Fire Family Dynamic: Promoting Healthy Home Lives
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a job as " a regular remunerative position" and " a piece of work." I can speak for most in the fire service when I say that being a firefighter or a paramedic is more of a lifestyle than a job. Many factions of the fire service are unique. Only those that have served as a firefighter or paramedic can genuinely understand. As a rookie, I learned that ""work stays at work and home stays at home." For some, this might work. However, the uniqueness does not just stay with the firefighter or paramedic. The lifestyle affects our families just as much as it affects us. Personally speaking, the fire service has been very good to my family. The benefits, shift-work schedule, a sense of purpose, and skillsets are just a few examples of how many families have benefited. On the other side of the coin, we have such great benefits because of the inherited risk. While the shift work has aided us, it has also created scheduling conflicts as our family has grown. Lastly, serving the community has allowed my family to be proud. Still, they've seen the injuries, illness, and unfortunate sacrifices some of my brothers and sisters have endured because of the job. In the back of our family's mind, there is a wonder if we could be next.
In this webinar, Clinical Outreach Coordinator for the IAFF Center of Excellence, Molly Jones LSW., dives deep into these topics. As part of the panel, alongside Molly is Katie Wells, the wife of Firefighter Mike Wells, a career firefighter with the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department in Maryland. Together, they discuss the family's unique lifestyle of having a parent in the fire service and some strategies to maintain a healthy lifestyle for the family throughout a career.
Click here to view the webinar.