It’s OK to ask for mental health help – with or without a crisis

Most of us have probably felt the strain of our job or the difficulty of balancing the fire service with other areas of our lives. It’s easy to try to muscle through it knowing we have an important job helping others and keeping them safe. However, there comes a point where we need to let others help us. And it doesn’t need to be a crisis to reach that point.

With May as Mental Health Awareness Month, we at MnFIRE want to make sure all fire service members know the resources available to those of us in the field. Through the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program (HHAP), every active firefighter in the state – full-time, part-time, paid-on-call or volunteer – has access to mental health support – all free!

It comes through the MnFIRE Assistance Program (MAP), one of the three elements of the HHAP. In the fire service, we encounter unique emotional and mental stresses. We need people who understand the distinct and specific stresses and challenges we encounter. This program focuses on providing mental health care specifically to us – firefighters and our families. And it doesn’t matter the size of the help needed, whether through a big crisis or a small issue, the MAP program can steer us in the right direction. There are two ways to access help – calling 888-784-6634 or visiting www.mnfireinitiative.com/hhap/#MAP.

One of the best parts about this program is having it available to our families. Our time in the fire service affects them, too. They have their own unique set of stressors. Any member of a firefighter’s household, including children living away from home, can access the interactive website or contact a trained specialist. Each firefighter and/or their family members can receive up to five counseling visits a year with additional support ensured as needed.

No call or inquiry is too small. Simply look at the website or dial the phone. There is someone there to talk you through what is available. If something major happened in your life or if you’re just feeling stressed, the MAP program is here to help.

Another great part of MAP is the peer support program where firefighters are paired with a trained peer supporter who knows firsthand the difficulties firefighters face. They are fellow fire service members in Minnesota who are there to lend a listening ear or offer support, all completely anonymous. They are well-equipped to walk alongside us as we encounter life at the firehall, on calls and beyond.

We don’t need to muscle through challenges alone. There are people ready and willing to help no matter the size of the problem. It doesn’t need to be a crisis to ask for mental health help.

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We can’t believe it is that time of year, but this weekend will be our closing weekend. We have had a great summer at Tommy’s Tonka Trolley, and enjoyed beautiful weather. This Saturday, as we do every year, we will be providing free ice cream along with our good friends at Sebastian Joe’s and donating the profits to a charity. This year we have chosen to donate our money to the Minnesota Fire Initiative. The vast majority of firefighters in Minnesota are volunteer. They have significantly higher risk for mental health, illness, Cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Minnesota Fire Initiative helps firefighters and their families. We are happy and excited to welcome the Excelsior Fire Department and their truck to come down and make the day festive. We are very hopeful to raise some good funds for Minnesota Fire Initiative. The law firm of Schmidt and Salita will also be matching your donations. So come down and enjoy some great Sebastian Joe’s ice cream while it lasts and all of our other treats. We just asked that you make a worthy donation to this wonderful organization . We are open at 11 AM. We expect, weather, permitting, to be open until 5 PM (or until we run out) The Excelsior Fire truck will be down near the trolley for all to come see. The weather is supposed to be beautiful and we are excited. Please come down and join us. Again we want to thank Sebastian Joe’s for helping us donate. @tommystonkatrolley @mnfireinitiative @sebastianjoes @schmidtsalitalawteam ... See MoreSee Less

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our table at the Minnesota State Fire Department Association Annual Conference last week! We enjoyed chatting about how we can continue to help firefighters across the state get the physical and mental health resources they need. ... See MoreSee Less

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our table at the Minnesota State Fire Department Association Annual Conference last week! We enjoyed chatting about how we can continue to help firefighters across the state get the physical and mental health resources they need.
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