The MnFIRE team is gearing up for the 2022 MnFORE Golf Tournament on Monday, July 25 – and we hope you’ll join us!

The golf tournament will be held at the Bearpath Golf & Country Club in Eden Prairie on the luxurious Jack Nicklaus Signature Course. All proceeds benefit MnFIRE, which provides Minnesota’s firefighters with the tools they need to prioritize and protect their health by focusing on the three health problems most commonly experienced by those in the fire service: cardiac, cancer and emotional trauma.

MnFORE funds important programs designed to help firefighters and their families. Your registration fee includes the following:

• 18-Hole round of golf
• Cart
• Boxed lunch
• Happy Hour
• Plated dinner
• And MORE!

Register yourself or a foursome here. Non-foursome groups and single golfers are welcome – we will pair golfers for an afternoon of fun. Golfer spots are filling up fast, so register today!

While numerous amazing organizations have already stepped up to sponsor the event, there are still opportunities for businesses and individuals to sponsor this year’s golf tournament benefitting Minnesota firefighters. Check out our full list of sponsorship levels and opportunities.

If you have any questions regarding the event, or if you would like to volunteer or donate, or become a sponsor, please contact Gina Calistro by phone at (612) 309-4462 or email, gcalistro@mnfireinitiative.com.

By MnFIRE Assistance Program partner, Optum

As the world at large wrestles with the pandemic, systemic racism and social injustices, among other complexities and difficulties, one thing you can control is how you treat yourself. It’s so important to support your own health and well-being. Whatever you’re going through — good, bad or neutral — are you being kind to yourself? As firefighters who spend all day serving others, this is a question we need to ask ourselves often.

Being kind to yourself is not about feeling self-pity or blaming others; it’s about understanding that life sometimes brings tough times and uncomfortable emotions. It’s also about understanding that everyone endures difficulties and makes mistakes — it’s part of being human.

Self-compassionate people are far more likely to acknowledge and process difficulties to find a path forward. In fact, research shows practicing genuine self-compassion can help you:

• Feel more motivated and optimistic
• Feel safer and more secure
• Be more resilient
• Be more confident and authentic
• Adopt a healthier lifestyle, including being more active and eating more nutritiously

People who practice self-compassion also tend to take greater personal responsibility for their actions. This includes being more likely to reflect, learn and take steps to correct course, such as making amends with someone or something, and looking for ways to be and do better.

Practicing self-compassion

This does not necessarily come naturally. Difficult circumstances and hard times more often trigger people to criticize themselves or to blame others. Both reactions increase stress, and chronic stress can lead to mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.

However, you can cultivate self-compassion by consistently practicing it.

For example, think about when a friend is going through something difficult, such as something someone else might have done to them or something that happened beyond their control. If you’re like most people, your impulse is to try empathizing with what your friend is going through and figure out how you can help them. You acknowledge their pain. You try to be present and actively listen. In those moments especially, you don’t second-guess and criticize them, and you don’t tell them what they should have or could have done differently.

Odds are you would also encourage them that they can and will get through this hardship. Odds are you would try to help them think about how to overcome it.

Do the same for yourself.

Taking care of yourself is an important part of coping with tough times, and steeling yourself for the challenges to come. Eating nutritious foods, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly and doing things you enjoy will help you be and feel stronger physically, mentally and emotionally.

MnFIRE also offers a deep-dive training course on emotional wellness. This two hour class will help de-stigmatize talking about mental health in your department, as well as provide practical information around how to properly debrief after a difficult call with your team, ways to maintain emotional well-being and what resources are available for those who need help. Get your department signed up today!

By MnFIRE Assistance Program partner, Optum

People in the fire service experience much higher rates of mental health challenges than the general population – particularly in the areas of sleep disorders, depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal ideation/action. The stigma associated with mental health conditions causes many firefighters to stay quiet about what they’re really experiencing – and not seek treatment. They might perceive themselves to be “weak,” feel ashamed, or tell themselves it’s “just a phase” that’ll pass if they push through. They might worry about being treated differently or losing their jobs. Or, they just might not know where to begin finding help.

This is all to say, one of your fellow firefighters may be suffering in silence. You can help set the tone in your department so mental illness is destigmatized, and people feel encouraged to seek out help when they need it.

Learn the signs

While different mental health conditions have different symptoms, with variances depending on the person, early warning signs include behavior changes over time that last for two or more weeks. For example, a previously energetic, reliable colleague now consistently seems fatigued, shows up late and looks disheveled. They also seem angry, irritable, and prone to outbursts.

