Article Highlights
- The problem: Building a fire department wellness program
- The solution: PowerLine, a fire department app for wellness
- The benefits: Employee wellness software to help build a complete firefighter wellness program
The problem: Building a fire department wellness program
It’s well known that firefighters must remain physically fit to effectively perform their job duties, but the importance of mental health and well-being is also becoming clear. First responders experience many traumatic situations that can lead to high stress, PTSD, substance abuse, poor sleep habits, and damage to personal relationships.
Fire departments don’t always have the time and resources to build a complete fire department wellness program and measure its effectiveness. A lack of comprehensive resources leaves firefighters feeling burnt out and unsupported, lowering their morale when they have nowhere to turn for help. This can lead to low recruitment and retention, threatening staffing levels, work-life balance, and safety in the field.
The solution: A fire department app for wellness
PowerLine by PowerDMS is a fire department app that gives firefighters a comprehensive support network with the help they need at their fingertips. Users have access to an extensive library of customized wellness resources – including videos, articles, and audio content – that address the challenges firefighters face in both their professional and personal lives.
Departments can also upload pre-existing department wellness resources to provide in-app access to local peer supporters, clergy, vetted therapists, and other services the department has already established. PowerDMS also partners with professional clinicians to provide volunteer peer training and access to clinicians in case volunteers encounter the warning signs of suicide with your firefighters.
In addition, PowerLine has a dashboard for tracking department data and usage insights to measure how the app’s resources are being used in your department (without tracking individual user data). Measure the most-engaged topics, content, and tools and track anonymous data on downloads, logins, feature usage, and engagement.
Other PowerLine features that support fire department health and wellness programs include:
- Nationwide volunteer peer network: Firefighters can match with other firefighters outside their department for anonymous support from peers who get it because they’ve been there.
- Wellness support group sessions: Firefighters can anonymously access topic-specific discussion groups with other firefighters, led by volunteer peers.
- Complete anonymity: There is never a risk of public disclosure or activity being reported to supervisors. Confidential screen names and videos keep users entirely anonymous during volunteer peer discussions and group sessions.
The benefits of employee wellness software
Since PowerLine lets you upload your department’s existing local resources along with its full library of wellness content, fire departments like yours can ensure no investment is wasted. Firefighters don’t have to track down fire department resources from multiple locations – it’s all kept in the one-stop mobile app.
Furthermore, usage data allows fire departments to measure program effectiveness and ROI, giving you insights into your department’s needs and driving future wellness initiatives. With the PowerLine fire department app, your department can build an organized, all-encompassing firefighter wellness program that supports firefighter mental health, safety, and morale. This also reduces sick days, mistakes in the field, burnout, and exhaustion. A complete wellness program will provide better service to citizens, greater retention, and improved recruitment for your fire department.
Get started
To learn how the PowerLine fire department app can help you build a complete health and wellness program, request a free demonstration of the system on our website.