‘We can’t read your mind’: Ben Thompson urges firefighters to speak up about stress

The newly released What Firefighters Want in 2023 survey special coverage highlights a perfect storm of stressors facing the fire service. On today’s show, Battalion Chief Ben Thompson expands on his article “'Buyer beware’: A message from stressed-out firefighters,” encouraging members to speak up about their stressors and offering guidance for leaders unsure how to help members who may be experiencing high stress.

We dig into all of this:

• What firefighters ranked their #1 stressor (it’s actually not staffing)
• Finding the line with stress – when it’s standard issue and when it becomes dangerous
• The power of knowing someone has your back – and how to demonstrate that to your crew
• The scary statistic about stress impacting the quality of service provided

And don’t miss Thompson’s story about how he mastered his TEDx Talk.

Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!