Florida Fire Chaplains Conference -- SAVE THE DATE -- March 31-April 2, 2025
marion county fire rescue
Below you'll find contact information if you're in need of assistance, as well as some of the training information Chaplain Joe has shared with you in the past.
Contact Chaplain Joe LaCognata
352-425-1643
If you're in need of assistance
ocala consulting and prevention
Local Mental Health Counseling for You and Your Family
Crisis Line - 352-817-0106
Appointments - 352-622-4488
2023 training
Beyond physical rehab, how do you get back to a sense of normal after challenging situations?
Resilience is the ability to successfully adapt to stressors, maintaining psychological well-being in the face of adversity.
Psychological Body Armor(TM) proactively helps you enhance resilience by developing immunity from crisis reactions.
psychological body armor(TM)
Resilient Attitudes
Resilient Attitudes
Resilient Attitudes
The brain is built with a greater sensitivity to bad news which can be helpful as a protective mechanism to keep you alerted to threats. Unfortunately, you can sometimes see threats that are not there.
Rest/Sleep
Resilient Attitudes
Resilient Attitudes
According to NIOSH, risk of errors and accidents increase by 13% for a 10-hour shift and 28% for a 12-hour shift. Sleep deprivation has been found to be as impairing as being intoxicated
Relationships
Resilient Attitudes
Relationships
The single best predictor of resilience in the wake of adversity is the support of others, whereas loneliness predicts depression, physical illness and premature death.
2019 Training
Over the past several years, there has been a significant shift in the way the fire service has addressed the issues of behavioral, emotional, and mental health. Just a few years ago, you would hardly hear these topics discussed. Then, we began to take notice of the toll your job was taking on your life. The suicide deaths of two high profile firefighters in Central Florida propelled this conversation to the forefront. This resulted in the establishment of programs to assist firefighters that were going through difficulties. The next part of this shift is helping firefighters know what assistance is available and teaching them the skills to be better prepared for the challenges they face.
While much of what you do can be considered routine, there are times you face difficult challenges. Pediatric emergencies, traffic fatalities, and dangerous fires have the potential to create distress.
The road to getting back to a better place was not meant to be traveled alone. Here is some of what is available to support you.
Perhaps the best thing for you to do is prepare yourself for the challenges that will come. This can be done by developing resiliency, which is defined as "the ability to successfully adapt to stressors, maintaining psychological well-being in the face of adversity. Here are some ways to increase your resiliency.
6 Mindfulness Exercises You Can Try Today
6 Breathing Exercises to Relax in 10 Minutes or Less
Progressive Muscle Relaxation for Stress and Insomnia
American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults
2018 Training
How to better provide care for all the people you serve
You have the skills. You have the training. You have the experience. But is there something lacking in your preparation to do the job of a firefighter? Everything you do is done in the context of others. How well are you equipped to deal with the people you interact with day in and day out? Explore how to best care for the various people that you serve including victims, peers, your family and yourself.
Caring for Victims
The people you encounter in your community are often experiencing one of the worst days of their lives. Your ability to connect with them in a compassionate manner makes all the difference.
Caring for Peers
We have the opportunity and responsibility to be there for one another. That's the whole idea of peer support. There is no one better than someone like you to understand, support, and encourage someone like you.
Caring for Your Family
Your family doesn't need to hear all the gory details., but they will always want to know how you are doing. Work hard at keeping the lines of communication open between you and the people you love.
Caring for Yourself
Sometimes, the biggest thing getting in the way of you getting help is you! Having challenges along the way are normal. In order to deal with those challenges, you first have to give yourself permission to not be okay.