THE GUIDON FOUNDATION · FIRST RESPONDER WELLNESS
I’m a firefighter — cancer risks
Prevention practices that work, free cancer screening resources, the National Firefighter Registry, and the benefits that protect your family.
See firefighter resources
I’m a police officer — mental health
Confidential crisis lines staffed by people who’ve worn the badge, peer support, therapist directories, and what to watch for in yourself and your partners.
See officer resources
I’m a family member or caregiver
The job comes home. VA support for spouses, kids, and caregivers — free counseling, coaching, respite care, and benefits you may not know you’re eligible for.
See family resources
THE FIRE SERVICE · OCCUPATIONAL CANCER
Protect yourself on every run
Do gross decon on scene before you unmask — every fire, every time
Wipe down face, neck, jawline, and hands with decon wipes immediately after
Keep SCBA on through overhaul — the fire being out doesn’t mean the air is clean
Bag dirty gear for transport — never ride with it loose in the cab
No turnout gear in living quarters, kitchens, or sleeping areas
Wash gear after structure fires; keep a second hood and swap it
Shower within an hour of returning to the station
Get annual physicals — and tell your doctor you’re a firefighter, with your exposure history
Get screened, get registered
National Firefighter Registry for Cancer
NIOSH’s free national registry tracking firefighter exposures and cancer over time. Enrollment is voluntary and confidential — and every enrollment makes the science, and the protections, stronger.
Early detection
Talk to your doctor about your exposure history and ask about cancer screening appropriate for firefighters. Some departments and unions offer no-cost screening programs — ask your local or your IAFF district.
If you’re diagnosed
Resource
What it does
Where
Firefighter Cancer Support Network
Free mentor program pairing you with a firefighter survivor; toolboxes for you and your family
First Responder Center for Excellence
Research-based prevention training and wellness resources
Presumptive cancer laws
Most states presume certain firefighter cancers are work-related for benefits and workers’ comp — check your state
via your state fire marshal or IAFF district
Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB)
Federal death and disability benefits; certain cancers are covered — check current eligibility
If the diagnosis comes with depression, anxiety, or drinking to cope — that’s part of the fight too. Our partner Harbor of Grace treats first responders exclusively, mental health track included: harborofgracerecovery.com or 443-502-8606.
LAW ENFORCEMENT · MENTAL HEALTH
CopLine
24/7 confidential hotline answered by retired law enforcement officers. For officers and their families.
1-800-267-5463
Visit CopLine
Safe Call Now
24/7 crisis line for all first responders and public safety employees, staffed by people from the field.
1-206-459-3020
Visit First Responders First
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988, or chat online. Free, confidential, 24/7 — for anyone, anytime.
Call 988
Chat and support online
When a crisis line isn’t enough and you need real treatment, our primary partner Harbor of Grace offers inpatient and day programs built for law enforcement — first responders treating first responders. harborofgracerecovery.com · 443-502-8606 · admissions 24/7.
Longer-term support
Resource
What it does
Where
Serve & Protect
Connects first responders with trauma-informed therapists; confidential, no department involvement
First Responder Support Network (FRSN)
Peer-led residential retreats for post-traumatic stress
Blue H.E.L.P.
Support for families after an officer suicide; advocacy to recognize suicide as line-of-duty
CIT International
Crisis Intervention Team programs — training and community mental-health partnerships
IACP Officer Safety & Wellness
Agency-level resources for building peer support and wellness programs
Watch for the signs — in yourself and your partners
Sleeping less, drinking more, or both
Pulling away from family, the squad, and things you used to enjoy
Anger that comes faster than it used to — at home or on the street
Feeling numb on calls that would have hit you a year ago
The job becoming your whole identity
Saying or thinking that others would be better off without you — this one means call today, not someday
FAMILIES & CAREGIVERS · VA SUPPORT
When a first responder or veteran carries something heavy, the family carries it too. The VA runs real programs for spouses, kids, and caregivers — not just the veteran. All of these are free, and most don’t require the veteran to be enrolled in anything.
Coaching Into Care
A free, confidential VA program where a licensed psychologist or social worker helps family members learn how to talk to a veteran about getting help — and how to take care of yourself in the process. Call 888-823-7458, Monday–Friday 8am–8pm ET.
Caregiver Support Program
For those caring for a veteran day to day: a dedicated support line, peer mentoring, skills training, and respite care. The comprehensive program (PCAFC) can also include a monthly stipend and health coverage through CHAMPVA for eligible caregivers. Call the Caregiver Support Line: 855-260-3274, Mon–Fri 8am–8pm ET.
Vet Centers — family counseling
Community-based counseling centers offering free individual, couples, family, and bereavement counseling to veterans, service members, and their families — no VA enrollment or disability rating required. Call 877-927-8387, 24/7, or find your nearest Vet Center.
Benefits your family may be eligible for
Resource
What it does
Where
VA family & caregiver benefits hub
The full picture: health care, education, home loans, and survivor benefits for spouses and dependents
CHAMPVA
Health insurance for spouses and dependents of veterans rated permanently and totally disabled
Make the Connection — family section
Hundreds of video stories from veteran families, plus a finder for local VA and community resources
NAMI Homefront
Free six-session education program for families and friends of service members and veterans with mental health conditions
You didn’t take the oath, but you serve too. These programs exist because the VA knows that.
FOR DEPARTMENTS & LEADERSHIP
Individual resources only go so far. The departments that keep their people healthy are the ones where leadership builds wellness into policy, training, and culture — not into a poster in the hallway. These are the frameworks and programs that work.
IAFF/IAFC Wellness-Fitness Initiative (WFI)
The fire service’s gold-standard framework: annual medicals, fitness, behavioral health, and injury rehabilitation as one integrated program. Free implementation guides for departments of any size.
IACP Officer Safety & Wellness resources
Model policies, peer-support program guides, and leadership training for law enforcement agencies building or formalizing a wellness program.
First Responder Center for Excellence
Research-based training modules on cancer prevention, behavioral health, and cardiac health — built for department-wide rollout, with train-the-trainer materials.
Harbor of Grace — agency services
Our primary partner works directly with departments: pre-hire evaluations, fitness-for-duty assessments, and agency partnerships so members get treatment without career fear. 443-502-8606 · harborofgracerecovery.com
Culture is set at the top. When the chief goes to counseling and says so, the whole department gets permission.