Firefighter - 2020 - 49

49

THE

their personal experiences in the video,
and explain why prevention is so important
in the fight against the cancer epidemic
among firefighters.
The Lakeland Fire Department
prioritizes mental health and wellness
by addressing the risks of depression,
increased rates of suicide, and other
symptoms of mental health trauma,
including PTSD. Stress and the repeated
exposure of traumatic events has
stimulated a rising suicide rate among first
responders, especially when compared to
the general U.S. population.The Lakeland
Fire Department wants to ensure its
firefighters, along with others in the region,
have access to the resources and expertise
needed to prevent a first responder from
ever having to suffer through mental health
issues on their own.

Through its involvement with the
Safety and Health Collaborative, LFD
adopted the PEER Support model. The
program recognizes that firefighters tend to
trust fellow firefighters far more than others
because of their shared experiences. The
program trains trusted firefighter/peers
to provide support and comfort while
connecting the affected firefighter with the
potentially life-saving help they may need.
The training hopes to provide a path to
mental and emotional well-being for the
department's firefighters, who are shedding
the stigma of mental illness and recognizing
that it's just as much a health concern as
cancer and heart failure.
To help generate awareness of the
available resources and to create buy-in for
these initiatives, the department introduced
a series of posters, featuring fellow fire-

fighters on one of the four pillars of the
Health and Safety: It's Personal campaign.
These are hung in prominent areas
throughout the department's fire stations
to serve as reminders to firefighters on the
importance of the health initiatives in place.
Making firefighter health a priority is
equivalent to putting the public they serve
first, as it takes healthy first responders to
provide emergency services to people in
their greatest time of need. FSFA
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Janel Vasallo is the
Public Relations and Information Manager
for the Lakeland Fire Dept. With a Master's
degree in Public Health, Janel credits her
prior career opportunities in preparing her
for the meaningful work she does at the
Lakeland Fire Dept. Janel can be reached
at Janel.Vasallo@lakelandgov.net.

Exhaust Removal + Air Purification,
#1 in Firefighter Protection.

FREE Grant Assistance Available
Proud Sponsor of

www.magnegrip.com | 800-875-5440
ISO 9001:2015 CERTIFIED | WBE/WOSB Certifications Pending

MADE IN
USA
https://www.magnegrip.com/
Firefighter - 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Firefighter - 2020
