The newest member of the Central Region’s safety team stands on four legs and is very furry.
Nitro, a 18-month-old Belgian Malinois security dog, joined the team this spring.
“Hospitals are like small cities, and we are happy to be able to welcome patients and visitors who freely walk through our doors to seek care and provide comfort to loved ones,’’ said Craig Stegmaier, HOCC Public Safety Operations Manager. “Having Nitro on site just provides an added measure of security for our staff, our patients and our visitors.’’
While Nitro is not aggressive, he is not a therapy dog and his job is to keep our campuses safe. Patients, staff and visitors must ask for permission before approaching the dog.
Since November 2017, Nitro has been training as a deterrent dog as well as a bomb/explosives detection aide. He spent a few months at a training facility in Alabama and is currently completing a four-week detection and obedience class with his handler, Craig Stegmaier, who was recently named emergency management coordinator for the Central Region, in addition to his current role as HOCC public safety operations manager. Stegmaier and Nitro have trained with numerous police departments throughout the state. We welcome Nitro to our team!