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ARLINGTON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) - It's a fight against the clock for emergency medical responders as they work to get trained in Nero's law before the February deadline.
"We have a big push in January to get the remainder of our staff trained," Sean Mangan, director of operations with Armstrong Ambulance, told WBZ's Shari Small.
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed Nero's law in April, allowing medical responders to tend to wounded K9 partners. Before the law was signed, Massachusetts law did not allow EMT's to transport or treat critically injured police dogs.
Sean Churchill is in charge of implementing the protocols for Nero's law at Armstrong Ambulance. He is happy to be a part of training as he considers K9's part of the family.
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"We're in the job because of compassion and caring for living beings and it does take a little bit of that pressure off saying like 'darn we can't do anything about it' but now we can," Churchill, said. "I mean they are part of the team and they are providing care and they're here for the well-being of others which is why we're there as well."
Since the law was signed, veterinarians have been training EMT's to perform CPR and life saving techniques on K9's.
"It's very good to be able to have that ability to help these other team members," Churchill said.
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