HEALTH & SAFETY

Highlighting Access to Firearms in Firefighter Suicide Prevention

The California Fire Service Task Force on Behavioral Health commemorated Mental Health Awareness Month with the Suicide Prevention and Awareness Stand Down Week during the week of May 19th to the 25th. The Task Force –composed of California Professional Firefighters, Cal Chiefs, Cal OES, and the Cal-JAC – requested all California fire departments, and local unions to dedicate themselves to a week of education, resource sharing, and providing the necessary tools to help California firefighters learn about and how to address Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI), behavioral health issues, and thoughts of suicide.

The emphasis during the 2024 Stand Down was on access to firearms and the importance of putting time and distance between a firefighter experiencing a crisis and lethal means. The vast majority of firefighter suicides occur by firearm, so having a conversation with our brothers or sisters about safe storage practices, temporary transfer of firearms, and further interventions can save a life.

While the Stand Down was hosted in May, the materials and resources remain available year-round. Visit our Behavioral Health Task Force website, www.healingourown.org, for updated tools and all other available resources, such as stories, clinical and wellness resources, talking points, and ways to spot signs of loved ones in crisis. To provide feedback on this year’s Stand Down, please click here. If you would like additional posters or pocketbook guides, please reach out to kgreene@cpf.org.