We have a duty of care towards those from whom we ask so much.
Blueprint for Resiliency.
“The retreat was nothing short of miraculous...after three decades of guilt, embarrassment, hopelessness, and severe PTSD, depression, and no self-esteem, I was able to hold my head up and look into my brothers’ eyes.”
2024 BC Fire Leadership & Western Educational Conference, day 2 (Victoria, BC)
Since 2017, our First Responder Resiliency Program (FRRP) has provided resiliency education to fire and law enforcement personnel in Canada.
Designed by and for active duty fire fighters and police officers in British Columbia, FRRP is a peer-based, relationship-centred 4-day retreat focused on addressing symptoms associated with routine exposure to operational stressors in the workplace,, injury-related leave, and domestic impacts of service.
Evidence-based results from participation in FRRP include clinically and statistically significant positive outcomes on standardized measures of stress, anxiety, depression, and social and interpersonal relationship functioning; these positive outcomes have shown to be sustained six months following program completion.
Who benefits from the program.
We work with professional associations, unions, public agencies and government at all levels to create and deliver programs for:
Fire fighters
Law enforcement officers
Military personnel and veterans
Paramedics/EMS workers
Search and rescue personnel
FRRP is intended to complement existing services offered in the workplace and the community for first responders, such as individual therapy, and other in-patient/out-patient services as needed.
Purpose of the Program.
FRRP helps first responders strengthen their resilience in the face of cumulative exposure to potentially traumatizing events.
EMTs, fire fighters and law enforcement personnel are regularly exposed to the impact of violence, crime, catastrophic accidents, disasters, and widespread public health crises. Over time, repeat exposure to these conditions wears down their abilities to cope and to care for others at work, at home and in the community; it affects their mental health—44% meet the criteria for mental health disorders, four times the normal Canadian average.
Created by first responders for first responders, FRRP retreats provide 34 hours of group-based counselling, peer support and skills development, strengthening participants’ resilience in the face of stress and trauma at any phase of life and stage of career.
The objectives of the BC FRRP are to:
Help first responders understand the mechanisms and effects of operational stress on the body, the brain, behaviour, and relationships;
Provide a safe, inclusive, trusting and empathic environment to discuss the impact of personal first-response experiences with peers, facilitators and clinicians;
Support participant learning and application of skills to understand their own thought patterns and behaviour, and to deal with operational stress;
Strengthen participants’ knowledge and skills to maintain personal resilience and well-being;
Provide participants with the opportunity to resolve events from their past that are impacting their current functioning at work, in family, and within their social circle/community;
Improve relationships with spouses, partners and family members.
Program format.
As with all our programs, Blueprint for Resiliency is designed collaboratively with the participants’ sponsor organization.
FRRP is currently offered to fire fighter and police organizations as a four-day, three-night residential retreat in a quiet, nature-based setting.
Each retreat consists of eight participants, and two lead facilitators from Blueprint.
“What we see, what we’re exposed to, and the environments that we’re part of—it wears on you. It changes a person, and it affects how you react within your own family. That’s the blunt reality of what we do in a community. I work with individuals who have gone through the program. We talk to spouses and families that have had their loved one go through this. I’ve been through it myself. And I say it over and over: this will literally save lives.”
President Emeritus
BC Professional Fire Fighters Association
Program Results.
Independent evaluation of the Blueprint First Responder Resiliency Program shows significantly positive impact on participants’ depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, quality of life, emotional support/relationships, and social role functioning. Learn more about these results.
Learn more.
To participate in FRRP or bring it to your city, state or province, contact us.