The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) and Masimo will present the Joliet (IL) Fire Department with the 2025 Excellence in Fire Service-Based EMS Award.
This recognition highlights the department’s Community Mental Health Program.
The award will be given at the 35th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner, scheduled for February 13, 2025, in Washington, DC.
Joliet’s program integrates mental health prevention and awareness training for firefighters and a comprehensive network for citizens.
The initiative provides rapid crisis intervention and cost-free definitive mental health services.
A city-established fund covers costs not met by insurance, supporting the accessibility of these services.
Since its inception in 2022, the Community Mental Health Program has facilitated care for over 2,000 residents.
These services address mental illnesses and traumatic events, reflecting a proactive response to increasing mental health-related calls.
The department collaborates with local mental health organizations, forming a cost-efficient, accessible service model for its community.
CFSI President Jim Estepp emphasized the national relevance of such programs: “With an increase in mental health-related calls nationwide, fire departments face challenges in responding to these calls and providing rapid care for the growing number of individuals who suffer from mental illness.
“I congratulate the Joliet Fire Department for developing an innovative EMS program that addresses a significant challenge facing the department and enhances its EMS capabilities.”
Masimo, cosponsor of the Excellence in Fire Service-Based EMS Award, acknowledged the importance of innovation within emergency medical services.
Andy Jones, Senior Vice President of US Alternate Care at Masimo, noted: “Masimo is proud to cosponsor the Excellence in Fire Service-Based EMS Award.
“At Masimo, our focus is on product innovation just as fire departments find ways to innovate their services to meet the growing emergency medical challenges in their communities.
“As a proud cosponsor of the Excellence in Fire Service-Based EMS, Masimo congratulates the Joliet Fire Department for their achievements in emergency medical services.”
The 35th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Symposium and Dinner supports the Congressional Fire Services Institute, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization.
CFSI’s mission is to educate Congress about fire and life safety issues.
This event serves as a platform to recognize outstanding contributions within the fire and emergency services community.
The Joliet Fire Department will be awarded the 2025 Excellence in Fire Service-Based EMS Award for its Community Mental Health Program.
The program, which has supported over 2,000 residents since 2022, focuses on crisis intervention and accessible mental health services.
The award will be presented on February 13, 2025, at the 35th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner in Washington, DC.
Sponsored by the CFSI and Masimo, this recognition celebrates Joliet’s efforts to address increasing mental health-related emergency calls through innovative approaches.
Additional event details are available through the CFSI.
