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Asking for help: fire

It can feel really difficult to ask for help when you need it – especially when you spend much of your time, whether working or volunteering, in helping others. But there are some steps you can take to build your confidence in having difficult conversations with colleagues.

“My best advice is to reach out, always reach out, don’t hold it in for too long.”

Rebecca Dingvean Assistant Operations Manager, London Fire Brigade

Firstly, you might need to think about what you need to say, and what you’d like the outcome to be. Understanding your organisation’s policies can help you to know what a good outcome might look like for you.

Then, you need to find the right time and place to have your conversation. You’ll want to choose somewhere quiet and calm, where you can talk in private.

You might well have coped with more than ever before in the last couple of years, and it’s OK to need to think, and talk, about that. These resources might help you feel confident in having this chat with your manager, leader or supervisor.

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The Fire Fighters Charity

The Fire Fighters Charity aims to support the mental, physical and social needs of all serving and retired UK fire fighters. Register your details online and they’ll get back to you, or call them on 0800 3898820 to discuss how they could help you.

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Seeking help for a mental health problem: Fire and rescue

Seeking help for a mental health problem can be a really important step towards getting and staying well. This booklet can help you work out where to start.

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How to talk to your employer about your mental health

This short guide from Nuffield Health can help you to plan who to speak to, what to say, and how to progress after the conversation.

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Nuffield Health

Coping with what you’ve experienced during coronavirus: fire and rescue

This guide from Mind is designed help you make sense of the things you’ve seen and experienced as an emergency responder in the fire and rescue service during coronavirus.

It explores some the feelings you may be going through, experiences other responders have shared, tools and strategies to cope with difficult feelings and experiences, and how to deal with any long-lasting impacts to your working and personal life.

It’s available in both English and Welsh.

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When I might need some help: fire

All of us need some help from time to time. These pages from Lifelines Scotland have information to recognise and understand why you might be struggling, and advice on what you can do to feel better.

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Everyone I know has experienced some sort of impact to their mental health

I missed the closeness of friends and family, of hugs and gentle touch on the forearm. Being in a work environment where 24 hours news is vital is understandable, but when all you seen is news around death and the spread of the virus you feel like you cannot escape it.

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