How to Build a Zero-Suicide Culture in Your Fire Department
As a fire chief, you're not just responsible for running a department—you're responsible for the well-being of the people who make it all happen. Here are three practical ways to create a culture of safety, trust, and mental health resilience that can help prevent your members from becoming another tragic statistic.
1. Evaluate Your Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Your team knows exactly why they would—or wouldn’t—use your EAP. To understand what's working (or not), gather direct feedback. Consider using an anonymous survey or having open conversations. Ensure your program feels approachable and non-punitive. If you're not seeing much engagement, that could be a sign your employees are wary about confidentiality or fear consequences. Tighten up privacy protections, make sure the EAP is easy to access, and create an environment where asking for help is an easy “yes.”
2. Provide Preventative Mental Health Resources
Equip your crew with tools they can use to manage their mental health before a crisis arises. Offering resources like transcendental meditation, mental performance training, mindfulness techniques, or deep breathing exercises can make a big difference in their resilience and offer a preventative outlet to blow off stress. Test these resources yourself to ensure they’re practical and effective—no fluff, just real, actionable tools. As the leader, you set the tone for your department’s norms. If it’s clear you believe in these resources and use them yourself, your people will feel more comfortable doing the same.
3. Lead from the Front—Spend Time with Your Crews
Trust and loyalty aren’t built from behind a desk. Get out of your office and spend time with your teams on the line. Show up, ask questions, and observe how things are really working on the ground. When your crew sees you genuinely engaged with them, it builds a deeper connection and a sense of shared purpose. Your employees notice when you don’t know their names or when you’re disconnected from the challenges they face day in and day out. Strong leadership means showing you care—it's about more than just policies; it’s about people.
The Bottom Line
Investing in your people’s mental and emotional well-being pays dividends—not just financially, but in morale, retention, and the long-term strength of your department. When your team feels supported, they’ll be more likely to stay, perform at their best, and promote a high standard of care amongst and for themselves. Happy, healthy employees are the best advocates for your department—and the greatest way to ensure its success for years to come.