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Mental Health — Seeking Support

 

It’s common for the maintenance of our mental and emotional wellbeing to be postponed for the demands of wildland firefighting; however, there may be times in your career when you cannot delay your need for professional support. Recognizing your own need to seek support or reaching out when someone on your team is struggling can be just as impactful as calling out a hazard on the fireline. Learn to recognize when help is needed and what resources are available. This topic aims to expand our definition of safety to include mental wellbeing. 

Sunrise with firefighters silhouetted against the sky walking along a ridge with a body of water in front.

Your Mental Health Matters

Mental health and physical safety are interconnected. When stress and trauma go unaddressed, they can cloud judgement, slow reaction times, and impair communication, ultimately jeopardizing individual safety as well as the safety of their entire team.

When to Seek Professional Support

You may benefit from working with a mental health professional if you are experiencing any of these symptoms:

  • Problems are lingering and not getting better — especially beyond 30 days.
  • You have prolonged, intense feelings of sadness, hopelessness, emptiness, guilt, worry, anxiety, or anger.
  • You notice changes in your behaviors, such as isolating or withdrawing from others, problems with your sleep or appetite, or increased use of alcohol or drugs to cope.
  • You have difficulty functioning or concentrating on everyday tasks at work, school, or home.
  • You have continuous conflicts, detachment, and problems in relationships with loved ones.
  • Family and friends repeatedly voice concern for you.
  • You experience physical symptoms, such as chronic headaches, stomach issues, or fatigue without a medical basis.

Check with your employer and health insurance provider for available resources. Different resources may be helpful at different phases of your career and for different circumstances.

Discussion Questions:

  • What might prevent firefighters from seeking professional mental health support? How can we overcome those barriers?
  • How can we support a colleague who is experiencing mental health challenges?
  • Seeing a mental health professional is a healthy outlet, yet there is still a stigma attached. How does your crew talk about seeking support?
  • Review the resources in the references below to discover what’s available for you and your crew.
     

References:

Additional Resources:

For more behavioral health resources and information please see the information below.

Category
Firefighter Health and First Aid

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NWCG Latest Announcements

LMC Equipment Bulletin 26-001: Aquatic Invasive Species – Seasonal Reminder for Mussels

Date:  July 30, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Equipment and Technology Subcommittee

The Logistics and Equipment Management Committee (LMC) issued Equipment Bulletin 26-001: Aquatic Invasive Species - Seasonal Reminder for Mussels, reminding the wildland fire community that aquatic mussels continue to be a problem. Mussels rapidly colonize hard and soft surfaces, including aquatic plants and fire equipment, clogging pipes, fouling motors, disrupting water systems, and impacting native species.

To help prevent their spread, fire personnel must follow the decontamination procedures outlined in the NWCG Guide to Preventing Aquatic Invasive Species Transport by Wildland Fire Operations, PMS 444. Additionally, report any sightings immediately to your Lead Resource Advisor and include clear, close-up photos (with a pen or your hand for size reference) and location details.”

Read the complete LMC Equipment Bulletin 26-001, to learn more. 

References:

NWCG Alerts

LMC Equipment Bulletin 26-001: Aquatic Invasive Species - Seasonal Reminder for Mussels

NWCG Guide to Preventing Aquatic Invasive Species Transport by Wildland Fire Operations, PMS 444

Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Task Book Update

Date:  July 24, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Tree Felling Subcommittee

NWCG Operations Management Committee (OMC) has issued an update to the NWCG Position Task Book for Intermediate Faller (FAL2), PMS 311-91. To ensure clarity for both trainees and evaluators, the updated FAL2 Position Task Book (PTB) explicitly states who is authorized to sign off on your tasks:

“Evaluators must be qualified as a FAL2, or an Advanced Faller (FAL1).”

If you are currently working out of a previously published version of the FAL2 PTB, you do not need to restart. However, OMC highly encourages you to take the following step to prevent any confusion in the field:

  • Print and replace the updated evaluator information page (page 2) in your current physical PTB.

References:

Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Page

RMC Memo 26-01: Transition Plan for Implementing Updates to Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Qualifications

NWCG Position Task Book for Intermediate Faller (FAL2), PMS 311-91

Equipment Advisory 26-001: Potential Front Driveline Joint Failure on 2018 and Earlier Ram Pickups

Date:  July 10, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Equipment and Technology Subcommittee

The Logistics/Equipment Management Committee (LMC) has released Equipment Advisory 26-001: Potential Front Driveline Joint Failure on 2018 and Earlier Ram Pickups. This advisory highlights multiple U.S. Forest Service regions reporting front driveline joint failure incidents.

This advisory recommends firefighters and fire managers to: 

  • Follow all Ram-issued inspection, maintenance, and service guidance for front driveline joints. 
  • Consider installing a driveline loop. 
  • Coordinate with fleet managers and service providers to determine the most appropriate driveline loop kit for each pickup.

For further details, please refer to the complete advisory.

References:

Equipment Advisory 26-001: Potential Front Driveline Joint Failure on 2018 and Earlier Ram Pickups

Technical Service Bulletin: 03-002-21

NEW! NWCG Standard Operating Procedures, PMS 900

Date:  July 9, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: NWCG Staff

NWCG is excited to announce the publication of the NWCG Standard Operating Procedures, PMS 900.

The new publication establishes general, consistent, and uniform standards for conducting business with the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.

References:

NWCG Standard Operating Procedures, PMS 900