The Cost of Caring: Why Self‑Care Must Be a Priority in the Fire Service and Mental Health Professions
By: Robert Avsec, FSPA Operations Chief In the fire service and in mental health care, we are trained to show up for others on their…
How are we doing mid-2026?
By: Robert Avsec, FSPA Operations Chief Can you believe that in just a few days we’ll be halfway through another year? And it’s only a…
Podcast featurning FSPA’s Dr. Carla Moore, Psy.D.
Twenty-five years in mental health. Over twenty devoted exclusively to law enforcement, firefighters, corrections officers, and 911 operators. Named Psychologist of the Year by the…
What a great FSPA Kitchen Table Meeting We Had Today!
By: Robert Avsec, FSPA Operations Chief Absolutely the best FSPA Kitchen Table Meeting that I’ve had the pleasure of hosting! Thanks to today’s participants–And boy…
What Makes Retirement from the Fire Service Different?
By: Robert Avsec, FSPA Operation Chief Leave it to my fire service colleague, Kory Pearn, to answer that question in a big way! In addition…
PhD-level Psychologists don’t just “help people”
By: Robert Avsec, FSPA Operations Chief This one came across my LinkedIn feed from my 1st level LinkedIn connections, Dr. Deanna Drahovzal, Clinical Psychologist, Co-CEO,…
Get to Know Your FSPA Operations Chief
FSPA Operations Chief Robert Avsec is a retired fire service professional, author, and advocate focused on firefighter leadership and mental health. Here’s a clear overview…
From Fitness to Fulfillment: The New Challenge Facing Retired Firefighters
By: Robert Avsec, Batt. Chief/Paramedic (Ret.), FSPA Operations Chief For much of the 20th century, many firefighters in large departments—such as Boston, Philadelphia, and New…
In Memorium: Dr. Charles “Chuck” Allen
The late Charles “Chuck” Allen was an early member of FSPA and was actively engaged in the organization as a member of the Board of…