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Mental Health

Mental Health in Wildland Fire

Mental health is a key component to overall health, no different than physical health. Mental health issues can impact your ability to focus and make critical decisions on the fireline. They also impact overall quality of life. The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) established the Mental Health Subcommittee to help firefighters and fire managers better recognize hazards to mental health and wellness, implement preventative strategies, and promote resources available to firefighters.
 

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Below is an introduction to some of the resources available that may help you prepare for, recognize, and navigate stressors at work and at home.

Resources Available

NWCG Mental Health Subcommittee 

A Preparedness Guide for Firefighters and Their Families, PMS 600 

Provides honest information, resources, and conversation starters to give you, the wildland firefighter, tools that will be helpful in preparing yourself and your support network for the realities of your career.

Reset: Firefighter and Family Members’ Reintegration Guide

This serves as a companion document to the Preparedness Guide. This guide provides information about the reintegration process to help you reunite with your family, friends, and communities. Whether you went on a single assignment or have been on the road all season, this guide provides useful tips for resetting, keeping connections and relationships, managing stress, and navigating end of season closeouts.
 
Wildland Fire Mental Health

This video highlights the importance of mental health, risk factors, recognition of symptoms, and resources available to wildland firefighters. Open communication and willingness to have hard conversations are foundational to breaking stigmas to mental health.

Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Desk Reference

The CISM program provides crisis intervention techniques and trained peer support to assist employees after a critical injury or fatality. The CISM Desk Reference provides a high-level introduction to the program, including pre-incident education to promote resiliency and awareness, incident response to aid recovery, and involvement through peer support.

Stress First Aid

This curriculum emphasizes basic steps in recognizing stress and simple tools for addressing stress.

Discussion Questions:

  • How do you prepare for the season or an assignment?
  • How do you regroup after the season or assignment?
  • How does your resource or unit support each other through the season or through stressful events?
  • How do you show signs of stress? How do you handle stress? How do you like to be helped?
     

References: 

Category
Firefighter Health & First Aid

6MFS Suggestion Form


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NWCG Latest Announcements

National Wildland Firefighter Day

Date: July 2, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
National Interagency Fire Center

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) recognizes July 2, 2025, as National Wildland Firefighter Day (NWFFD). Established in 2022, NWFFD honors the dedication of wildland firefighters and support personnel. This day falls within the 2025 Week of Remembrance (June 30 - July 6), providing an opportunity to renew our commitment to wildland firefighter safety while remembering those who have fallen in the line of duty.

NWCG provides leadership to enable interoperable wildland fire operations among federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial partners. NWCG standards and training establish common practices to contribute to safe, effective, and coordinated interagency wildland fire operations nationwide.

References:

Week of Remembrance

National Wildland Firefighter Day

2025 Week of Remembrance

Date: June 27, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
6 Minutes for Safety Subcommittee

As we approach the 2025 Week of Remembrance (WOR), June 30–July 6, we dedicate this time to reflect on the past incidents from 2015 and honor the fallen through learning. Since its inception in 2014, WOR has honored wildland firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice while encouraging critical discussions that reinforce lessons learned.

Throughout the week, we encourage thoughtful and generative conversations—whether in briefing rooms or at tailgates—that promote a culture of continuous learning and safety.

References:

2025 Week of Remembrance: Letter to Leadership

Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

ETC Equipment Bulletin: 25-003 Flame-Resistant Shirt Survey

Date: June 12, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Equipment Technology Committee

The U.S. Forest Service National Technology and Development Program (NTDP) is seeking input on the Forest Service-designed flame-resistant (FR) shirt, currently available through the National Interagency Support Cache system and FedMall.

NTDP is conducting a product review to improve future FR shirt designs. As part of this effort, a short survey is now open for federal employees who have worn any of three recent FR shirt models. Feedback will guide design improvements to better meet the needs of wildland firefighters.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act, responses are limited to federal employees. The survey is open through September 12, 2025. 

References:

NWCG Alerts

ETC Equipment Bulletin: 25-003

NEW! S-130, Firefighter Training (Blended) Now Available

Date: June 10, 2025
If you have questions, please visit our FAQ page. 
If your question is not answered there, you can 
submit your question using our Contact Us form. 
 

The S-130, Firefighter Training (Blended), equips new wildland firefighters with essential skills through a mix of online learning and hands-on training. The course features a required online component and an instructor-led exercise, reinforcing online concepts with practical performance-based training.

The course builds competencies in wildland fire operations, safety, and equipment use, applicable across various operational environments. Both the online component and instructor-led field exercise must be completed to receive a certificate of completion. Students are required to finish the prerequisite S-190, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior, before enrolling in S-130, Firefighter Training (Blended).

References:

S-130, Firefighter Training (Blended)

S-190, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior

Wildland Fire Learning Portal