K9 Apollo

🐾 A Message from Apollo 🐾

Chief Voltaire,

I’m sorry I was feeling under the weather and couldn’t make it to your retirement celebration. I had every intention of being there to get some pets, sneak a few treats, and help celebrate your big day.

Even though I missed it, I still wanted to wish you a very happy retirement! Thank you for your years of service, leadership, and dedication to the fire service and the people you served.

Most importantly, thank you for believing in and supporting the Crisis Response K9 Program. Your trust and encouragement helped open doors for teams like me, and your support has made a difference in the lives of countless first responders. We are grateful for the opportunities you’ve given us to serve.

I hope retirement brings you plenty of relaxation, great adventures, and absolutely zero alarm tones at 3 a.m.

Congratulations, Chief! Enjoy every minute of your well-earned retirement.

🐾❤️
Apollo

🐾 Today was a humbling reminder of how far this journey has come.

Thank you to Space Coast Daily for sharing our story and helping bring attention to first responder wellness, peer support, and the role Crisis Response K9s can play in supporting those who serve our communities.

We’re especially grateful to everyone who believed in this mission, encouraged us, and supported us along the way. What started as an idea has grown because of the people who saw the value in taking care of our first responder family.

Apollo and I are honored to be part of that mission and grateful for the opportunity to serve. 🖤🐾

Brevard County Fire Rescue Firefighter Lt. Pete Patellis, Therapy Dog Recognized for Supporting First Responders Across Florida. SEE MORE: https://spacecoastdaily.com/2026/06/brevard-county-firefighter-lt-pete-patellis-therapy-dog-recognized-for-supporting-first-responders-across-florida/

🐾 Public Education event in the books!

I’m not saying I stole the show… but there was a line of tiny humans waiting to give me belly rubs and ear scratches. 😎

Today’s mission was simple: lay still, collect pets, accept compliments, and remind everyone that sometimes the best way to connect is with a wagging tail and a little bit of fur.

Judging by the amount of attention I received, I’d say the mission was a complete success. 🖤🐾

HEY LOOK! It's ME!! and dad, but mostly ME!!!!!!!!! I do all the hard work, he just gets to be my driver!

Handler Spotlight: Lieutenant/Paramedic Pete Patellis & K9 Apollo 🐾

FFSHC is proud to recognize Lieutenant/Paramedic Pete Patellis of Brevard County Fire Rescue, a dedicated professional with 24 years of service to BCFR and a member of the FFSHC Crisis Response K9 Team.

Pete and his K9 partner, Apollo, represent the compassion, professionalism, and commitment required to support first responders within the crisis response and peer support environment. Since beginning service in 2023, Apollo has supported firefighters, EMS personnel, law enforcement officers, and other first responders through peer support activations, critical incidents, and statewide disaster deployments.

In addition to serving as a Crisis Response K9 handler, Pete serves as an FFSHC K9 Evaluator, helping assess and develop future Crisis Response K9 teams throughout Florida.

Through training, certification, and operational experience, Pete and Apollo have developed into a trusted Crisis Response K9 Team dedicated to supporting the mental health and wellness of first responders.

Together, they have achieved:

• FFSHC Crisis Response K9
• Alliance of Therapy Dogs – Registered Therapy Dog
• AKC Therapy Dog
• AKC STAR Puppy
• AKC Canine Good Citizen

Pete's certifications and training include:

• FFSHC K9 Evaluator
• UCF RESTORES R.E.A.C.T. Peer Support
• IAFF Peer Support
• IAFF Resiliency Training
• Boulder Crest Struggle Well
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network – Psychological First Aid
• SAMHSA Behavioral Health for Fire & EMS Personnel
• K9 First Aid & CPR
• Fire Officer II
• Fire Instructor I
• ICS 100, 200, 300, 700, 800

Their deployment history includes responses to:

• Hurricane Helene
• Hurricane Milton
• IAFF Peer Support deployments supporting responders in Orlando, City of Seminole, and Lake County, Florida
• Local critical incident and peer support activations

Beyond deployments, Pete and Apollo actively support first responder wellness initiatives, peer support programs, department outreach events, and responder recovery efforts throughout the state. Pete also serves as an FFSHC K9 Evaluator and K9 Team Social Media Lead, helping develop future Crisis Response K9 teams while highlighting the important work being performed by handlers and K9s across Florida.

