Mental Health Resources for the Fire Service

 

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:

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