Developing a Comprehensive Fire Service Psychology Program Within a Fire Department or EMS Agency
摘要
This chapter outlines the design, implementation, and sustainability of a comprehensive fire service psychology program. Rooted in public health and human services frameworks, the chapter emphasizes the importance of systems-level planning, including needs assessment, stakeholder engagement, logic model design, and setting measurable goals. It explores the administrative, clinical, and ethical responsibilities of the fire department psychologist, who oversees services such as pre-employment screening, fitness-for-duty evaluations, crisis intervention, and trauma-informed care. Attention is given to legal considerations, dual-role conflicts, and cultural competence in the selection of clinicians and the establishment of provider networks. The chapter advocates a tiered prevention model, spanning primary to quaternary prevention, and presents strategies for embedding behavioral health across all levels of fire service operations. It also details implementation science principles, workforce training, resource allocation, and program evaluation. Ultimately, the chapter positions fire service psychology not as an ancillary support system but as a core operational function essential to organizational readiness, risk mitigation, and responder well-being.