A Holistic Approach to Member Well-Being and Department Success
By Paul Bearce and Jill Holland
Writing for the NVFC
Firefighters and EMS personnel are routinely exposed to stress as they serve their communities. 911 users summon first responders to help bring resources, specialized knowledge, and equipment to their home or business. These calls for service can range from someone who is suffering from cardiac arrest, to a structure fire, to the incessant beeping of a smoke detector that has become bothersome at 2 a.m. due to a dead battery.
Incident stress, chronic exposure to trauma, higher call volume, and difficulty maintaining work-life-volunteer balance is creating an environment where first responders are leaving the field and departments are finding it difficult to fill volunteer rosters and open career positions. The stigma associated with seeking behavioral health assistance and the lack of support from some department leaders has traditionally created mental health challenges for many emergency responders.
Two decades ago, it was very rare to hear the words firefighter and psychology in the same sentence. Fortunately, the fire service is making significant strides in providing services and resources for their personnel. Peer-support teams and first responder-centric mental health providers are becoming more common in many departments. However, mental health is only one aspect of a firefighter’s satisfaction, and department leadership should focus their efforts to better support those who serve.
Creating a Psychologically Healthy Fire Department
In a holistic approach, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), in partnership with the American Psychological Association (APA) and Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA), created a toolkit and training curriculum for fire service leaders to learn how to create a psychologically healthy fire department. The initiative delves into the many aspects that will enhance the well-being of responders and increase their satisfaction with and participation in the volunteer fire service.
- Firefighter Stress Resilience and Increasing Emotional Bandwidth
- What Is Critical Incident Stress? How Do We Manage It?
- Relax, Don’t React for Less Stress, Better Performance, and Well-Being
The toolkit and corresponding training, which is offered in-person by NVFC trainers as well as online in the NVFC’s Virtual Classroom, is comprised of six focus areas that have been determined to help firefighters battle the stressors associated with emergency response and help them feel supported in their efforts. These areas are member involvement, health and safety, member growth and development, work-life-volunteer balance, member recognition, and effective communication.
In-person training participants shared they received good resources on how to start to implement a program in their departments. Networking and sharing ideas with others helped leaders design a specific game plan for their programs. As one participant noted, “I liked the examples of actions that can be taken. It will make things easier to explain when bringing it back to the department.”
The Six Keys to a Healthy, High-Performing Department
Creating a psychologically healthy fire department benefits all involved. A happier, more engaged workforce means a stronger, more successful department, which in turn benefits the community being served. As noted, the initiative focuses on the following six areas.
Member Involvement: Through member involvement, fire departments can help keep a firefighter’s interest in their public service by giving them a voice in department operations. Participation in problem solving, decision making, and goal setting can help give firefighters some “skin in the game.” Involving them with new or existing committees will also allow the department to benefit from their experience and unique perspective.
Health and Safety: Protecting the health and safety of firefighters can help departments prevent injuries and accidents, reduce absenteeism, and help in the overall department performance. If department leadership shows concern for the overall physical and mental well-being of their personnel, firefighters will reap long-term benefits through better diet, staying more physically active, practicing stress management techniques, and adopting a general safety culture within their ranks.
Member Growth and Development: It may be fine for some firefighters to “want to ride backwards” for their entire tenure in the department. But to increase firefighter satisfaction and motivation and assist with department operations, it is important to provide personnel with the opportunity to grow and develop throughout their time in the department. This can be accomplished by providing training that is above and beyond the minimum required training to maintain proficiency. These are opportunities to help members develop new skills, knowledge, and abilities. The department benefits through enhanced effectiveness, and this helps recruit and retain members. Providing tuition reimbursement or paying for conference attendance can entice members to seek a college degree or attend training outside of the department.
Work-Life-Volunteer Balance: Family obligations and job conflicts can reduce a firefighter’s availability to respond to emergencies or make it difficult to schedule them for shifts that won’t interfere with their non-department life. Department leaders who recognize these challenges and provide members with a reasonable, predictable, and flexible schedule can help keep members involved for the long-term. Involving family members in department social functions can also help increase their morale and help the family understand what their loved one may experience during their shift.
Member Recognition: Member recognition can be formal or informal. A simple gesture of appreciation such as a pat on the back or saying thank you can boost a firefighter’s satisfaction in their involvement in the department. Department leadership should develop a plan to recognize exceptional performance or notable accomplishments. Beyond bolstering self-esteem, feeling valued and appreciated can help a member feel more engaged. Recognition can even take the form of asking a firefighter to use their expertise to lead a project or help train junior members.
Effective Communication: Effective communication has always been an issue within the ranks of fire departments. Assuring that leaders are effectively communicating with members, and vice versa, keeps personnel informed and helps leaders understand the challenges that firefighters are encountering. Formal communication can be in the form of memos and directives, a department newsletter or intranet site, and surveys or evaluations. But informal communications, such as the fire chief sitting down and sharing a cup of coffee with members at the kitchen table, can show that leadership supports and cares about the membership.
An Ongoing Commitment
Developing, tailoring, and implementing a holistic program that focuses on the overall well-being of firefighters involves many aspects. Maintaining an employee assistance program that understands the unique first responder population, as well as an effective and sustainable peer-support team, can go a long way towards addressing firefighter stress and mental health. Fire service leaders should also embrace the positive characteristics of firefighter culture to help move the program in the right direction. Additionally, it is critical for program success to solicit feedback so that course corrections can be made. However, change takes time and program champions must stay dedicated to being an agent of change.
With a focus on these elements to creating a psychologically healthy fire department, leaders may experience increased department functioning and efficiency, happier and more well-balanced members, and a safer work environment. These improvements, in turn, may help with performance and productivity, attract and retain members, and increase satisfaction within the department. They may also reduce absenteeism, member turnover, and accident and injury rates.
To learn more about creating a psychologically healthy fire department, access the toolkit and training, and to make the commitment to supporting your department’s volunteers, visit www.nvfc.org/phfd.
Paul Bearce, MS, EFO, CFO, Fire Chief (Ret.), served the communities of Sandoval County and Rio Rancho (NM) as a career and volunteer firefighter for a total of 25 years. He retired in 2021 and now volunteers as the vice chair of the New Mexico Suicide Prevention Coalition. He is an instructor for several agencies, including the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), delivering behavioral health training to first responders.
Jill Holland is an occupational therapist and fourth-generation volunteer firefighter with the Kauneonga Lake (NY) Fire Department. She is fire commissioner on the board of commissioners with the Kauneonga Lake Fire District, a regional director with the Association of Fire Districts of the State of New York, and an instructor for the NVFC.
