Angela Martin, MS, MA, LPC

03/11/2026

🚒 FRCE is Looking for First Responder Stories

We’re developing a Stress First Aid course for our Learning Management System and are looking for first responders willing to share short stories or experiences that can help educate and support others in the field.

If you’ve experienced the impact of job stress, resilience, or moments that changed how you view the job, your story could help others.

📩 Interested in sharing?
Please reach out to Chief Dena Ali at dali@frcmail.org

Your story could help support fellow first responders. 🚒💙

03/11/2026

🤷🏼‍♀️

What if?

03/05/2026

The news no one likes to hear has just hit the Casper Firefighters, hard. One of our own, Captain Brian Dixon has been diagnosed with stage 3, possibly stage 4 mantle cell lymphoma. Brian is one of the bravest and strongest among us; loved for his wit, fun loving personality, and his energetic “nothing can stop me” mentality. Brian has always been the one we can lean on, and now it’s time to repay to debt. Brian faces a daunting road of treatment and hopefully recovery, down which we will follow and support him to our last breath. We don’t often ask for anything from the public, but in times like these we can use all the help we can get. Below is a link to a fundraising site that gives 100% of the donated money directly to the family, and adds 3.43% of their own money on top. Brian could use all the help we can manage at the moment so we’re asking YOU to lend a hand (only if you can) to help out one of your local heroes. Thank you for all your everlasting support and God bless you all! https://www.theyardfoundation.org/mayday/dixon

03/05/2026

Six American heroes have now been identified after losing their lives during Operation Epic Fury. 🇺🇸
These brave service members stood strong in the face of danger and made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country. Their courage, dedication, and commitment to duty will never be forgotten.

🇺🇸 Spc. Declan J. Coady
🇺🇸 Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor
🇺🇸 Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens
🇺🇸 Capt. Cody A. Khork
🇺🇸 Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien
🇺🇸 Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan

03/05/2026

We cannot talk about public safety without talking about mental health.

Operational stress is cumulative. Call after call. Shift after shift. Exposure after exposure. Without recovery, that stress does not just disappear. It becomes injury.

The research is clear:

Repeated exposure changes the brain.
Culture impacts help-seeking.
Burnout is not just exhaustion.
Protective factors truly matter.

This is not about individual weakness.
This is about systems, leadership, and recovery.

For responders:
Rest is operational readiness. Support is strength.

For leaders:
Wellness must be built into policy, not left to individuals to figure out alone.

For communities:
If we want healthy services, we must have healthy responders.

Mental health injury is real. It deserves the same response as a physical injury.

We are stronger when we acknowledge that and build systems that reflect it. 💙

source: https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0001013

03/05/2026

In times of global uncertainty, many people may experience feelings of stress, anxiety, or concern about what the future may hold.

For Veterans, Active Service Members, and Military Families, these moments can carry additional weight — especially when loved ones may be affected by world events or called to serve.

If you or someone you care about is feeling overwhelmed, support is available.

The NAMI HelpLine provides free information, resources, and support:
Call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
Text NAMI to 62640
Visit nami.org/helpline

Anyone experiencing a crisis can call or text 988. Veterans experiencing a crisis can reach the Veterans Crisis Line by calling 988 and pressing 1, or by texting 838255.

You are not alone.

02/26/2026

02/20/2026

🔥 Burnout does not happen overnight.

At first, you are on fire.
Purpose. Mission. Adrenaline.
You feel sharp. Needed. Effective.

But over time, if stress outpaces support, that flame changes.

It can start to look like:

• Emotional and physical exhaustion
• Sleep difficulties
• Brain fog
• Feeling ineffective
• Cynicism or hopelessness
• Bigger emotional reactions
• Difficulty switching off
• Physical symptoms
• Loss of enthusiasm or motivation

For first responders, burnout is especially tricky.
You are trained to push through.
You are used to functioning tired.
You are praised for resilience.

So the shift from “I’m on fire” to “I wish I could be that bright again” can feel confusing… and sometimes shameful.

But burnout is not weakness.
It is what happens when chronic stress goes unaddressed.

You can love this job and still be exhausted by it.
You can care deeply and still need rest.
You can be strong and still need support.

If you are feeling more like the burnt match than the bright flame lately, pause.

Check your sleep.
Check your support.
Check your workload.
Check your honesty with yourself.

The goal is not to burn brighter.
The goal is to burn sustainably.

You matter more than the call volume.

02/18/2026

Free for a Limited Time: Grant Writing for the Fire and Emergency Services

Many volunteer and combination departments rely on grants to fund needed resources, equipment, and training.

The NVFC course Grant Writing for the Fire and Emergency Services educates personnel on how to write a successful grant narrative as well as the variety of funding opportunities available.

This course is free for a limited time in the NVFC Virtual Classroom: https://buff.ly/bh5Gsod

02/18/2026

Most of us aren’t burnt out because we’re lacking something or behind. We’re burnt out because we’ve taught ourselves that rushing through everything is productive.

It’s time to reverse this habit… We’re hosting a free Nervous System Reset Challenge inside Insight Timer for exactly this.

It’s slow. It’s practical. It works with your body, not against it.

12 days of nervous system reset guided audio you can come back to agin and again.

Comment RESET and we’ll DM it to you.

11/08/2025

This is brilliant 😆

10/28/2025

🔥 On this National , we honor the members and all first responders who selflessly risk their lives each day to protect and serve our communities.

Thank you for your dedication and service! 🙏