Suicide Prevention and Awareness Stand Down
FIREFIGHTERS TAKE AN OATH to protect the communities they serve at any cost, even at the risk of their own lives. Every day, they respond and face horrors few can imagine.
The continued stresses of the profession, as well as the daily sacrifice of time away from family, can take its toll on even the strongest among us, and find its way into every part of our lives.
This stress, compounded with the trials and devastation of the last two years have been especially hard on members of the fire family.
“Undiscussed occupational stress is too heavy a burden to carry alone and its toll has taken the lives of firefighters on the front lines,” said CPF President Brian Rice. “The hidden injuries of the job are just as real as the ones you can see. The reality is too many of our firefighter brothers and sisters every year are lost to suicide.”
Each year, CPF, along with the California Fire Chiefs Association, Cal-OES and Cal-JAC, asks departments and locals to participate in the Suicide Prevention and Awareness Stand Down. The stand down – which coincides with Mental Health Awareness Month -- occurs during the week of May 23rd through the 27th, where drills and activities are canceled, and replaced by kitchen table discussions with behavioral health and suicide awareness as the focus.
In preparation, the California Fire Service Behavioral Health Task Force has developed materials for departments and locals to use, including talking points for kitchen table discussions on mental health, wallet cards with the national suicide hotline number, and resources available at HealingOurOwn.org. Each department and local is mailed a packet with all the materials developed by the Behavioral Health Task Force for the stand down.
“Together we can bring down the growing number of suicides in our profession,” said President Rice. “Check in with your brothers and sisters. Take care of yourself with the same level of care you give to your community every day.”
Tools and personal stories to help open discussions at your department or local can be found at
HealingOurOwn.org.
NOTE: CPF President Brian K. Rice discussed firefighter peer support and suicide on a recent edition of the CPF Fire Wire podcast. His guest was Assemblymember Tim Grayson, the author of landmark peer support confidentiality legislation. Find the full episode at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, cpf.org or wherever you get podcasts.