The #suckitptsd Campaign

Dr. Tania Glenn

The #suckitptsd campaign was started during the Summer of 2015 when a patient who was conquering PTSD sent this hashtag to Dr. Glenn via text on a day that was particularly monumental in her recovery. #suckitptsd became a mantra, a motto and a campaign that resulted in an overwhelming response from followers on Facebook and Twitter. 

Soon after the same patient created the prototype for the wrist band that is now bringing together a community of first responders, veterans and active duty military members who want to raise awareness, fight PTSD, encourage resilience and help others. If you would like wrist bands, please email Tania at tglenn@taniaglenn.com. Include a mailing address and the number of bands that you want. We fight this together!

Two Men Who Help Safe Call Now Save Lives...

Chris Bohnemeier & Mike Radosevich - Code 3 Spices

Our Mission: To bring the highest quality, award-winning seasonings to your home. A portion of each sale is contributed to organizations that support Police, Fire, Medical, & Military.

Chris Bohnemeier, a BBQ enthusiast and grill master, teamed up with his friend Mike Radosevich, a Police Officer of 12 plus years, joined forces to create a BBQ competition team. Located just outside of the St. Louis metropolitan area, they soon realized that their style of spices they designed and utilized were well received in the BBQ community.  The team has received multiple awards in local BBQ competitions. 

Chris and Mike developed 5 highly satisfying, award winning, professional based seasonings to make the perfect BBQ!  After teaming up with a local manufacturer to replicate their special blends, Chris and Mike are now able to introduce to you the perfect products through their Rescue Rub, 5-O Rub, Backdraft Rub, Grunt Rub and Sea Dog Rub. Not only will you love the outcome of your BBQ and various other foods, but you will find it to be an everyday staple in your spice rack.

  Chris and Mike didn't create this company solely to bring you the best blends. They also share a great passion for the men and women who serve as first responders and in military services. Chris's father served in a private sector of law enforcement and his sister currently is a law enforcement officer in the Midwest. They have seen firsthand what first responders and the military contribute to all of us and decided they needed to give back through their own passion.  

Portions of each Code 3 Spices sale will be donated to organizations that support Police, Fire, Medical and Military Personnel. 

   They invite you to join in their mission.  For every bottle purchased, $.50 of the proceeds will be donated to those qualifying programs.

What's Your Plan for an Officer in Crisis???

By Sgt. Mark St. Hilaire

As a professional reading this article no matter who you are and at what rank you are in your agency, ask yourself: What is our plan to assist a brother or sister in crisis?

Your agency doesn’t have one? It is now time for you to have that courageous conversation with your union leaders along with your agency leaders to develop the plan.  There are many precious lives at stake.

Here are the important points I need to share with everyone, especially first responder agency leaders and their union leaders: 

YOU NEED TO HAVE A PLAN TO INTERVENE IF THIS HAPPENS TO A FIRST RESPONDER, ESPECIALLY ONE OF YOURS.  

Everyone needs to understand the plan and Pre-incident training is the key for a successful response. Practice and more practice especially for the: What if?

1     COMMUNICATION: Very important as this is no time for egos or personality conflicts. Advise all responders what is happening, all vital information and expect the unexpected.  A law enforcement agency supervisor in dispatch along with a supervisor on scene MUST be focused on the task at hand on any suicidal action call.  If you are served by a CISM team focusing on first responders, call them immediately to activate this team to be ready to assist our friend in need and our co-workers who will have their own anxieties to deal with during and following the incident.  Most peer teams have trusted mental health professionals who work with first responders daily and know our culture.

2    RESPONSE: First responders don’t know what the suicide plan, method of action or know if a weapon or dangerous substance or item is being used.  EMS staged near the scene is important along with an assessment of the situation. Can a police patrol team make contact with our friend or has it escalated to bring in a higher trained special response team.  This is why you need the plan: who are our resources if needed and practice, practice and more practice.

Substance Abuse & the First Responder Population

Safe Call Now®'s National Report on Substance Abuse and the First Responder Population

 

 

 The most potentially dangerous and seldom mentioned issue facing public safety personnel today is the existence of substance abuse and addiction among its ranks.  With reported abuse rates over twice the national average for the general population, many of those entrusted to protect and serve the communities of America are struggling to hold their own lives together.  For those public safety employees fighting the demons of substance abuse and addiction, they are also challenged by working within a professional culture that has historically discouraged them from asking for help.  In fact, many public safety professionals who divulge their struggles to employers and seek assistance are given the option to quit their job or be let go.  The result, they keep their substance abuse and addiction a secret.  This dysfunctional way of doing business produces shattered lives for those personally impacted by the substance abuse and addiction, as well as a potentially perilous situation for the general public.

