Face-to-Face Support: No Matter Where You Are
Our virtual support groups provide a way for Fire Hero Families to connect with one another from their homes across the country throughout the year. No matter where you are located, you have free weekly opportunities to talk, listen, and share stories, struggles, and ideas.
We have two groups that meet weekly via Zoom. Both groups are open to spouses, life partners, parents, siblings, and adult children of Fire Hero Families whose firefighter has been honored or is approved to be honored at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial. You can attend one or both groups, and there is no commitment to attend every session.
Facilitated Support
This group is intended for those early in their grief or who do not have a strong support system; it is led by a licensed psychologist familiar with the needs of grieving public safety families.
Discussion may include:
- Sharing personal stories
- Preparing for memorials
- Moving forward and forming new identities
- Relationships among family members
- How other trauma impacts grief
- How grief reactions change over time
Our families really enjoy the group and the closeness. They look forward to weekly updates from one another and ask about things that have happened each week.
Peer Support
These unfacilitated groups allow Fire Hero Families to engage in informal conversation and build friendships with one another. Attendees drive the topics, which focus on weekly updates, challenges, sharing stories, and brainstorming. There are breakout groups according to relationship—for example, spouses meet together, and there are groups for parents, siblings, and adult children.
I'm so thankful for all the connections that are made possible through the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
