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By Luanne Brookover, MC, LPC, CCTP
For many people in Northern Arizona, wildfire season is something we watch closely from home. We check evacuation maps, follow road closures and wait for updates when smoke settles over the horizon.
For first responders, those same events can mean long days, dangerous conditions and repeated exposure to situations most people hope never to face – and it’s not just firefighters who are affected. They may be working directly on the fire line, but law enforcement officers, EMS personnel and other responders help with evacuations, road closures, medical calls and keep communities safe as conditions change.
This summer, the Pocket Fire burned more than 27,000 acres in Coconino National Forest, offering a stark reminder of how demanding wildfire season can be for everyone involved in emergency response.
National First Responders Day on October 28 gives us a chance to recognize those who serve our communities, while also acknowledging the mental and emotional weight that can come with the work.
As a behavioral health provider at Denova Collaborative Health who works with first responders, I’ve seen how that weight can build over time and it doesn’t always show up in obvious ways. Someone may have trouble sleeping, feel more irritable than usual or find it difficult to mentally leave work behind after a shift. A difficult call may stay with them longer than expected, even as they prepare for the next one.
Not every challenging experience leads to a mental health condition, but repeated exposure to emergencies can take a toll.
That’s why support shouldn’t begin only when someone reaches a breaking point.
For some first responders, talking with a therapist who understands the realities of emergency response can provide space to process experiences they’ve had to push aside in the moment. Others may find support through peers, family members or regular mental health check-ins before stress begins interfering with everyday life.
Northern Arizona has already begun having more open conversations about first responder mental health. Flagstaff fire, EMS and police personnel have access to counseling, mental health check-ins and critical-incident stress support, giving responders different ways to seek help depending on what they need.
The more normal those conversations become, the easier it can be for someone to speak up before they’re overwhelmed.
After the wildfire season we had this summer, supporting first responders means thinking beyond the hours spent fighting fires, directing evacuations, managing road closures or answering emergency calls. It also means recognizing what they may carry home afterward.
This National First Responders Day, gratitude is important, but so is making sure the people who consistently show up for Northern Arizona know there are people ready to show up for them, too.
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Luanne Brookover, MC, LPC, CCTP, is a licensed professional counselor at Denova Collaborative Health, Arizona’s largest outpatient behavioral healthcare provider. She has worked in behavioral health since 1994, including with first responders through Denova’s First Responder Mental Health Program.
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