When a firefighter dies in the line of duty, departments respond with an outpouring of support to ensure the family is taken care of and the firefighter is honored appropriately. Afterwards, firefighters will assist each other through the healing process and, at times, utilize available peer support and behavioral health resources. However, there are certain positions within the organization that can become isolated through the grieving and recovery phases. The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation has developed several uniformed outreach program initiatives. This presentation will discuss the Chief to Chief, Incident Commander to Incident Commander, Company Officer to Company Officer and Coworker to Coworker programs. The program will include an overview of the NFFF fire service programs, a discussion of the NFFF Uniformed Outreach Program concept, including development and implementation, an outline of the Fire Chief, Incident Commander, Company Officer and Coworker Uniformed Support Group programs, and presentations by personnel who have experienced a LODD to share their experience.
Joe Gaffney Worcester Fire Department
John Tippett - Director of Fire Service Programs, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation