Inside resilience training aimed at helping first responders manage stress, burnout

SANDY — For those men and women serving as first responders, the job can take a toll.

"We don't know what the next call's going to be … it can definitely be stressful," said Isaac Sefcik, with Unified Fire Authority.

That's why a specialized training program is in Sandy this week, focused on helping first responders manage stress and burnout.

The program is being hosted at Salt Lake Community College's Miller Campus by Yoga For First Responders, an organization that works with fire departments, law enforcement and military groups across the country. The five-day intensive training certifies first responders to bring these resilience techniques back and teach them within their own agencies.

"We're not here to teach them how to stretch their hamstrings or how to touch their toes," said Olivia Mead, founder and CEO of Yoga for First Responders. "We're teaching them how to regulate in the middle of the chaos."

Mead says their proactive approach is backed by research and combines neuroscience, stress physiology, breath work, mindfulness and other techniques designed for high-stress jobs.

"There are very high statistics of stress-based health issues in public safety," Mead said. "Burnout, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress and, unfortunately, all the way to suicide. And those statistics are not going down."

The program is designed to help first responders manage that stress before it becomes overwhelming.

"The biggest thing for me is the breath work we talked about — whether we're on a medical call or fire, breath work is huge. Sometimes that's all we have control of," Sefcik said.

"The breath work has really been very successful, and then also the neurological reset after going through a stressful situation," added Roger Hill with the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office.

For many first responders, that mindset doesn't always come naturally in a profession built on staying strong under pressure.

"It was always … don't show your emotions, you need to be there for the people," said Samuel Winkler, the program manager for the Law Enforcement Academy at Salt Lake Community College. "It's OK to talk to someone. It's OK to find the help."

Local agencies say they're looking to continue incorporating programs like this into training to better help first responders manage stress and prioritize mental health.

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