Firefighter Stand Down Weeks helps first responders break the stigma around mental health

By: Megan Acker
Posted on: Monday, June 30, 2025

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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) – Studies show first responders die more often by suicide than in the line of duty. In Athens, a group of first responders came together looking to change that statistic, one firefighter at a time.

The Firefighter Safety Stand Down Week is recognized annually across the country the third week of June. Fire stations are encouraged to focus on training designed to educate firefighters on safety tips. This year’s theme was a bit different from years past.

 “This year’s focus was on the mental health aspect,” said Julie Phelps, who organized the event. “Being as my background has been in mental health … I just got really excited about it.”

A firefighter as well as a community health worker, Phelps designed the event to help break the stigma many in the workforce still feel when accessing mental health. Hosting multiple speakers, therapy dogs, and trauma-informed yoga, the event had no shortage of opportunities to take advantage of.

Brody Davis, panelist and fire captain for the Richland Area Fire Department, said events like this one are an important step for many first responders to access help.

“(The) first response service has a long history of thinking of mental health as being almost a bad thing,” said Davis. “They don’t understand that there’s help out there. And they wanna be the tough guy or the tough girl. … In reality, we’re all human.”

Even though there’s still a long way to go, Phelps says that the necessary shifts are happening. 

“The change in the culture is slow to come, but it’s coming on,” said Phelps. “I think raising this awareness and starting the talking is going to not only stop that stigma, but it’s also going to help make those changes … in departments and communities.”

And communities play an important part in making that change. Phelps hopes that the public can take away a message of compassion.

“Have that empathy,” said Phelps. “When you are out talking, out visiting, and you know that it’s a firefighter, instead of saying, ‘What’s the worst thing you’ve ever seen?’ and retriggering all our trauma … Say, ‘Looks like that was a rough call. Do you need to talk?’”

Those conversations help create the culture Athens City firefighter Austin Smith hopes will become the norm. 

“I’ve been through some traumatic experiences,” said Smith. “I want people to feel like it’s OK to talk about that. … Breaking that stigma, talking about it, and just not being ashamed.”