Program Overview

The Wellness program’s purpose is to provide wellness assessment of personnel through yearly exams and baseline laboratory work for all Fire District personnel. Additionally, the District’s wellness program includes mental health, rehabilitation, and education elements. The wellness program recognizes the health and wellness of employees as a critical and essential component of fulfilling our mission in providing emergency services to the communities we serve.

Management Oversight

The Wellness program is directed by the Division Chief of Training with oversight authority delegated to the Battalion Chief and program coordinator. This program does not have any full-time equivalent employees. This program contains the expenses pertaining to general supplies and equipment purchases, contract services, and overtime for training and program administration.

Program Objectives

• Maintain an annual health and wellness screening program for all employees, incorporating the latest technologies and best practices.
• Hire a full-time department therapist to support employee mental health and well-being.
• Provide ongoing education and training to promote physical and emotional health, fostering a healthy lifestyle for all members.
• Offer preventative and rehabilitation support, including education, training, and professional services, at no cost to employees.
• Enhance the Peer Support Program with additional training focused on trauma-informed mental health awareness for first responders.
• Ensure confidentiality of all behavioral, medical, and fitness evaluations, treatments, and services, while taking a proactive approach to support the behavioral wellness of all District members and their families.

FY 2024-25 Accomplishments

• 35 employees utilized the District’s therapist benefit to support their mental health and well-being.

• 15 members completed Peer Support – Basic training to enhance internal support resources.

• 20 members attended the First Responder Resiliency Conference, focusing on mental and physical wellness.

• Hosted a Wellness Week Open House in November 2024 to promote health resources and initiatives.

• Installed cold plunge units at all District fire stations to support physical recovery and resilience.

• Purchased a wellness app for all members, scheduled to launch in July 2025.

• Sent three Chief Officers to a wellness retreat in Idyllwild, CA, for leadership-focused well-being training.

• Held two "Retire Well" classes within the District to support members preparing for retirement.

FY 2025-26 Program Initiatives

• Provide Peer Support – Advanced and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) training to eight Peer Support team members.

• Conduct quarterly training sessions to strengthen the Peer Support team’s skills and readiness.

• Establish an on-call crisis therapist service for Menlo Fire personnel to ensure immediate mental health support.

• Train an additional eight members in Peer Support – Basic to expand the team’s capacity.

• Extend therapist benefits to retired members for their first year post-retirement to support their transition.

• Continue enhancing wellness offerings, including expanded CISM services, the introduction of heat therapy, and the development of a functional exercise program.