When community members interact with public safety professionals, they’re probably not thinking about the mental and physical wellness of the people who answer the call.
But the well-being of our public safety personnel is critical to ensuring excellent community service. First responders work in extremely stressful and dangerous conditions. Multiple studies have shown they are at elevated risk for post-traumatic stress, suicidal ideation, anxiety, depression, cardiac issues, certain cancers, and more. These challenges can impact the ability to recruit and retain employees – a key concern during a nationwide shortage of public safety personnel.
To proactively address employee health challenges, Redmond Fire & Rescue (RFR) is excited to provide the Cordico confidential wellness app, offered by Lexipol, the leader in solutions that drive performance excellence in public safety.
The app is available to RFR personnel and their families. It includes a wellness toolkit covering 60+ mental and physical health topics, such as fatigue, suicide prevention, and alcohol abuse, as well as mental health self-assessments, videos, and guides on yoga, mindfulness, nutrition, and more. In addition, the app provides contact information for local therapists who specialize in and have experience working with first responders and connects users with chaplains from the Central Oregon Public Safety Chaplaincy group. Personnel and their family members have confidential, 24/7 access to the app to ensure they have the resources they need in their most difficult moments, on or off duty.
“Redmond Fire & Rescue is proud to offer the Cordico wellness app and prioritize the health and well-being of our personnel, their families, and the community,” says Fire Chief Ryan Herrera. “Behind every firefighter and first responder is a family that shares the weight of this work, and we want to give our team and their families tools to cope, heal, and stay strong.”