This level of service is built through dedication, training, and an unwavering commitment to those we serve.

Thank you, Pete and Apollo, for your service to the first responder community.

🐾 Day One complete at the First Responder Therapy K9 Conference!

I met a whole pack of new friends today. Some were big, some were small, some were fluffy, and some looked like they could outrun a fire truck. 😳🐾

We all come from different agencies and different backgrounds, but we share the same mission: supporting first responders and the people they serve.

Swipe through and meet some of the amazing K9s that joined us today. I made lots of new friends… and only embarrassed Dad a few times. 😎

More photos and conference adventures coming soon!

🐾 Look at this dood!

I’m attending the very first First Responder Therapy K9 Conference and having a pawsome time meeting K9 teams from Fire Rescue and Law Enforcement agencies from across the country!

This conference is all about sharing ideas, learning from one another, and growing programs that support the people who serve our communities every day. ❤️🐾

Keep an eye out for more photos of all my K9 friends throughout the week!

A big thank you to First Responder Therapy K9 Association for bringing everyone together and making this event possible.

Early morning PT with my new tennis ball that C-Shift gave me. 🐾🎾

Morale is high. Cardio is questionable. Ball retrieval effort remains elite.

Big thanks to C-Shift for fueling my athletic career and poor decision making before breakfast. 🚒😂

🐾 Sometimes it’s not the big moments that matter most.

Even quiet contact like this can change someone’s day. A small nudge that says, “I see you. I’m here.” can mean the world to someone carrying more than they show.

Helping bring people back to the present, one moment at a time. 🖤🐾

🐾❤️🐾❤️🐾❤️🐾

🚨 Handler Spotlight – Special Edition: Lieutenant/Paramedic Renee Beasley & K9 Ash 🐾

FFSHC is proud to recognize Lieutenant/Paramedic Renee Beasley, a dedicated professional with 21 years of service, and her K9 partner Ash, a valued member of the FFSHC Crisis Response K9 Team.

Renee and Ash represent the professionalism, compassion, and commitment required to support first responders within the crisis response and peer support environment. Ash, an 8-year-old black lab mix, came into Renee’s life as a rescue, arriving at the farm for what was meant to be a short stay, and quickly becoming family. From that moment forward, Ash demonstrated a natural ability to provide calm, comfort, and emotional grounding during difficult moments.

Through structured training, certification, and operational experience, that natural ability was developed into a critical resource for first responders. Their progression reflects the standard expected of Crisis Response K9 teams.

Together, they have achieved:

• FFSHC Crisis Response K9
• Alliance of Therapy Dogs – National Therapy Dog Certification
• UCF RESTORES R.E.A.C.T Training
• IAFF Peer Support
• Behavioral Health Awareness
• K9 First Aid & CPR Certification

Renee’s professional qualifications further reinforce the strength and capability of the team, including:

• Fire Officer I & II
• Fire Inspector I
• Fire Instructor I
• Incident Safety Officer
• ICS 100, 200, 300, 700, 800

Their operational deployment history includes responses to:

• Hurricane Idalia (2023)
• Hurricane Helene (2024)
• Multiple IAFF Peer Support activations

Beyond deployments, Renee and Ash have also served their community through Open Heart Farms, supporting first responders, individuals with special needs, and providing equine-assisted services, including hippotherapy and Special Olympics programs.

Due to medical concerns, Ash will be entering immediate retirement from service. While her operational role is coming to a close, her impact on the first responder community will continue through the lives she has touched and the foundation she helped build.

While K9 Ash enjoys retirement, Renee will remain an integral part of the FFSHC Crisis Response K9 Team as she begins the process of selecting and training her next K9 partner.

Renee remains actively committed to the mission, continuing to support the team and host FFSHC Crisis Response K9 certification training at their farm, helping prepare future teams to carry our mission forward.

This level of service is not accidental, it is built through dedication, training, and an unwavering commitment to those we serve.

Thank you, Renee and Ash, for your professionalism, compassion, and service to the first responder community.

Go go gadget volunteers!! Awesome cause!

We need your support this year to make Hero Fest (7th Annual First Responder Appreciation Day) the best year yet. We need over 150 volunteers, could you help us out this year and sign up to help? Here is the link so you can see the shifts that are still needed....

https://m.signupgenius.com/ #!/showSignUp/10C0C45A8AB2BABFAC34-62397038-7thannual?useFullSite=false