Firefighters serving Bethany, Cedar Mill, Oak Hills and West Haven-Sylvan face roughly 500 traumatic events over a 30-year career, according to Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue Deputy Chief of Strategic Services Patrick Fale. On Monday, Aug. 17, Fale and Lt. Erik Peterson spoke at a press conference and said their crews need more help.

The two TVF&R leaders joined U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas at TVF&R Station 39 in Lake Oswego to announce the Lifeline for First Responders Act, a bipartisan bill that would create a federal grant program authorizing $7.5 million per year through 2032 for suicide prevention, peer support, counseling, family services and training for firefighters, paramedics, EMS staff and 911 dispatchers.

"We're really good at showing up when the tones go off, but we're not good at asking for help when we need it," Peterson said at the press conference.

What the bill would do

The legislation, H.R. 10116, would be administered through the Office of Emergency Medical Services under the U.S. Department of Transportation. It's modeled on a 2017 law that directed the Department of Justice to fund mental health programs for law enforcement, according to the Beaverton Valley Times.

Salinas, a Tigard Democrat representing Oregon's 6th Congressional District, said she was inspired by TVF&R's existing mental health program and wanted to expand that model nationally. The bill has bipartisan co-sponsors: U.S. Reps. Gabe Evans, R-Colorado; Sharice Davids, D-Kansas; and Tom Kean, R-New Jersey. A Senate companion bill has also been introduced.

The measure is backed by TVF&R, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, according to a press release from Salinas's office.

Local leaders speak out

Fale said building long-term resilience matters as much as responding to acute crises. Peterson said serving his community comes at the expense of his own mental health, a pattern he said many peers experience through strained family relationships.

The bill's introduction comes during a record-breaking Oregon wildfire season that has added to the mental health burden on emergency workers. Studies show first responders experience suicidal ideation and attempts at higher rates than the general population, and stigma keeps many from seeking help, the Beaverton Valley Times reported.

The Lifeline for First Responders Act is set to be included in the Transportation Reauthorization Bill, which had not yet passed the House as of Tuesday, Aug. 18, KATU reported. No committee hearing date has been announced.

Residents who want to learn more can contact Salinas's office at 202-225-5643.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.