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For those who work in public safety, resilience isn’t just a buzzword — it’s a job requirement. First responders face trauma, high-stakes decision-making and potentially life-altering events on a daily basis, making mental and physical wellness essential.
In the webinar, “Strengthening Resilience — Actionable Solutions to Improve Wellness,” recognized experts share vital insights into how first responders can enhance their resilience. The panelists include:
- David Black, president of wellness solutions, Lexipol
- Jaime Brower, vice president of peer support and clinician training and certification, Lexipol
- Mandy Nice, senior strategic wellness director, Lexipol
- Chief (Ret.) John Carli, mayor of the City of Vacaville, California
The panelists focused on providing practical, actionable strategies for wellness, both at the individual and organizational levels, to improve the lives and prolong the careers of public safety employees in the United States.
Below is a summary of some key takeaways from the webinar, with commentary on how first responders and public safety agencies can use these tools to foster lasting resilience.
The need for resilience in first responders
First responders — whether police officers, firefighters, or EMTs — work in environments filled with intense stress and potential trauma. As Dr. Black notes, “You literally have the most dangerous, stressful, high-risk job in the world.” Repeated exposure to traumatic incidents such as violent crimes, accident scenes, civil unrest and natural disasters can take a heavy toll on public safety workers’ mental and physical health. Because of this, resilience is the shield that helps mitigate the harmful effects of on-the-job stress.
The importance of resilience is clear when looking at the statistics shared by Dr. Black from the “What Cops Want” survey conducted by Police1.com. An alarming 71% of respondents reported sleep disturbances due to work-related stress, and 39% reported experiencing depression due to their job. These numbers reveal a pressing need for wellness strategies that address sleep, mental health and emotional well-being.
The role of sleep in resilience
One of the key points from the webinar was the impact of sleep — or lack thereof — on first responder wellness. “Fatigue was possibly the single-most often cited complaint as having a negative impact on officer health, wellness and resilience,” says Dr. Black. In fact, a poll conducted during the webinar showed that nearly half of attendees (48%) got less than the recommended amount of sleep on a typical night.
Lack of sufficient sleep not only leads to slower reaction times and difficulty concentrating but also increases vulnerability to depression. It’s a major red flag for anyone in public safety since it can create cascading problems with mental health, personal relationships and job performance.
The solution, according to the panelists, lies in prioritizing sleep hygiene. Simple strategies like creating a sleeping environment that is cool, dark and quiet can significantly improve sleep quality. First responders should aim for eight hours of sleep, even if their work schedules and family commitments make this a challenge. Additionally, wellness tools such as the Cordico Sleep Test (CST) can help individuals evaluate their sleep habits and identify areas for improvement.
Peer support and personal connections
One of the most powerful protective factors against stress, according to George Everly’s research, is social connection. Dr. Brower emphasizes how peer support and interpersonal connections are crucial for fostering resilience. “When someone is faced with a challenge, the heaviness of the challenge dramatically changes when you have someone standing beside you,” she states. This underscores the importance of peer support teams in law enforcement and other first responder agencies.
As Dr. Brower points out, support shouldn’t come just from formal mental health services. Peer support teams, chaplains and family members all play a vital role in creating a network to provide emotional and psychological assistance to first responders who may be experiencing trauma or a personal crisis. Agencies can strengthen resilience by normalizing the use of these support systems and integrating them into the daily lives of their personnel.
Building a culture of resilience
Creating a culture of wellness within an agency has to begin at the top. As Chief Carli points out, “The key is to make wellness a low-barrier approach where people are willing to talk about it.”
Normalizing conversations around mental health and resilience changed the culture in Carli’s department. Though progress has been made in recent years, the stigma against seeking help for mental health still persists in public safety agencies. Chief Carli highlights a key moment when an officer openly discussed seeing a therapist through the department’s wellness program, which had a profound impact on his peers.
Leadership plays a crucial role in ensuring wellness programs are not just reactive but proactive. Carli notes how early implementation of wellness tools like the Cordico Wellness App has allowed officers to manage stress before it turned into a crisis. These tools provide 24/7 access to culturally competent clinicians and peer support teams, enabling first responders to get the help they need in real time.
Agencies that integrate wellness programs into their operations, from the academy through retirement and beyond, ensure that team members are not only surviving but thriving. This proactive approach is essential for reducing burnout, enhancing job performance and improving long-term health outcomes.
Practical tools for individual resilience
Individual resilience is a journey, and the webinar provides several practical tools to help first responders enhance their mental and physical well-being:
- Nutrition and fitness: Proper nutrition and regular fitness training are key elements of resilience. Mandy Nice, Lexipol’s senior strategic wellness director, emphasizes the need for physical health programs that cater specifically to the needs of first responders. Good nutrition and fitness not only improve job performance but also reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, which is a significant concern for this population.
- Mindset and emotional intelligence: Black emphasizes the importance of mindset in fostering resilience. He encourages first responders to adopt a “solution-focused” mindset, concentrating on what they can control rather than obsessing over problems that might not have a solution. This approach aligns with the teachings of stoic philosophers and modern resilience psychology, emphasizing the importance of focusing on what’s within one’s control.
- Self-care: First responders often prioritize the well-being of others over their own. However, as Dr. Black notes, “Self-care is not selfish. It’s essential.” Taking time for self-care allows first responders to perform their duties more effectively and to be there for others when needed. This includes prioritizing sleep, maintaining healthy relationships and regularly assessing personal mental health.
Actionable solutions for agencies
Agencies can take several steps toward foster resilience among their personnel:
- Peer support and clinician training: Brower advocates for providing ongoing training for peer support team members and clinicians. This ensures they are equipped to handle evolving challenges such as moral injury and the psychological impacts of social unrest.
- Wellness apps and resources: Lexipol’s Cordico Wellness App has been instrumental in providing first responders with 24/7 access to wellness resources. According to Dr. Black, an astounding 72% of agencies that used the app reported it had helped prevent suicide in their ranks during the past year.
- Resilience assessments: Tools like the Cordico Resilience Evaluation and Strengthening Test (CREST) provide first responders with immediate feedback on their resilience levels. These assessments help identify areas for improvement and provide actionable advice on how to strengthen mental and physical health.
The power of resilience
Resilience is a critical component of first responder wellness, and building it requires a multi-faceted approach that includes both individual strategies and organizational support. By implementing tools such as peer support programs, wellness apps and resilience assessments, agencies can create a culture of wellness that supports their staff in the face of immense challenges. For first responders, resilience isn’t just about bouncing back — it’s about thriving in one of the toughest jobs in the world.
As Chief Carli so powerfully says, “The goal is not only to survive but to thrive.” By prioritizing resilience, first responders can safeguard their mental and physical health, ensuring they are able to continue serving their communities with strength and compassion.