Community Education for Fire Fighters & First Responders

Using the CDC’s socio-ecological model, this presentation explores how risk factors at the individual, relational, community, societal, and policy levels intersect to create environments where suicide contagion can occur. Recent suspected suicide clusters in the fire service have highlighted the urgency of this issue. Immediate and long-term strategies—ranging from postvention efforts and resilience training to peer support, leadership engagement, and policy reform—are outlined as essential tools in preventing further loss. A coordinated and sustained approach is needed to shift norms, improve care access, and strengthen protective factors. Through practical action at all levels, the fire service can move toward a more supportive and responsive system—one where suicide prevention is treated as a priority and recognized as a shared responsibility.