CONSULTATION

FIRE SERVICE INITIATIVES FOR CULTURE CHANGE:

Everyone Goes Home – 16 Initiatives

USFA – National Safety Culture Change Initiative

FEMALE FIREFIGHTERS:

USFA -Emerging Health and Safety Issues Among Women in the Fire Service

American Board of Professional Psychology – Police & Public Safety Psychology

GUIDELINES FOR PSYCHOLOGY IN THE FIRE SERVICE

NFPA 1500 includes a section on Behavioral Health Programs and 1582 describes employment standards. Given the professional psychology is not represented on the committee for these standards, these links are provided for informational purposes and are not endorsed by FSPA.

NFPA 1500 – Codes and Standards

NFPA 1582 – Codes and Standards

ASSESSMENT

PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS FOR THE FIRE SERVICE

The fire service has not adopted Preemployment Psychological Evaluation Guidelines. As such, the closest standard can be found in law enforcement. Here is additional information about those processes:

Preemployment Psychological Evaluation Guidelines

INTERVENTION

American Psychological Association’s “Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)”:

The guideline recommends interventions for the treatment of PTSD in adults. Recommendations are based on a systematic review of the scientific evidence, a weighing of the benefits and harms of interventions, consideration of what is known about patient values and preferences, and consideration of the applicability of the evidence across demographic groups and settings.

PTSD Guidelines

OPERATIONS (SAFETY)

Psychologists can assist with the human factors in firefighting safety. For example, utilizing principles discussed in Crew Resource Management, we can help firefighters to understand effective communication, optimizing performance during high stress scenarios, as well as crisis intervention.

CREW RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

International Fire Chief’s Association – Crew Resource Management