The Importance of Your Mental Health
As Firefighters and First Responders, we have the honor and opportunity of helping others, often on the worst day of their lives. While we are expected to respond to incidents with grave injuries or death, sometimes providing help to others can lead to trauma exposure or cumulative stress from responding to multiple difficult calls. This is normal, we are all human and can expect to have human reactions to some events that occur in the course of our work.
Increased Stressors for First Responders
As EMS providers and first responders we have lives outside of our EMS agency. Family difficulties, addictions, illnesses or injuries, and other stressors can lead to an EMS provider having a mental health crisis or needing help. This is also a normal human reaction and one that no EMS provider should have to face alone.
First Responder Support
The Bureau of EMS and Trauma Systems supports EMS providers and first responder health, including mental health and wellness. The resources below are first responder specific and range from crisis support lines, information to improve mental health at your EMS agency, to improving your wellness overall.
First Responder Mental Health Resources
If you or a fellow Firefighter or First Responder feel suicidal or need help now for any reason, do not wait:
- Mental Health Phone & Text Support Options:
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or Text 988, or Chat at 988lifeline.org
- Share The Load Fire/ EMS Helpline - 1-888-731-FIRE (3473)
- Safe Call Now - 206-459-3020
- Disaster Distress Helpline – 1-800-985-5590 or text "TALKWITHUS" to 66746
- Crisis Text Line – Text "HOME" or "BADGE" to 741741
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (online chat)
- Your agency's Employee Assistance Program
- Your local emergency number or 911
- Mental Health Resources for First Responders:
- Mental Health Resources for Agencies:
- Psychologically Healthy Fire Department- NVFC
- Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance
- NAEMT Guide to Building an Effective EMS Wellness and Resilience Plan
- American Ambulance Association: Promoting Suicide Safety for EMS Providers
- Fatigue in EMS Project- NASEMSO
- Implementation Guidebook- 2018 Fatigue Risk Management Guidelines for EMS
- Mental Health First Aid
- Mental Health Clinicians and Inpatient Centers:
- Mental Health and Mental Wellness Apps for EMS and First Responders:
