First Responder Center for Excellence

🚨Congratulations to Our 4th Raffle Winner!🚨 A big shoutout to Firefighter/Chaplin Christopher J Sellers! 👏 Thank you Christopher for sharing your powerful story with us. We are honored to have you as part of this community, and your journey reminds us that we are all in this together. 💙 Christopher shared his personal experiences and growth, saying: "I have been with Western Wake Fire Rescue for several years, first as Firefighter and for the past three years as their Chaplin / Firefighter. I have been fortunate to work with Wake Co / Central Carolina Peer Support Team for the past two years. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), in North Carolina. I have worked for UNC Chapel Hill as a Clinical Social Worker for the past 22 years. I have been in private practice for 17 years and have worked with First Responders for the past 12 years. I grew up in beautiful Western upstate New York, around the Great Lake of Ontario in The City of Rochester. I attended St. John Fisher College, University of South Florida Graduate School, and UNC Chapel Hill Graduate School. I have advanced degrees in Social Work and Public Health with concentrations in Psychotherapeutic Treatment with Cognitive, Behavioral, and Humanistic Theories. I have three Sons, Caleb is Police Officer in Gwinnett GA. Bryce an Aviation Safety Technician (AST) for the Coast Guard, and Jaxon a Junior Biochemistry major at UNC Chapel Hill. I do thoroughly enjoy working alongside all of my First Responder Brothers and Sisters. I look forward to a continuation of assisting and watching the expansion in the support for all First Responders. Thank for the opportunity to attend such an important lecture series and growing connection(s)." Christopher, we’re inspired by your resilience and commitment to supporting others. We can’t wait to see you in Nashville and look forward to the positive impact you'll continue to make. 💪 Thank you to North Carolina Peer Support for their generous donation.

Happy Presidents' Day from the First Responder Center for Excellence! 🇺🇸 In observance of the holiday, our office is closed today. We hope everyone enjoys the day, reflecting on the leadership and service that shape our nation. Stay safe and take care!

🚨Congratulations to Our 3rd Raffle Winner!🚨 A big shoutout to Paramedic Rachael Belcher! 👏 Thank you Rachael for sharing your powerful story with us. We are honored to have you as part of this community, and your journey reminds us that we are all in this together. 💙 Rachael shared her personal experiences and growth, saying: "I’ve been in the public safety industry for over 25 years. Starting as a volunteer EMT, transitioning to a 911 operator and Police dispatcher, and currently a career paramedic starting in 2004. I have a servant heart and was drawn to this career through a true desire to help others. What I’ve realized in early 2023, was that I was so caught up in helping others, that I lost myself. After two decades of cumulative stress and exposure to traumatic events, I felt broken. This led to a voluntary 30 day inpatient stay at a First Responder focused mental health program, and all of the follow up work which led me to where I am today. I have now immersed myself in advocating and educating first responders and their families about the importance of mental wellness in this line of work. I recently introduced the concept which I created called Duty-Bound Grief in an article published in JEMS titled :Grief On The Front Line: Managing Our Hidden Wounds. My work and mission is advocating for mental wellness education to become a standard piece in operational readiness training and education nationwide." Rachael, we’re inspired by your resilience and commitment to supporting others. We can’t wait to see you in Nashville and look forward to the positive impact you'll continue to make. 💪 Thank you to Chief Candace Ashby for their generous donation.

🚨Congratulations to Our 2nd Raffle Winner!🚨 A big shoutout to retired FDNY Firefighter Alfred Benjamin! 👏 Thank you, Al, for sharing your powerful story with us. We are honored to have you as part of this community, and your journey reminds us that we are all in this together. 💙 Al shared his personal experiences and growth, saying: "My name is Firefighter Alfred Benjamin known to most people as Al Benjamin. I am a former member of the best job in the World the Fire Department, F.D.N.Y for 35+ years. It was an honor to wear the fire gear. As a firefighter I dedicated my years to helping firefighters and their families working as the counselor for F.D.N.Y Counseling Unit, EEO Counselor, I was on the board for Friends of Firefighters and other organizations that help Fire Department Applicants with exam and related testing issues for the Fire Department. Before retirement I attended The South Oaks Institute of Alcoholism and Addictive Behavior Studies. After my retirement in 2012 | started an LLC Family Tradition Respect. Designing World Trade Center T-shirts with all the membership from the company F.D.N.Y Rescue Co#1 that we lost on 9/11, Fire Department Cancer awareness T-Shirts, St. Patrick Day T-Shirts, Challenge coins, Military Discount Sales, & T-Shirts Sales to many Fire Department and Disaster organizations. Firefighters in Cities of Firefighters have been doing a great job with the work of the inspiration of body after 9/11 and still have the scars to prove it. A parent once said great organizations should be thankful for the opportunity and the heart of Firefighters to their Families. My work today is Carbon Cool and with Comfort Ice for working with me and the opportunity and heart to their firefighting continuous work Providing Mental Health and Wellness to Firefighters and their Families active and retired." Al, we’re inspired by your resilience and commitment to supporting others. We can’t wait to see you in Nashville and look forward to the positive impact you'll continue to make. 💪 Thank you to Corley Moore & Firehouse Vigilance for their generous donation.

