By: Mike Roth, Ph.D., Retired Career Firefighter & Engineer
Firefighter health and wellness is multifaceted, encompassing physical endurance, mental resilience, and emotional support systems. As new research emerges, it's increasingly clear that a comprehensive approach is necessary—one that values mental health as much as physical strength, focuses on immediate well-being alongside long-term health, and embraces peer support as a vital component of a healthy department culture.
Emergent iOS engineer Mike Roth attended the Firefighter Health and Wellness Conference earlier this month in Ohio, sponsored by CRACKYL Magazine. Explore key insights Mike brought back to the Emergent team below.
Mental Health Is Just as Important as Physical Health
While physical fitness and readiness have always been emphasized in the fire service, mental health often takes a backseat, despite being equally crucial. Frank Leeb, a retired Deputy Assistant Chief from FDNY, highlighted this during his keynote address. He spoke about "The Blind Side of the Fire Service"—the critical aspects that aren't always trained for, such as the impact of trauma, PTSD, and the risk of cancer. These are the invisible injuries that every firefighter faces, often carrying the weight of difficult calls long after they’re over.
Supporting mental health means acknowledging these hidden battles and offering resources to address them. From understanding the toll that trauma takes to creating safe spaces where firefighters can share their experiences without judgment, mental well-being needs to be treated with the same urgency and respect as physical fitness. After all, a firefighter’s mind is as essential a tool on the job as any piece of equipment.
Focus on What You Can Do NOW, Not Just the Long Term
Long-term health is important, but there are steps that departments can take now to protect their firefighters. Sleep deprivation, high call volumes, and physical exhaustion are common stressors in the fire service. Addressing these immediate needs can have a significant impact. For instance, integrating better sleep strategies, such as adjusting workloads after intense calls/shifts, adding recovery shifts, and emphasizing firefighter recovery strategies during days off, can improve recovery times and overall performance.
Megan Lautz, a nutritionist for Fairfax County, Virginia, provided practical tips for improving everyday health, from simple nutrition changes to better managing caffeine intake and sleep schedules. These "quick wins" can have a significant impact on overall health and well-being, offering a path to better health even for departments that might lack the resources for extensive wellness programs.
Additionally, leveraging existing data—like monitoring the number of traumatic calls a crew has been on in each shift—can help incident commanders adjust workloads and provide needed breaks to those who need it most. Small adjustments like these can prevent burnout and help crews stay resilient through the toughest days.
Peer Support: Vital On and Off the Fireground
One of the most powerful tools available to firefighters is each other. Peer support plays a critical role in providing emotional and mental health support. It goes beyond structured programs and becomes a way of life within departments—a culture where firefighters watch out for each other, on and off the fireground.
Scott Ross, who led the peer support team for Los Angeles County Fire Department, shared a compelling story about the aftermath of a traumatic event that deeply affected his team along with Ed Monroe, a company officer that experienced that event first-hand. Their experience underscored the importance of peer support systems, especially during the toughest times. Peer support offers a safe space for firefighters to talk about their struggles and process difficult experiences. Peer support is a crucial component for helping prevent the long-term consequences of untreated trauma.
For smaller departments with more limited resources for formal peer support programs, the emphasis shifts to creating a culture where it’s “okay not to be okay.” Normalizing the discussion of mental health and encouraging firefighters to check in with one another can be just as effective in building a supportive environment.
Moving Forward: Leveraging Resources and Building Stronger Departments
The conference emphasized that while the long-term solutions are vital, there is value in acting now. With the right support, both mental and physical, firefighters can remain resilient and effective throughout their careers. Whether it's through immediate steps to improve health, prioritizing mental well-being, or building strong peer support networks, departments can create a healthier, safer environment for those on the front lines.
At Emergent, we believe in using the information at our disposal to inform and assist the fire service industry. We’re uniquely positioned to help departments understand critical health data and leverage this knowledge to make a meaningful difference. Our goal is to provide actionable insights that can support firefighters in real-time and over the long term. We believe every firefighter and first responder deserves the best tools and resources to thrive, both on and off the job.
