Supporting Women First Responders in Northern Indiana a necessary initiative

We see you, women first responders. We see you juggling work, career and home life. We see you serving your communities and families at the same time. We see you exhausted. We see you frustrated. We see you questioning.

And during Women’s History Month, we see you stepping up and excelling anyway.

We see you. We hear you. And we are here to amplify your voice to shake the foundations of public safety’s status quo.

All first responders – men and women – experience a mental burden from the work they do. They quickly absorb, filter out and react to the most tragic and visceral scenes imaginable. As a result, first responders experience higher rates of depression, post-traumatic stress, burnout, anxiety and other issues, compared with the general population.

However, there is a special burden on female public safety servants.

Suicidal ideation is slightly higher in female law enforcement officers than men; 22.2 percent of female career firefighters are at risk for depression; and 38.5 percent of female volunteer firefighters are at risk for depression. About 60 percent are drinking more than the American Dietary Guidelines for alcohol intake.

In addition, many women in public safety report occupational discrimination and social pressures from working in a male-dominated profession.

Widespread morale, recruitment and retention challenges plague public safety departments across the country, acutely with recruiting and retaining women.

Women in public safety feel a deep sense of purpose in juggling competing stressors – the need to manage work, life, family and career is business as usual. Prioritizing personal health must be on that list. Mental, physical, social and spiritual well-being are critical to the important work they do.

Thankfully, there is a shift in thinking within the public safety community. A survey and analysis by the FirstNet Health and Wellness Coalition found first responders – women and men – see an opportunity to engage in addressing their health and wellness risk factors, and the population is prepared to act.

For administrators and agency heads, it’s never too late to institute and engage in initiatives. People are more likely to take action with healthy behaviors when it’s knit into department culture, starting at the top. Organizations that collaborate in healthy endeavors build a sense of community, belonging and resilience.

A myriad of resources exist to improve coping and recovery, enhance morale, decrease stress, and reduce emotional distress. For example, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives provides training, mentoring, programs and resources.

Awareness and opportunities are growing in Northern Indiana. On May 15 and 16, 1st Responder Conferences will be holding a 1st Responder Mental Health and Wellness event in South Bend at the Inn at St. Mary’s.

Co-hosted by the Elkhart Police Department and supported by FirstNet, the nationwide communications network built with AT&T, the event – where both women and men are welcome – will utilize a variety of tactics focused on nutrition, resilience and more.

Sustainable lifestyle improvements can enhance occupational performance, increase career longevity and support the lifesaving care that these women provide.

Implementing health and wellness programs, and being vocal about their need and impact, highlight a department’s willingness to support their responders. And that proactive approach is critical for recruitment.

We need more women to enter public safety and stay in public safety. Currently, women hold only 13 percent of all law enforcement positions.

We need more women in the ranks and at the table, and unfortunately, only 3.6 percent of all chiefs in law enforcement are women.

Longevity, experience and leadership are crucial to becoming a public safety decision-maker. Providing wellness opportunities for women promotes the health and success of individuals, creates the support structure needed to ensure long, productive careers, and ensures more women are leading at every level.

This March – Women’s History Month – encourage the women you love in public safety to take action and amplify awareness for female first responder wellness. As a community, we can better support women in public safety, inspire women to become first responders, and empower them to recognize and develop their own leadership potential.

To our women in public safety – and to those thinking of joining this indelible sisterhood – we hear you, we see you. And we need you. Public safety is better with you in it.

Dr. Anna Courie is a nurse, nationally renowned expert on first responder health and wellness, and the director of Responder Wellness for the FirstNet Program at AT&T.

Kym Craven has 36 years of experience in the law enforcement field and is the executive director of the National Association for Women Law Enforcement Executives.