The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a resolution to affirm its commitment to supporting initiatives that prioritize the mental health of first responders like firefighters and paramedics.
Board president David Canepa and Supervisor Lisa Gauthier co-sponsored the resolution in part to raise awareness of the mental health risks that first responders can endure due to their profession.
“We gather to take an important step forward in acknowledging and addressing a challenge that has too often been overlooked: the mental health and well-being of our first responders,” Canepa said at Tuesday’s board meeting.
About 20% of firefighters and paramedics experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder at some point in their careers, according to a 2016 study published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.
“They bear witness to tragedies and emergencies that most of us can barely imagine,” Canepa said. “Yet, in the midst of their heroic work, they carry a silent burden: a toll on their mental health.”
A problem that isn’t going away
Members of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District spoke at the meeting so the board could hear directly from firefighters who experience firsthand the mental health impacts faced in their field.
“First responders have a real problem in mental health and it’s not going away,” said Battalion Chief Jason Martin.
The county also has a Federal Emergency Management Agency team consisting of local firefighters who have responded to national emergencies like Hurricane Katrina and more recently, the Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles.
“Not only do we have the regular stresses in San Mateo County but we get all those extra stressors around the country that can be quite alarming for our mental health,” Martin said.
The Menlo Park fire district in particular was invited to speak because it has a robust wellness program that focuses on optimizing first responder mental health. The program includes annual health screenings, therapy dogs, and mental health support with a full-time therapist.
“Not only do we have the regular stresses in San Mateo County but we get all those extra stressors around the country that can be quite alarming for our mental health.” Battalion Chief Jason Martin, Menlo Park Fire Protection District
There is no universal standard for mental health support programs within fire departments across the state.
“Each department is sort of doing their own thing,” said Tom Calvert, a retired battalion chief with the Menlo Park district. “There are best practices, and we’ve become one of those in all the ways that we’re addressing it.”
One of the reasons that the district is able to provide more mental health services to its first responders compared to other departments is because it is an independent special district funded primarily from property taxes. The district serves Menlo Park, Atherton, East Palo Alto and some unincorporated areas in the county.
How to fund services county wide?
Supervisor Ray Mueller questioned whether other departments in the county can afford similar mental health services.
“Can other districts afford it? The Menlo Park Fire Protection District is an independent district. It’s very well funded, different from the city-funded fire districts in our county,” Mueller said.
Calvert suggested that each agency in the county could come together to pool financial resources and develop a regional mental health support program for first responders.
“Just bring it all together in one big program,” Calvert said.
Supervisor Jackie Speier agreed that steps need to be taken by the board to develop a county-wide service dedicated to prioritizing the mental well-being of firefighters and paramedics.
“I’d like to recommend that we have a mental health program within the county,” Speier said. “We need to look at the services that are being provided in Menlo Park and to what extent they’re being provided in other districts. Then, how we can bring all those services together?”
