person bending over nearly touching noses with a brindle dog. Her hand is on his head. He is wearing a harness with a Crisis Canine patch.

"The presence of crisis response canines has shown to reduce stress, build resilience, and promote mental wellness for those facing traumatic situations," says Schuerer. "Psychological first aid is an important piece of the response and recovery after a traumatic event, and is greatly needed for the first responders, victims, and communities impacted during the crisis. Simply having the dogs available provides a comforting and calm presence in the moment of intense emotion."

Rudy received lots of love and pets from the students, but the event was valuable for him in other ways, as well. "Crisis response canines are paired with a first responder trained in critical incident stress management," says Schuerer. "Exposing Rudy to the sights, sounds, people, and medical equipment helps prepare him for real life events." 

Fun facts about Rudy 

Age: 2.5 years
Breed: rescue 
Began at the Sheriff's Office: 2023. 
Certifications: therapy dog; crisis response canine
Favorite treat: anything! 
Favorite thing to do at work: receive daily treats and back scratches from coworkers
Favorite thing to do outside of work: nap on the couch with family or play outside 

A smiling woman in yellow extends her hand to a dog while another person pets it.
Two women wearing medical masks sit at a table, facing another woman who is kneeling on the floor. Between them is a dog enjoying being petted.

 
A dog lies on the floor of the classroom. His eyes are closed. Behind him at a table are various women, some in bright safety vests.

 

a boy and a dog sleep on a couch, arms intertwined.
Off duty, Rudy loves to nap with his human brother.