Fire & EMS Leader Pro The job of old firefighters is to teach young firefighters how to become old firefighters!

By: Robert Avsec, Executive Fire Officer This post has been simmering in my brain for quite some time and it wasn’t until I read Andrew Holter’s article, The Mission Statement, Core Values & Inclusion, that I found the catalyst I needed to “launch this rocket.” Is it just me or is the second most posted articles on fire and EMS ...

This is the second part of the keynote speech that Chief Ali delivered to the 13th Graduating Class of the Wake County (N.C.) Fire Academy.

Battalion Chief Dena Ali recently had the distinct honor of delivering a keynote to the 13th Graduating Class of the Wake County (N.C.) Fire Academy. This is the first of two parts of her remarks to the graduating firefighters.

Why do we pay so much attention to our physical health yet almost ignore our emotional health? Check out this post to learn why and how to fix that.

You can help support the 6th Annual Conference of the Fire Service Psychological Association with your tax-deductible donation. Help support improving mental health services for firefighters!

Psychological safety is the belief that you won’t be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. At work, it’s a shared expectation held by members of a team that teammates will not embarrass, reject, or punish them for sharing ideas, taking risks, or soliciting feedback

We must do better in understanding what causes a firefighter to take their own life, and one place we need to start is by gaining a true picture of what leads a firefighter to take their own life. We can only gain that true picture by conducting research in the form of psychological autopsies, that is, using the proven tools and methodologies of psychology.

At the Fire Service Psychology Association (FSPA) we're working to "bridge the gap between professional psychology and the fire service." What is that gap? Good question, and here's the answer.

Why haven't the IAFF and IAFC included professional psychologists who are trained and experienced in police and public safety psychology in developing mental health and wellness standards for the fire service?

I posted the following reply to this COURAGEOUS firefighter in the UK who continues to "shine a light" on the sexism and misogyny that apparently "alive and well" in the London Fire Brigade and other fire brigades in the UK. Antonia, do whatever you must do but PLEASE do not let the ba$tards prevail by taking your own life! I hope that the supportive comments in this space are helping you to keep your "head above water!" But it's not solely a problem in the fire service culture in the UK. Sexism and misogyny are both "alive and well" in too many fire departments around the globe, including the U.S. and Canada.