Create your resilience protocol

The worst time to figure out how you’ll respond to trauma is after it happens. Resilience has to be built beforehand — through sleep, relationships, fitness, trusted peers and a culture where asking for help is part of the job, not a last resort. That idea sits at the heart of our conversation with retired FDNY Captain Frank Leto, who helped shape the department’s counseling and peer support programs in the years after 9/11. As the fire service approaches the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, we’re revisiting this episode because many of the lessons born from that tragedy still apply to every department today. Leto explains why FDNY’s early attempts to embed clinicians in firehouses fell short and why fellow firefighters became the key to effective peer support. This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore. Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback.