SEATTLE (News release) -- Weyerhaeuser Company and Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA) have announced an extension of their Fighting Fires Together campaign, a partnership that provides specialized mental health support for wildland firefighters and their families across the Pacific Northwest.
Fighting Fires Together, now in its fourth year, addresses the often-overlooked mental health impacts of wildland firefighting in isolated, hazardous and highly stressful conditions. Through a free online resource hub, first responders can find specially designed content, including videos about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety and suicide prevention, along with mental health tips, educational articles and contacts for occupationally aware support groups and counselors in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.
Weyerhaeuser's support for wildland firefighting efforts in the Pacific Northwest began in the aftermath of the Yacolt Burn in 1902, when the company began advocating for Washington's first forest fire legislation and the funding of community fire prevention education and patrols. Today, as Weyerhaeuser celebrates its 125th anniversary, the company continues to play an active role in fire prevention and response through its forest management operations. Weyerhaeuser employees and contractors receive annual fire readiness training, build fire breaks and containment lines, conduct aerial surveys and deploy tanker trucks, helicopters and quick-response crews to wildland fires.
"After launching the Fighting Fires Together campaign with FBHA four years ago, we're proud to continue this effort to support wildland firefighters and their mental health as they work in challenging conditions to protect our communities," says Bill Frings, vice president of Western Timberlands for Weyerhaeuser. "Weyerhaeuser was an early leader in wildfire protection more than a century ago, and we continue to invest in cutting-edge technologies and ongoing training to improve our preparedness strategies. As our wildfire seasons grow longer, we understand it's critical to ensure wildland firefighters have access to the resources they need to carry out this important work."
To learn more about Weyerhaeuser's Fighting Fires Together campaign, visit wy.com/fighting-fires-together