 

 

Safe Call Now^®, a non-profit organization, offers nationwide, comprehensive crisis referral services for all public safety employees and their family members.  Established and managed by public safety officials, Safe Call Now^® recognizes firsthand the stressors first responders encounter and offers a broad array of training, as well as a confidential, 24/7 crisis hotline staffed by current and former public safety employees. Additionally, Safe Call Now^® is dedicated to erasing the stigma surrounding substance abuse and is committed to creating programs designed to save the careers and lives of those impacted by it. While Safe Call Now^® is staffed to handle a wide array of crises, this document focuses on how the organization addresses substance abuse and addiction in the public safety population.

 

To read Safe Call Now®'s entire national report  Click here

First Responders & Substance Abuse...

By Summit BHC

Choosing a career as a first responder means putting your well-being behind those you serve.

If you are in this line of work, you are well aware of the potentially dangerous situations that come with it. From exposure to contagious diseases, to violent situations. Our police officers, firefighters, 911 operators, paramedics, correction officers, military, hospital and trauma workers put their lives at risk in order to keep ours safe. Imagine a job that is stressful and dangerous at the same time?

First responders and substance abuse could be an issue at any time.

Without warning, substance abuse could take hold of a new hire or a 15 year veteran. Any stressful situation or dangerous encounter could trigger our responders to seek a substance or activity in order to numb or treat the feelings brought on by the stress and trauma of the profession. The problem begins when one uses a substance or activity in order to ‘numb’ to the feelings, or treat their symptoms such as anxiety, stress and depression without a doctor’s care. 

Doing so merely covers the underlying problem like a band aid. When the band-aid is removed, one can get triggered again, the symptoms return and so does the self medication… and thus the vicious cycle of addiction begins.

Rob Michaels Addresses the "House"

Serve & Protect Founder and CEO Robert Michaels provided the U.S. House of Representatives with the opening prayer on September 9th, 2015.  I've personally known Rob since the inception of Serve & Protect and I can't think of a more worthy or deserving chaplain to have this honor bestowed upon him.

Rob is a selfless, dedicated individual that saves lives on a daily basis.  Safe Call Now® is honored to call Rob and Serve & Protect "our partners".  Rob...  you did an amazing job.  God bless!!!

 

Are You a #1stresponder Influence Leader???

By Safe Call Now®'s Steve Gutzler

Leadership is about the power of your daily influence. It is also about the power of reproducing other influencers. 

I had the privilege of witnessing that first hand last weekend at the memorial service of my wife's father, Chuck Rall. Chuck was truly a great man of consistency, character, faith, work-ethic, and loving service to others. I had the honor of saying a few words at his memorial service which was an honor I will cherish. 

What struck me most was listening to four of his ten grandchildren share the power of his influence. The described being inspired to live and lead like Papa Chuck did. You could feel the impact of his life and sense the desire of others to follow in his footsteps. 

I've been told emergency room nurses at hospitals have a saying: "Watch one, do one, teach one." It refers to the need to learn a technique quickly, jump right in and do it with a patient, and then turn around and pass it on to another nurse. 

The first responder mentoring process for developing influencers works in a similar way. It happens when you take potential influencers (leaders) under your wing, speak into their life, empower them and share with them the power of their influence. Then release and let them go to raise up other leaders. Every time you do that you multiply your influence. Every time you do that you plant seeds for greater success. 

Code 3 Spices... Saving Lives One Bottle at a Time!!!

Code 3 Spices

Our Mission: To bring the highest quality, award-winning seasonings to your home. A portion of each sale is contributed to organizations that support Police, Fire, Medical, & Military.

Chris Bohnemeier, a BBQ enthusiast and grill master, teamed up with his friend Mike Radosevich, a Police Officer of 12 plus years, joined forces to create a BBQ competition team. Located just outside of the St. Louis metropolitan area, they soon realized that their style of spices they designed and utilized were well received in the BBQ community.  The team has received multiple awards in local BBQ competitions. 

Chris and Mike developed 5 highly satisfying, award winning, professional based seasonings to make the perfect BBQ!  After teaming up with a local manufacturer to replicate their special blends, Chris and Mike are now able to introduce to you the perfect products through their Rescue Rub, 5-O Rub, Backdraft Rub, Grunt Rub and Sea Dog Rub. Not only will you love the outcome of your BBQ and various other foods, but you will find it to be an everyday staple in your spice rack.

 Chris and Mike didn't create this company solely to bring you the best blends. They also share a great passion for the men and women who serve as first responders and in military services. Chris's father served in a private sector of law enforcement and his sister currently is a law enforcement officer in the Midwest. They have seen firsthand what first responders and the military contribute to all of us and decided they needed to give back through their own passion.  Portions of each Code 3 Spices sale will be donated to organizations that support Police, Fire, Medical and Military Personnel. 

   They invite you to join in their mission.  For every bottle purchased, $.50 of the proceeds will be donated to those qualifying programs.