First Responders
Is your department operating at its best — or just surviving the demands? Are you looking to reduce burnout, strengthen resilience, and extend the longevity of your firefighters, law enforcement officers, or EMS personnel?
At Nikki Penn Consulting, our consultation services are designed to build healthier departments from the inside out — strengthening culture, protecting performance, and ensuring your people can serve well and go home well.
Firefighters
In a survey NBC Bay Area distributed to California firefighters, 70 percent revealed they had trouble sleeping, 64 percent were easily angered or withdrawn and 31 percent developed a substance abuse issue.
Law Enforcement
In 2018, the FOP surveyed nearly 8,000 officers. Here’s what they found:
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79% of participants reported they had suffered critical stress in their duties as a LEO.
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69% said they had unresolved and lingering issues because of it.
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90% said there was a stigma in law enforcement that kept them from getting help.
EMS
Of the 4,022 emergency medical service providers who responded to a survey, 86% said they had experienced a critical stressor. Two out of three said they did not get help (JEMS 2015).
Did you know that an estimated 18–24% of dispatchers, 35% of police officers, and 25% of firefighters experience PTSD — and research suggests up to 37% have faced suicidal thoughts? In fact, firefighters and police officers are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.
We must do more for those who serve. Nikki Penn Counseling & Consulting, PLLC specializes in developing comprehensive, culturally competent mental wellness programs designed to protect, support, and sustain first responders.
The Fake Fix
How many of us like to receive cold calls? I would bet most of us would say we loathe them. Why is it then so many times when a department faces their most vulnerable times such as a line of duty death, suicide, or other traumatic event that a cold call is exactly what they implement?
Maybe a counselor from EAP that no one has ever met will come during roll call or sit in a room at the station offering his or her services. Business cards and handouts might be distributed. Posters might be hung, and maybe an unwanted debrief will be offered. And while the department means well, most times, the emergency responders are left without any real help. Because let's be honest, seldom will you find an emergency responder who will utilize cold call efforts. Let us help you discover what options might better fit your department.
We offer several trainings throughout the year. To view a list of upcoming events, click HERE .
As a licensed counselor and a past EMT, Nikki Penn has focused her career on treating emergency responders. She earned her master’s degree from Arkansas State University, is a specialized law enforcement instructor, is dually licensed in Arkansas and New York, and has taught at different EMS training programs, the Arkansas EMT Conference, PESI, the Arkansas Fire Academy Chief Fire Officer Program, the Arkansas State Fire Convention, and many fire and police departments across her state. Nikki develops and oversees mental health and wellness programs. She responds to departments in crisis after critical incidents, suicides, or when other traumatic events occur. Nikki is a certified EMDR-therapist and consultant that has developed a nationally recognized curriculum which she uses to train other therapists world-wide to be culturally competent in their work with emergency responders. She was recently published in Fire Engineering Magazine. She is the chaplain for the Arkansas Firefighter's State Ladies' Auxiliary. She has been married for almost 30 years to a fire chief who works part-time as sergeant for the local police department of her hometown. In their free time, she and her husband enjoy spending time with loved-ones, traveling, and playing with their dog, Titus.