The 2025 Safety Stand Down theme has been announced by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) as, “Break the Stigma: Behavioral Health RESET.”
The theme provides a focus on the topic of behavioral health, encouraging departments and responders to help break the stigma and RESET their approach through the following daily focus themes: Recognize, Educate, Strategies, Empower and Training.
The NFPA discussed in the announcement how the emotional, mental and behavioral well-being of emergency responders is critical to their overall health and safety.
The week of Safety Stand Down, June 15-21, will cover topics related to behavioral health challenges and ways to support team members to help prevent negative outcomes such as burnout, injuries, anxiety, leaving the department or suicide.
In addition, fire departments are being encouraged to use the week to focus on department activities that reinforce how behavioral health affects every aspect of an emergency service department, from safety and retention to productivity and engagement.
Safety Stand Down is a joint initiative of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Safety, Health and Survival Section, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), NFPA, the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).
Held each year during the third week of June, the campaign works to reduce the number of preventable injuries and deaths in the fire and emergency services.
In support of Safety Stand Down, responder agencies are being encouraged to suspend all non-emergency activities during the campaign week to focus on training and education related to this year’s theme.
“Break the Stigma: Behavioral Health RESET”, has been announced as the theme for the 2025 Safety Stand Down by the NFPA.
