LibGuides: First Responder Resiliency Project: Home

If you need immediate help:

Fire/EMS Helpline: 1-888-731-FIRE (3473)

The National Volunteer Fire Council partners with the American Addiction Centers to provide this 24 hour, 7 days a week helpline that is completely free and confidential. Callers will receive compassionate support from licensed counselors and trained fire service members who understand what first responders are going through. This is a part of NVFC's Share the Load program, which provides support and access to information to help first responders and their families deal with issues such as stress, addiction, depression, and PTSD.

Key Resources for Help:

National Volunteer Fire Council
It is important to also realize the impact that fighting fires and responding to emergencies has on the mental wellbeing of emergency personnel. Taking care of your mental health is as important as managing your physical health. The NVFC’s Share the Load™ program provides access to critical resources and information to help first responders and their families manage and overcome personal and work-related problems such as anxiety, depression, burnout, post-traumatic stress disorder, and addiction among others.
Illinois Fire Fighter Peer Support
Illinois Fire Fighter Peer Support’s (ILFFPS) mission is to recognize that all fire service and emergency medical service members are human beings who will be exposed to, and experience emotions. ILFFPS will provide a safe, non-judgmental and confidential environment where members can engage in a healing conversation with a peer. ILFFPS also seeks to share the concept of peer support and the structure of our program with those that request.
Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance
The mission of Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance is to collaborate, develop and implement behavioral health awareness, prevention, intervention, and post crisis strategies to provide firefighters with an easily accessible and confidential source of information.
RE;ACT 4 Ryan
RE;ACT celebrates the life of Lt. Ryan Elwood, strives to create awareness for the battle he fought, campaigns for much needed counseling to help his fellow Fire Fighters and First Responders who face the same challenges each day and funds training to benefit the profession for which he was so passionate.
Firefighter Close Calls Personal Survival
#BeThe1To
According to their website, "#BeThe1To is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s message for National Suicide Prevention Month and beyond, spreading the word about actions we can all take to prevent suicide."

IFSI Library Lending Policies

If you have any questions about these policies, please contact us. We welcome any and all inquiries!

Local Lending

Standard loan period is 4 weeks.
Extensions are considered upon request.
Requested materials can be picked up in person at IFSI.
Photo ID is required to establish a lending account.
Lending is limited to Illinois residents.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

Standard loan period is 6 weeks.
IFSI Library materials can be delivered to a patron’s Illinois local library through ILL service.
A public library card is required.
ILL delivery to your public library may take up to 2 weeks.

Introduction

This guide was produced by the Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) library to bring together mental health resources that are relevant to fire fighters and first responders. On this page, you will find links and information about how to utilize IFSI Library resources as well as general lending polices. The subpages of this guide include information and resources regarding mental health, resiliency, critical incident stress management, and behavioral health.

IFSI Library

The IFSI Library houses more than 65,000 items, including books, periodicals, manuals, codes and standards, DVDs, CDs, e-resources, audiobooks and other fire emergency resources. The library exists to serve all first responders in the state of Illinois. Users can request materials in-person, via telephone or email, or through the Online Catalog. The catalog may be searched keyword, title, author, subject, or publisher, and the search can be limited to specific formats. You may enter as many or as few search terms as you would like; the more search parameters the fewer results there will be, but those results will be more specific. You can visit us in person, or, if you live in the state of Illinois and have an Illinois library card, we can send the materials you want to your local library via interlibrary loan.

Subject Guide

Fire Service Institute

Contact IFSI Staff

For Information, Assistance, or User Training Contact:

Phone: 217-333-8925 or Toll Free: 800-437-5819

Fax: 217-333-8379 (Library) or 217-244-6792 (IFSI)

Email: fsi-library@illinois.edu

Library Hours

Monday – Friday

8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Head Librarian

Lian Ruan: lruan@illinois.edu

Reference & User Training Librarian

Diane Richardson: dlrichar@illinois.edu

Assistant Director for Library Operations

David Ehrenhart: ehrenha1@illinois.edu

LibGuide created by Jillian Collier