Sublimity Fire District

For two members of the Sublimity Fire District, much of their important work happens after crews return from calls for service.

Probie and Barney, two specially trained golden retrievers, are the district’s Comfort K-9 team. They represent an industry-wide shift in how agencies are supporting the mental health of first responders.

Sublimity’s Comfort K-9 program was created in 2019 after longtime volunteer firefighter Amber Cross recognized the need for an additional tool to help firefighters cope and process after responding to difficult or tragic incidents.

With support from Fire Chief Alan Hume, Cross took on the role of handler and began training Probie as a therapy dog.

A successful start

Probie’s first big assignment came during the Labor Day fires in 2020, which brought wildfire crews from across the country to the Santiam Canyon near Sublimity. A warm reception from visiting firefighters confirmed to Cross that the program had merit in offering comfort and support to first responders.

While it takes time to build trust and normalize having the dogs around, Cross believes they provide both support and a path to overcoming the hesitancy to talk about the struggles firefighters encounter.

She also emphasizes that K-9s are just one piece of the effort to expand mental health support. Crews regularly engage in after-incident debriefs and participate in peer support teams where sharing is encouraged.

Growing the program

After a few successful years, Barney was added to the team in 2023. Both dogs are certified by First Responder Therapy Dogs and participate in continued training.

The team’s role has expanded to include community outreach. Probie and Barney make visits to area schools and community events where they assist with presentations on disaster preparedness, CPR, and fire prevention. These efforts allowed the team to reach almost 2,000 community members last year.

The core mission, however, continues to be supporting first responder wellbeing.

“I have seen Probie and Barney interact with the responders on their worst days and the bounce back in emotion is indescribable,” says Chief Hume. “They offer pure unmatched and unconditional support on our hardest days.”

By day, Cross is an assistant chief deputy with the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office. This has connected the Sublimity Comfort K-9 team with opportunities to support wildfire crews across the state. In 2025, the team provided comfort to about 250 wildland firefighters who had spent an extended time working on the Emigrant Fire near Oakridge.

Back home, Probie and Barney focus on spending time with firefighters at both Sublimity and sister agency Stayton Fire District, as well as make visits to area law enforcement, emergency dispatchers, EMS, and fire agencies.

“Probie and Barney are family and have made me a forever believer in comfort K-9 programs,” Hume says.