Some common signs of mental illness include:

1. Excessive worrying or fear
2. Persistent sadness, hopelessness or “empty” feeling
3. Lack of concentration
4. Extreme mood changes, including irritability or anger
5. Changes in eating habits, energy level or sleeping patterns
6. Delusions and/or hallucinations
7. Increased use of alcohol or other substances
8. Persistent physical aches and pains
9. Suicidal thoughts
10. Lack of interest in activities
11. Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress
12. Intense fear of weight gain or concern with appearance

Reach out

If someone you know is showing warning signs and needs help coping with a situational or chronic mental health condition, reaching out can make a difference. Consider using the method like “NOTICE. TALK. ACT.™” from American the Psychiatric Association.³

If you notice a person is exhibiting the warning signs that last for two or more weeks, find a quiet place to ask, “Are you OK?” Compassionately and nonjudgmentally provide a few examples of what’s worrying you. Do not assume you know what is going on. Listen with the aim to learn more from their perspective. Remind them we all have challenging times in life, and getting extra support and guidance can help us get through those times. Recommend they consider taking advantage of the free counseling sessions available to them through the MnFIRE Assistance Program, or to call MnFIRE’s 24/7 peer support hotline, both available at: 888-784-6634.

Then, check back in with the person in a day or two to see how things are going. Please note: If you are worried about the person’s immediate safety, do not leave the person alone. Seek emergency assistance.

Be an ally

You also can help create a supportive environment, increase awareness and reduce stigma for those in your department who are struggling. For example, commit to using respectful and compassionate language to describe or talk about mental health. Using derogatory terms perpetuates discrimination and stigma. It also dehumanizes the people living with mental health conditions, dismisses their experiences and can discourage them from asking for support.

In addition, intervene if you overhear others using verbally abusive language, and challenge misconceptions when you see or hear them.

You can make a difference.

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.

International Firefighters’ Day is observed each year on May 4. Born out of a tragic loss of five firefighters in a wildfire in Victoria, Australia, this day was created to honor their lives, as well as firefighters around the world.

This International Firefighters’ Day, we recognize and honor the sacrifices firefighters make across the globe, and especially those here at home in Minnesota, to ensure their communities are safe. Thank you for all you do!

We also want to honor the firefighters who have been lost in the line of duty or passed on before us – many due to the occupational hazards of cardiovascular disease, suicide and cancer.

We value the work and contributions our volunteer and career firefighters dedicate to our communities every day. As we reflect on that, we know investing in their health and well-being is a moral imperative!

In Minnesota, we can show our support and appreciation to firefighters at home by making sure they have all of the physical and mental health resources they need to prioritize and protect their health, and prevent and/or tackle cardiovascular disease, emotional trauma and cancer.

Thankfully, the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program is now here to provide free resources for all of Minnesota’s active firefighters – volunteer, paid-on-call, part-time and full-time. These vital resources include:

• The MnFIRE Assistance Program, offering expanded emotional trauma resources for firefighters and their families, including five counseling visits a year and peer support.
• An up-to-$20,000 Critical Illness insurance policy which covers diagnoses of cancer, cardiac and other critical illnesses.
• Ongoing health and wellness training on the different health risks facing firefighters.

We invite you to honor and support your local firefighters today by making sure they’re aware of these important – and completely free – health resources.

The past year has been stressful for everyone, to say the least, and according to the American Psychological Association, pandemic-related stress comes with serious health consequences including changes to weight, sleep and alcohol use. First responders already face high exposure to traumatic stress incidents, so we caught up with Dr. Margaret Gavian, licensed psychologist and medical director of MnFIRE, to find out how the added stressors of the pandemic are impacting firefighters:

What new challenges have those in the fire service been experiencing during the pandemic?

Firefighters are in one of the most stressful occupations there is, regardless of if they are paid-on-call, volunteer or career. The pandemic put additional stress on top of an already maxed-out fire service. Leaders had to get up to speed quickly on how best to protect their members from an invisible and unknown danger. Departments with firefighters who caught COVID-19 were further stressed by mandatory overtime or understaffing caused by mandatory quarantine periods and ill firefighters.

This is a profession rooted in teamwork and brother and sisterhood, but this year, firefighters were often isolated from one another when not on calls, reducing comradery and support they naturally would get from one another at the station.

Policies and regulations have also been ever-changing. With the uncertainty of the pandemic and medical understanding, there were often differences in protocols between departments, and even within departments. Differences of opinions and inconsistent messaging from leaders made for an even more challenging environment.

