IAFF Local 124 Peer Support Team
Serving firefighters and their families in the Fort Wayne Metro area
What Peer Support Is
Mission Statement
The objective of the IAFF Local 124 Peer Support Team (PST) is to provide first-response mental health guidance to our firefighters and their families, in order to mitigate psychological trauma or stressors they may experience throughout their career and retirement.
Only by assuring that we are mentally healthy ourselves can we provide excellent service to the City of Fort Wayne.
Education
The team works to educate peers on mental health and to develop a referral system of appropriate professional assistance, including mental health benefits, self-help support groups, or other human service agencies.
Intervention
To assist in defusing problems before they become crisis situations.
Crisis Assistance
When a situation does escalate to a crisis, we are here to help keep peers safe while facilitating the use of appropriate crisis response resources.
Ongoing Resiliency Training
We’re here to assist peers in implementing healthy coping skills that promote recovery and return to normal function.
Scope of Practice (What Peer Support Isn’t)
Not a replacement for therapy
The Peer Support Team does not replace professional mental health treatment.
PST Members are not therapists or counselors but can assist with access to these licensed professionals.
Not a debriefing or CISD
The PST is by and for firefighters. The regional Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) serves a broader swath of the first responder population, and though there is overlap in what we do, the two teams have a slightly different focus.
Although the PST can be activated for critical or high-stress incidents in a way similar to the CISM team, the PST operates primarily in a one-on-one context rather than in a group context and is focused on connecting firefighters with people they likely already know and trust, who can act as a bridge to other resources (which might include the CISM team, licensed counselors, addiction resources, etc.).
Both teams are invested in mental health education and awareness.
Supporting those who support
Peer Support is made up of volunteers.
For anyone who would like to help with the team's financial needs (for training, continuing education, other necessary expenses), the button below will provide info on how to donate to the IAFF Local 124 Good and Welfare Initiative.