Firefighter Health and Safety

From MEFD

Mental Health

The things we see and do can have an impact on our mental health. Sometimes the issues are obvious and sometimes they build up over time. We encourage you to reach out to a chief officer if you have anything you'd like to discuss. We are here to help and can connect you with whatever help you need. Everything is kept confidential and free of judgement. There are additional resources available, some of which are listed below.

Suicide and Crisis Hotline:

  • Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)

CISM is a group of trained volunteers that help support first responders deal with the stress we deal with before, during, and after our responses. They offer group debriefings, one-to-one assistance, and connections for first responders with a variety of services. CISM is usually activated by a chief officer, but anyone can request assistance. To do so, contact dispatch (911) and ask them to activate the CISM team.

Support Officers

Support officers work primarily in support of the community members. But if you need someone to talk to they are available and they can connect you with resources that you need.

Code4NW

Cocde4NW is a volunteer organization supporting first responders with confidential crisis response and other resources. They are available 24/7 at 425-243-5092.