The pandemic has been stressful for everyone, but what stressors do firefighters face specifically?

Firefighters are people just like the rest of us. Their families were put under additional stress with children at home, spouses out of work and financial woes, and then had to continue serving their communities who were suffering from the pandemic as well. Moreover, 90% of Minnesota’s fire service are not career firefighters – meaning that they have regular jobs just like the rest of us, jobs that may be experiencing challenges. So, if you’ve experienced stress from the pandemic, and you’re not a firefighter, assume that a firefighter experienced an extra dose of stress for the last year and a half.

I’ve heard stories of loved ones hugging their grandparents goodbye for what was assumed the last time, before they were transported to the hospital. COVID-19 has put pressure on all of us, and mental health has plummeted as a result. Mental health calls, suicides and overdoses are some of the worst kinds of calls firefighters respond to, and suicides and drug overdoses are on the rise due to the effects of the pandemic. So, if our communities are experiencing more stress, the firefighters responding to these communities are too.

What kinds of trends are you seeing now that we’re turning a corner on the pandemic?

While the pandemic may be winding down and departments may have been vaccinated or have gotten used to this new normal, what’s important to realize is that even if we return to a pre-coronavirus baseline, that’s a pretty abysmal baseline. 50% of all firefighters contemplate suicide, and they also experience depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse and posttraumatic stress at much higher rates than the general population – on a good day.

There was already a silent epidemic within the fire service before COVID-19. While firefighters and their leaders bravely went out on the front lines of the pandemic, facing a global threat we didn’t know much about without hesitation, they were already maxed out in many ways. While there is a light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, our work supporting the resilience and mental health of Minnesota’s firefighters is far from over.

How can those in the fire service and their families seek help during this difficult time?

If you’re not feeling like yourself, or you’re feeling burned out, exhausted, irritable or stressed, the important thing to know is that it’s ok. It’s ok to not feel ok. There are resources out there to support firefighters and their families.

If you are in crisis, call MnFIRE’s 24-hour, confidential peer support hotline at 888-784-6634. If you’re a family member or a firefighter, if you’re retired or working, or if you’re simply concerned about a friend, our team of dedicated trained volunteers will work hard to find the right resources for you. If you’re a chief or part of command staff, contact MnFIRE to talk about strategies and training to support your department’s overall mental health.

Did you know that more than 93% of all Minnesota firefighters are non-career? Non-career firefighters are often busy serving their community at night – responding to a cardiac arrest, fatal fire or car wreck – only to have to work their “regular” job during the day while continuing to fulfill their roles as a parent, friend and spouse. There’s a mental health crisis sweeping through Minnesota’s entire fire service, but especially among volunteer firehouses.

Responding to a traumatic call can be especially difficult for volunteer firefighters in a small town, because they likely know someone involved in the incident. To make matters worse, many times these firefighters don’t go back to the firehouse and debrief with their team after a tough call. Instead, they return home to their families where they often refrain from discussing the difficult things they’ve witnessed on a call.

Firefighters often experience a “hero complex” – a feeling that if they go get help, then they’re not strong enough. Most firefighters can recall several traumatic events, but it’s the failure to talk about those memories that creates a dangerous feedback loop. Firefighters experience traumatic stress events on a weekly, sometimes daily basis, and this exposure accumulates over time and takes a significant toll on mental and emotional health. That’s why many end up suppressing their emotions in unhealthy ways.

This is unacceptable, and we need to do more to support our volunteer firefighters, our brave hometown heroes. That support starts with providing access to behavioral health services and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAPs are often provided through employer health plans, but because 93% of Minnesota firefighters are non-career, many don’t have access because of their part-time status. A proactive mental health program, which includes access to resources like counseling services and peer support, is also crucial to supporting the emotional well-being of our non-career brothers and sisters.

First responders experience several barriers to seeking help – and the leading barrier is the stigma around mental health. Volunteer and career firefighters can learn more about the impact of emotional trauma and what can be done to help alleviate it in our emotional wellness deep-dive training. The two-hour class is free until June 2021 and helps firefighters de-stigmatize talking about mental health in their department and provides practical information around how to properly debrief after a difficult call and what resources are available for those who need help. Register here.

MnFIRE also provides a 24-hour peer support hotline for firefighters who are impacted by emotional trauma, as well as cancer and cardiac issues. If you’re a Minnesota firefighter who needs help, dial 888-784-6634 to speak with a trained peer supporter today.