Mental Health
We Investigate Fires. Why Aren’t We Investigating Firefighter Suicides?
An estimated 200 firefighters die by suicide each year. Maybe that’s accurate. Maybe it isn’t. Show me the data. The uncomfortable truth is that we don’t…
No Ordinary Retirement: Life After the Fire Service
Leave it to my fire service colleague, Kory Pearn, to answer that question in a big way! In addition to being a Captain with the St.…
Why Fire Departments Need Fire-Service-Specific Psychological Assessments: A Strategic Imperative for Safety, Readiness, and Retention
Firefighters and EMS professionals operate in environments defined by chaos, trauma, and split-second decision-making. Yet, despite these realities, many departments still rely on psychological assessment tools that were never designed for the fire service—or worse, skip them altogether.
What Makes the Fire Service Psychology Association Different?
Why Fire Service Leaders Need a Dedicated Field of Fire Psychology Most fire service leaders in the U.S. and Canada understand better than anyone that organizational…
After the Call: It’s Not Business as Usual
By: Margaret Gavian, Ph. D, Guest Blogger Lately, I’ve been notified of an onslaught of critical calls happening across the departments I serve – multiple suicides,…
What does “being on the cutting-edge” mean when discussing mental and behavioral health issues for first responders?
Sponsored Content by the First Responder Behavioral Health Institute By: Robert Avsec, Battalion Chief (Ret.), Executive Fire Officer The phrase “cutting edge” comes from the literal…
The fire service can change but will it regarding post-traumatic stress?
From the battlefields of ancient Greece to modern war zones and fire grounds, society has been on an evolving journey, attempting to grasp the true nature of psychological wounds.
Firefighter Suicide: The more we know, the more we know
Dr. Olivia Johnson is the President Shepherds & Sheepdogs, LTD., a professional speaker, author, and suicidology researcher--And one of my 1st Level Connections over on LinkedIn. Dr. Johnson has written a couple articles recently that should give us pause to learn and reflect on what we're doing to prevent suicides and why she believes that those efforts are not working.
Understanding Firefighter Suicide: A Call to Action for the Fire Service
Today’s Firefighters face unique and intense challenges that can significantly impact their mental health. The nature of their work exposes them to traumatic events, physical danger,…
Uniting Forces: The “Nine Sisters” and the Fire Service Psychology Association for Firefighter Mental Health
Firefighters face unique and intense challenges that can significantly impact their mental health. From witnessing traumatic events to enduring physically demanding tasks, the mental toll is…
Why are we still not investigating firefighter suicides?
Until we start gathering and analyzing the information that can be obtained by conducting a psychological autopsy for EVERY firefighter suicide, many will continue search for a solution to a problem that they don’t understand. Meanwhile, firefighters will continue to take their own lives in ever increasing numbers.
The Mental Health Crusade in Firefighting
WOW! I’m so excited to have been a guest of Jerry Lund for his podcast, Enduring the Badge. I had the opportunity to have a great…