First Responder Center For Excellence For Reducing Occupation

THE FRCE IS DEDICATED TO PROTECTING THE LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS OF FIRST RESPONDERS, NATIONWIDE. OUR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH INITIATIVES CONSTANTLY SHED NEW LIGHT ON CHALLENGES TO THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF FIREFIGHTERS, EMS PERSONNEL AND OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS. IT'S ALL WITH THE GOAL OF REDUCING LINEOFDUTY INJURIES AND DEATHS AS WELL AS OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESSES.

FIRE SERVICE PROGRAMS - THE FRCE IS A RESEARCH TO PRACTICE ENTERPRISE THAT BUILDS HEALTH AND WELLNESS PRODUCTS AND PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE WIDELY DISSEMINATED THROUGHOUT THE FIRST RESPONDER COMMUNITY. SOME OF OUR 2021 PROGRAMS INCLUDED: RHABDO TRAINING. RHABDOMYOLYSIS IS A SERIOUS, SOMETIMES LIFE-THREATENING CONDITION THAT CAN BEGIN UNNOTICED AS A CONSEQUENCE OF PROLONGED OVEREXERTION THAT CAN PROGRESS RAPIDLY TO RENAL FAILURE AND EVEN DEATH. THE FRCE DEVELOPED AWARENESS MATERIALS FOR WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS REGARDING THE PREVALENCE, IMPACT, PREVENTION, RECOGNITION, AND TREATMENT. THE FRCE DEVELOPED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO ASSIST FIRE DEPARTMENT CHAPLAINS WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND RESILIENCE AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAMS.

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY OUTREACH, AND OTHER PROGRAMS - STRESS FIRST AID IS A BASIC BUT COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO EMBEDDED PEER SUPPORT SPECIFICALLY DERIVED FROM THE US NAVY/MARINE CORPS COMBAT AND OPERATIONS STRESS COOPERATION WITH THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (AN ARM OF THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION). THIS PROJECT EXPANDS UPON INITIAL SUCCESS BY DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A MORE ACCESSIBLE AND COST-EFFECTIVE WEB-BASED DELIVERY PLATFORM AS WELL AS UPDATE CONTENT, AND TO SPECIFICALLY INCLUDE MODULES TO ASSIST IN IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING SUICIDAL IDEATION BASED ON AN ADAPTATION OF THE US ARMY'S ACE MODEL. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO INCLUDE SPECIFIC ELEMENTS TO SUPPORT DISSEMINATION AND ASSISTANCE WITH ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

HEALTH PROGRAMS - THE FRCE DELIVERED A SERIES OF ONE DAY HEALTH AND WELLNESS SEMINARS THAT REVIEWED OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH RISKS, OCCUPATIONAL CANCERS, CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INJURIES. SEMINARS ALSO PROVIDED RESOURCES ON HOW TO MANAGE AND REDUCE RISKS IN THE FIRE SERVICE AND USE THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO IMPLEMENT WITHIN THEIR FIRE DEPARTMENT TO ADDRESS EACH OF THESE THREATS.

FOUNDATION SUPPORT - MASS VIOLENCE EVENTS ARE TYPICALLY UNEXPECTED, RAPIDLY EVOLVING, CHAOTIC, AND HIGHLY DISRUPTIVE TO ALL AFFECTED. THIS INCLUDES BOTH THOSE EXPERIENCING THE EVENT AS VICTIMS OR WITNESS AND THOSE DRAWN INTO THE EVOLUTION OF THE EVENT AS RESPONDERS, FAMILIES, AND VICTIM ASSOCIATES. THIS PROJECT PROVIDED A SIMPLE, DIRECT ADAPTATION OF CURBSIDE MANNER: STRESS FIRST AID FOR THE STREETS TO HELP GUIDE FIRST CONTACTS WITH VICTIMS, EVACUEES, WITNESSES, AND PERSONS INITIALLY CONVERGING ON MASS VIOLENCE SCENES PRIOR TO THE FULL MOBILIZATION OF VICTIM AND FAMILY ASSISTANCE COMPONENTS OF RESPONSE.