Promote Behavioral Health During National Suicide Prevention Month

September 1, 2020

More firefighters die from suicide than in the line-of duty. September is National Suicide Prevention Month, a call-to-action to focus on behavioral health and suicide prevention in your fire department. The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has resources to help you and your department take a proactive approach to help responders in need and prevent tragic outcomes.

• The Directory of Behavioral Health Professionals is a listing of local providers who are equipped and ready to help firefighters, EMS providers, rescue workers, dispatchers, and their families. Make sure everyone in your department knows how to access this resource. It is updated monthly as new providers are added.
• The Share the Load program features resources and tools to help emergency responders and departments address behavioral health and wellbeing.
• The NVFC Virtual Classroom contains courses and webinars you can provide in your department to train members on important behavioral health issues. All courses are free for NVFC members, and webinars are free for everyone.
  • Preventing and Coping with Suicide in the Fire and Emergency Services (course)
  • Behavioral Health for the Fire Service (course)
  • Stress and Life Management – Finding Your Balance as a Volunteer (course)
  • Strategies to Increase Behavioral Health Support for Your Fire/EMS Department (webinar)
  • Reset and Recharge: Taking Care of Our Mental Health in Uncertain Times (webinar)
  • Reset and Recharge: How to Manage Stress in Uncertain Times (webinar)
• The NVFC has developed several videos that can be shared to promote behavioral health awareness in your department and help members identify warning signs to know and how to talk to a responder in need.
• Register for the free webinar It Could Never Happen Here: Suicide and the Volunteer Fire Department, taking place September 10 at 2pm ET.

Check out this resource center for additional tools and resources to help address behavioral health in the fire service.