A World with Responsive and Mentally Healthy First Responders
Emergency First Responders work on the front line to help protect the Australian community. They run towards and are faced with dangerous, traumatic and stressful situations. Situations that most people in the general community are not exposed to in a lifetime. Australia-wide there are over 120,000 employees and 240,000 volunteers in the emergency First Responder sector.
We know that in Australia:
- 33% of volunteer emergency First Responders and 39% of career emergency First Responders will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime.
- 6% of volunteer First Responders and 5% of career First Responders will have thoughts of suicide in comparison to 2% of the general population.
Sadly, statistically, an emergency service worker will take their own life in Australia every 4.3 weeks.
In emergency and disaster situations we need our volunteer and emergency First Responders to be mentally fit, prepared, responsive and ready to “step up to the plate”. The Australian First Responder Foundation will help keep our emergency First Responders mentally fit and responsive through peer support, education, training and wellbeing retreats to help them regroup, recharge and reset. We need to look after our emergency First Responders so that they can continue to look after us and our communities.
Families are important in providing support and understanding to our first responders. The AFRF includes the family perspective in its programs and endeavours through its programs to include immediate family members in education and training.
Our vision is “A World with Responsive and Mentally Healthy First Responders”.
To find out about the AFRF click here
We need to look after our emergency First Responders so that they can look after us and our communities. You can support our vision by joining or giving.
Become an AFRF member or help as a volunteer – contact the AFRF Secretary.
You can also help by making a donation:
Direct deposit payment to:
Australian First Responder Foundation
BSB: 062 679 Account: 1068 0036
OR
Securely through PayPal or your credit card