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Federal Wildland Firefighter Health and Wellbeing Program update

May 3, 2024

Portrait: John Crockett in Forest Service uniform in front of American & Forest Service flags.
Deputy Chief John Crockett, State, Private, and Tribal Forestry

Wildland firefighters face fire years that are longer and more destructive than ever before. They experience firsthand the impacts these incidents have on the American people.

Their jobs are physically demanding. The environments where they work are full of hazards.

At the same time, they spend extended time away from friends and family. This can be socially isolating and cause difficulties in marriages, friendships and relationships with children and other family members.

All these factors contribute to significantly higher rates of mental, behavioral and physical health issues. We are aware of that and are committed to taking care of our employees.

During next week’s observance of Employee Wellbeing Week, U.S. Public Health Service Commander Dana Lee, Wildland Firefighter Behavioral Health Program, will provide an overview of the program's mission, services and initiatives aimed at supporting the mental health and emotional resilience of wildland firefighters.

And as part of an interagency program, the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior are kicking off Mental Health Awareness Month by announcing more details about the Federal Wildland Firefighter Health and Wellbeing Program.

Since the April 2023 planning summit, agency employees, mental health specialists and others have been working hard to determine the right path for the Federal Wildland Firefighter Health and Wellbeing Program. They decided to take a more holistic approach to the health of wildland firefighters by focusing on three elements: behavioral health, environmental and occupational health, and physical health and readiness.

Behavioral Health

Behavioral health includes the emotions and behaviors that affect overall well-being and functioning at work and in personal lives. Even people experiencing similar emotions may act in very different ways. Behaviors such as substance use and self-isolation can impact overall health.

The behavioral health program will offer resources and services including prevention, education, training and health services. This program will bridge existing and potential new services to address the causes of behavioral health issues and build coping skills and resiliency.

Environmental and Occupational Health

Environmental and occupational health works to understand how exposures and hazards in the workplace affect health. In the wildland fire environment, this includes exposure to smoke, noise, and dust and ash.

To support these concerns, the program will focus on understanding and preventing hazardous exposures from the wildland fire environment that have the potential to affect long-term health.

Physical Health and Readiness

Physical health and readiness ensure that firefighters are physically prepared for the fire year so they can perform their jobs safely. This includes physical fitness, endurance, meeting all medical qualification standards, proper nutrition, training and ensuring overall health.

The physical health and readiness program will address physical fitness and nutritional needs through training, studying fatigue management, and exploring how to balance nutrition and physical and mental health so firefighters can meet the demands of their jobs.

Looking at firefighter health through these three lenses will help us understand how each one affects short- and long-term employee mental and physical health and how to manage those impacts more effectively.

Goals for 2024

Our goals for the rest of this year are:

  • Expand resources and services to meet the unique health needs of wildland firefighters;

  • Develop new methods to collect data, quantify environmental and occupational hazards and identify additional mitigation measures;

  • Increase physical health and readiness training;

  • Assess fatigue management; and

  • Establish ways to engage or create “feedback loops” with the wildland fire community.

Evaluating the Program

The joint program will be anchored in evidence- and science-based approaches. This way, federal wildland fire agencies can evaluate how effective the program is and how well it is meeting the wildland fire community’s needs, and then, adapt as needed.

Also, we will soon launch a pre- and post-season “pulse check” questionnaire. Anonymous and consistent employee feedback at the start and end of the fire year will help inform and refine the program’s services. Supervisors and employees with responsibilities in wildland fire who have government email will receive a link to the survey soon.

Employees without government email can receive the survey through their supervisors.

The lessons we learn as we implement this joint program will also help us understand broader agency needs for similar services.

Facing the Future Together

We know this joint program has been a long time coming. Together, we remain committed to improving the health and well-being of wildland firefighters as they continue to defend communities, protect natural and cultural resources, and serve the American people.

For more information and resources, visit the Federal Wildland Firefighter Health and Wellbeing website.

Join the Federal Wildland Firefighter Health and Wellbeing Program webinar: May 16, 12 p.m. Eastern

Before the wildfire year kicks into high gear, we invite you to join us for "Showing Up at Your Best: Preparing and Transitioning into the Fire Season." This event is the first in a series of webinars that will focus on firefighter health, well-being and performance.

When: May 16, 12 p.m. Eastern

Where: Zoom

Editor's Note: Provide feedback about this column, submit questions or suggest topics for future columns through the FS-Employee Feedback inbox.
 

https://www.fs.usda.gov/es/node/760600465