IF YOU ARE IN CRISIS AND WISH TO SPEAK WITH A PEER SUPPORT PROVIDER CALL (207) 752-1520

There is growing concern about behavioral health issues and the significant impact on wellness. The stresses faced by fire fighters, paramedics and EMTs throughout the course of their careers – incidents involving children, violence, inherent dangers of firefighting and other potentially traumatic events – can have a cumulative impact on mental health and well-being.

The PFFMaine continues to develop resources that educate and support members on behavioral health concerns. Check back often for updated information on behavioral health programs and resources.

Resources for PFFMaine Peer Support Team

Mike Scott, President (Peer Team Leader): (207) 576-2234

Michael J.Crouse, Secretary (Program Director & Peer Team Leader): (207) 239-2625 

Robert Mertz, District 1 Peer Leader: (207) 205-3262

Tom Lafferty, District 2 Peer Leader: (609) 502-4800 

Carl Anderson, District 3 Peer Leader: (207) 831-9323 

Ronnie Green, District 4 Peer Leader: (207) 944-5366 

Kyle Moser, District 5 Peer Leader: (315) 868-9282

Gerry Gay, District 6 Peer Leader: (207) 651-5944

Crisis Numbers:

PFFMaine's Peer Support Provider HOTLINE: (207) 752-1520

Maine Crisis Team 1-888-568-1112

Crisis Text Line: Text Hello to 741741

IAFF Center of Excellence 1-833-300-3765

Maine Public Safety & First Responder Mental Health Providers

Behavioral Health Webinars:

• Building Your Peer Support Program: April 21, 2022
  Click here to watch recording
• Peer Support Outreach After Traumatic Events: May 19, 2022
  Click here to watch recording
• Understanding Peer Support in the Fire Service: Best Practices for Clinicians: June 2, 2022
  Click here to watch recording

Truma and Resiliency

• Trauma in the Fire Service
  This webinar will take a comprehensive look at occupational trauma, pos-traumatic stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder in the fire service. Evidence based treatment options and the role of peer support in trauma recovery will be addressed.
• Resiliency Training Pre-Course Video Series
  This series includes an overview of five critical components of organizational resiliency that are covered in the IAFF Resiliency Training.

Addiction

• Opioid Addiction and Treatment: One Firefighter’s Journey
  The webinar will explore will provide a fresh perspective on the opioid epidemic in the COVID-19 era, by exploring opioid addiction as a disease, best practices in treatment, and unique treatment considerations for fire service personnel coping with this problem. Delivered by Lauren Kosc, LCPC and Lt. Chris Goggin.
• Substance Abuse and Addiction in the Fire Service
  This webinar will address substance use disorders experienced among fire fighters, paramedics and dispatchers. Addiction signs and symptoms and recovery resources will be explored. Delivered by Molly Jones, LSW and Peer Support Instructor Jeff Gauthier.

Suicide

• Suicide and Suicide Prevention in the Fire Service
  This 1.5-hour presentation from the 2019 Redmond Symposium/Barbera EMS Conference explores suicide postvention, suicide prevention strategies, evidence-based treatments for suicide, resources for suicide loss and the IAFF’s efforts to understand and address suicide.

Other Topics

• Work-Life Balance in the Fire Service
• Help Starts at Home
• Fire Service Family Dynamics
• Collaborating on Behavioral Health: Union Leadership and Management
• IAFF Center of Excellence: Virtual Tour
  This five-minute video is a virtual tour of the IAFF Center of Excellence from the perspective of three program alumni.

IAFF Online Recovery Meetings are an essential form of recovery support for hundreds of IAFF members and fire service personnel living in addiction or recovery.  These peer-led meetings embrace multiple pathways to recovery, including Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA), SMART recovery, harm reduction and medication assisted treatment.

Benefits of an Online Recovery Meeting:

• Attend from the privacy of your home, or anywhere with an internet connection
• Participate via video or audio only — you decide!
• No need to provide any identifying information
• Form lasting recovery connections with IAFF members across North America

Meeting Times & Links

IAFF Online Recovery Meetings occur every Sunday and Friday. No pre-registration needed. The IAFF does not collect any data on participants. Just click the meeting link to attend:

• Join Sunday’s Meeting (Password: IAFFstrong)
  5:00-6:00 p.m. ET (2:00-3:00 p.m. PT)

• Join Friday’s Meeting (Password: 2countries)
  12:00-1:00 p.m. ET (9:00-10:00 a.m. PT)

If you can’t attend Sunday or Friday, check out a weekly small group meeting hosted by Toronto Local 3888:

• Join Toronto L3888 Wednesday’s Meeting (Password: TFS12step)
  8:00-9:00 p.m. ET (5:00-6:00 p.m. PT)

Stay in Touch

To receive a weekly meeting reminder to join IAFF Online Recovery Meetings, sign up here. If you are in recovery from addiction and interested in serving as a meeting host, please contact the IAFF Behavioral Health team at  BehavioralHealth@iaff.org.