Riverside, California November 10, 2016 – Phenix Technology, Inc., an industry leader in first responder safety helmets, and Identifire Safety Products, a leader in firefighter Photoluminescent identification safety material, are teaming up with the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA) to help address the critical need for Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) behavioral health awareness. Firefighters and EMS personnel are engaged daily in traumatic situations causing career related stress which is leading to issues such as depression, PTSD, anxiety, addictions, relationship challenges, and suicide. FBHA was established to directly educate firefighters/ EMS personnel and their families about these issues and help bridge the resource gap between medical professionals and first responder services.
FBHA provides behavioral health workshops to fire departments and EMS providers across the United States focusing on behavioral health awareness with a strong drive towards suicide prevention and promoting resources available to firefighters/EMS and their families. Specific behavioral health workshops include; “An Internal Size-Up” which educates personnel on how to look for signs and symptoms of behavioral health problems, communication, confidentiality, and roles/responsibilities; and “Saving Those Who Save Others,” a workshop focused on suicide prevention and awareness. Additional workshops are directed at spouses/partners and children of firefighters/EMS. FBHA’s sole goal is to promote good mental health for the men and women of the fire service/EMS and their families, as well as making a significant difference in reducing the numbers of firefighters and EMTs who are turning to suicide to ease their pain.
“Most discussions around safety concern the gear and tactics of suppression and rescue. Unfortunately we often forget that a first responder’s safety concerns don’t just begin when the tones go off or when the units return to quarters. Our dialogue has to start including the mental health of our brothers and sisters and we are honored to work with Jeff Dill and his organization to help bring awareness to an often overlooked issue.” said Angel Sanchez, Jr., Phenix Technology, Inc.’s Chief Operating Officer. Phenix Technology, Inc. is creating a handmade Behavioral Health Awareness traditional leather fire helmet that will travel with the Phenix team during their 2017 Trade Show Schedule. The helmet will be used as a talking piece along with educational material that will be distributed at each show. At the
conclusion of the 2017 season, the helmet will be auctioned off to raise funds for FBHA. Identifire Safety Products will be creating a special Photoluminescent piece that will be available for sale with all profits going to support the FBHA mission. FBHA will produce a weekly educational piece that all three organizations will be sharing.
“Being on the job long enough we will all be exposed to some form of PTSD. Whether it’s our own demons, or a brother/sister next to us. We have lost too many already. Time for a change,” said Matt Hyman, CEO of Identifire Safety Products. FBHA Founder, Jeff Dill, a retired Fire Captain and licensed professional counselor, has this to say about the joint campaign, “We are honored and appreciative of the support from Phenix and Identifire. We look forward to continuing our mission of spreading behavioral health awareness and working to prevent the issues that in many cases are leading to firefighter and EMS personnel suicides.”
For more information visit Phenix Technology, Inc. on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/phenixfirehelmets or their website at www.phenixfirehelmets.com, Identifire Safety Products on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/identifiresafety or their website www.identifiresafety.com, Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/firefighterbehavioralhealthalliance or their website www.ffbha.org.