🚨Congratulations to Our First Raffle Winner!🚨 A big shoutout to Firefighter/EMT-B Phil Gran from New Paris Fire/EMS for being our first raffle winner! 👏 Thank you, Phil, for sharing your powerful story with us. We are honored to have you as part of this community, and your journey reminds us that we are all in this together. 💙 Phil shared his personal experiences and growth, saying: "Ever since that conference in Ohio, I've had an interest in mental health and peer support. While I had some book knowledge, I didn't feel like I could truly relate to those struggling. But in the past year, my own mental health struggles surfaced—a combination of tough calls and personal challenges. It led to my wife asking me to leave our home. I had become an empty shell, emotionless. I’ve been working with a therapist for the past six months, and it’s made a night-and-day difference. I now feel I can connect with my peers better, having been through it myself and come out the other side. My goal is to gather as much knowledge as I can and bring it back to my department so no one feels alone in their battle. After meeting Chief Leeb at that Ohio conference and discovering the First Responder Center for Excellence, I’ve been following their work closely. I’m excited to attend the upcoming Symposium in Nashville and take back everything I learn to help make a difference in my department." Phil, we’re inspired by your resilience and commitment to supporting others. We can’t wait to see you in Nashville and look forward to the positive impact you'll continue to make. 💪

🚨 Attention South Florida! 🚨 We’re excited to announce that our Managing Director, Chief Frank Leeb, will be the opening speaker on Day 2 of the International Fire Service Cancer Symposium! This is an incredible opportunity to hear from a true leader in the field. It’s not too late to sign up and be part of this impactful event. 🗓️ Dates: February 20-21, 2025 📍 Location: Coral Gables, FL / Virtual Don't miss out! Register here: https://buff.ly/4hkonUo Here’s a sneak peek of a couple of slides from his presentation. 🔥📊 Let's get ready for some powerful insights!

Happy Valentine's Day to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF)! ❤️ We LOVE being an affiliate and are grateful for the opportunity to work together to strengthen and support the first responder community. Here's to making a difference, together! 🚒

🎧 On a recent episode of the Behind the Shield Podcast, our Managing Director, Chief Frank Leeb, and our Program Manager - Behavioral Health, Chief Dena Ali, had an insightful discussion about all things Mental Health, including fire service issues and the challenges our community faces. They also touched on our upcoming Mental Health Symposium in Nashville on March 20th & 21st. This conversation is a must-listen! To tune in, visit: https://lnkd.in/ee8Ya2f5 or catch it on any podcast platform you use! 🎧

🎉🎂 Please join us in wishing our incredible Managing Director, Chief Frank Leeb, a very Happy Birthday! 🎂🎉 Thank you for everything you do. You are truly the energizer bunny, constantly working tirelessly to make the first responder community better than you found it. Your dedication and passion inspire us all. We are lucky to have you leading the way! Here's to many more years of success, health, and happiness! 🥳🎉

🚨 Fire Service Mental Wellness and Suicide Prevention Symposium 🚨 We invite you to join us in Nashville from March 20-21, 2025 for the Fire Service Mental Wellness and Suicide Prevention Symposium — a groundbreaking event dedicated to addressing mental wellness and suicide prevention within the fire service community. Hosted by the First Responder Center for Excellence and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) this symposium is a vital opportunity for fire service professionals, mental health experts, and advocates to come together and make a real difference. Topics include: 🔹 Understanding factors contributing to fire service suicide 🔹 Promoting mental health awareness & reducing stigma 🔹 Implementing suicide prevention programs 🔹 Enhancing peer support networks 🔹 Self-care and resilience practices 🔹 Best practices and lessons learned 🔹 Advocating for change within the fire service Be part of a movement to strengthen mental wellness, promote lasting change, and create a healthier future for firefighters and their families. 👉 To register: (https://lnkd.in/dH-8T4qg) Don’t miss your chance to help shape the future of mental health in the fire service.