Firefighters put themselves in danger each call response. Their physical well-being is at the forefront of daily work, but the state of their mental health and wellness, however, may not be a typical firehouse conversation. A national initiative hopes to ignite those talks, and the Athens County emergency response community is part of it. Firefighters, EMS personnel, police officers, mental health advocates, and community members are invited to the 2025 Firefighter Safety Stand Down for a day of panel discussions, networking, and resourcing Saturday, June 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St. The nationwide event aims to break stigma and provide tools, insights, and wellness strategies among emergency responders, who are invited to โbreathe, heal, and reconnect,โ event organizer Julie Phelps told the Independent via email.
