ARLINGTON, Virgina – Earlier this month, Firefighters and EMS Fund had the pleasure of attending and exhibiting at Fire-Rescue International (FRI) conference. FRI is the annual conference and expo of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) which provides senior-level leadership training to fire chiefs. Founded over 140 years ago, IAFC boasts over 12,000 members of the international firefighting community.
During the FRI conference, fire and EMS professionals held an educational symposium that focused on emergency response and mental health issues within the first responders community. Speakers from across the country came together to pass on their knowledge and better equip first responders to tackle on-the-job issues.
Nile Porter, the Executive Director of Firefighters and EMS Fund attended the event and said, “This was a great conference with a ton of information and networking opportunities packed in.” Mr. Porter also said that Reverend Dr. Jason Cashing’s session about strengthening mental resilience and protecting oneself from “burn out” from stress was one of the highlights of the conference.
Firefighters and EMS Fund continues to engage voters on the importance of providing mental and physical health services for firefighters and first responders. Mr. Porter included, “Excess stress can lead to damaged personal relationships, substance abuse, and even suicidal ideas. This is something that we need to address head on and help protect our first responders.”
Firefighters and EMS Fund looks forward to attending the FRI conference again in 2020 and staying involved with FRI and IAFC.
To learn more about the organization, please visit fireemsfund.wpengine.com.
Contact Firefighters and EMS Fund
Nile Porter
Executive Director
(703) 844-2285
media@fireandemsfund.com
