The Lehigh Valley Hospital Network — a system of 15 hospital campuses along with health centers, physician practices and rehabilitation locations across the region — is adding a new safety effort to its system with the addition of a pair of weapon-detecting dogs.
The security K-9s — named D
exter and Cisco, who are both about a year-and-a-half old — are capable of detecting firearms.
“Keeping our patients, colleagues and community safe continues to be our focus,” said Ryan Hay, administrator of Emergency Operations and Public Safety for LVHN in a statement.
Officials with LVHN said that the dogs are intended to provide a new level of safety throughout its network as the animals will patrol hospitals and will be present at community events.
According to the health system, the animals are part of “a leading-edge, proactive strategy that aims to increase the safety of patients, colleagues and the community.”
“While they’ll be used for specific detection when there is an increased concern, they are also constantly sniffing for weapons as they routinely make their way through units and public spaces,” said John Christman, director of Security Services for LVHN.
The dogs — Dexter, a male black Labrador retriever and Cisco, a female springer spaniel — officials said, have detection sensitivities that are so precise that they could detect a firearm’s presence “simply when walking into a room.”
The hospital system acquired the animals from Stapleton Security who have a training facility in East Stroudsburg.
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