County K9s may get more opioid support

LEE COUNTY – The Lee County Opioid Committee will make a recommendation for another spend to help K9 officer operations within the county.
The panel met Thursday night and voted to send a recommendation to the Lee County Board of Supervisors to approve just under $26,000 to train K9 handlers at Lee County Sheriff’s Department, Fort Madison Police Department, Keokuk Police Department, Iowa State Penitentiary, and Lee County EMS to administer life-saving measures to K9 officers who come into contact with dangerous levels of opioids, including fentanyl.
The money will be used for training for seven local law enforcement handlers and will be opened up to a combined eight additional EMS professionals and veterinarians. The training classes will cost $19,425. The rest of the funds would be for 10 emergency kits to be dispersed to K9 handlers at a cost of $6,440.
The panel approved the motion 4-1 with Supervisor Chuck Holmes, Michelle Ross, Sheriff Elliott Vandenberg, and FM Police Chief Cody Potthast supporting the move. Donna Amandus opposed saying that treating the dogs for opioid overdose is the same as treating humans and that training has already been done.
Dep. Bryson Hennigar, who prepared the application on behalf of Lee County K9 Association, said there were additional trainings needed specifically for the handlers who are required to maintain certifications. He said other lifesaving measures are also part of the training, including CPR for the K9s.
“If the Narcan doesn’t work or the dog remains unresponsive you have to do CPR on it,” Hennigar said.
“We are also required to have 16 hours every month of continuing education for our K9s. This class allows us to obtain those hours. This class allows our EMTs and paramedics in place, who have to have continuing education hours as well, to get those hours, too. It benefits, the K9s, the EMS staff, the veterinarians.”
Hennigar said three instructors fly into the area for the class with equipment, training supplies, and first-aid kits for the animals.

“We’re spending $30,000 to $50,000 on these dogs that are the front line in stopping heroin and other drugs from coming into the county. If we don’t know how to save them, our best bet is to load them up and take them to a vet that may be open or hope one can get open.”
The application did get favorable opinions from Lee County Attorney Ross Braden and the Iowa State Auditor's office. Those opinions were required by the committee after an April meeting.
All decisions from the committee are recommendations only and require a vote of the Lee County Board of Supervisors.
The opioid committee currently has close to $500,000 in funds with about half invested and earning interest. They have committed funds to the Talbot House and Lydia House in Keokuk, the Keokuk Homeless Alliance, Keokuk’s K9 program, and a Fort Madison’s K9 vehicle and outfitting. All told the panel has spent close to $250,000, and is anticipating capturing close to $2 million in funding from national opioid settlements.
Spending of the funds is governed by a national settlement trust, and Memorandum of Understanding with the trust and the Iowa Attorney General’s office.