The Lakewood City Council declared March 24-28, 2025 as “First Responder Wellness Week” to recognize the hard work of first responders in the area and the toll their jobs can have on their physical and mental well-being.
In a proclamation, the City Council noted that law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, 911 dispatchers, correctional officers and members of other organizations in the public safety sector protect and aid our community in an emergency, often at risk of their life and safety.
“Nationwide, law enforcement officers will go through an average of 188 critical incidents throughout the course of their career,” the proclamation reads. It continues citing statistics that first responders have a higher risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder, up to 25.6 times more than those without such experiences.
Emergency personnel also can experience physical impacts of stress like cardiac issues, diabetes, obesity and sleep troubles.
Supporting first responders and providing wellness opportunities is one way to help respond to these stressors. This can include management that focuses on sleep, fitness, nutrition, fatigue, anger management, post-traumatic stress and loss.
“We recognize the integral role first responders play in our community and the benefits derived from their hard work, commitment, sacrifice, and unhesitating dedication,” the City Council proclamation states. “Research shows that fostering a strong wellness culture inside first responder agencies enhances relations within the communities they serve.”
In Lakewood the Lakewood Police Department recently received a $10,000 grant from Gesa Credit Union to fund the establishment of a wellness room focused on helping officers de-stress. Some of the money was also used to replace the aging equipment in the department’s weight room. Additional wellness supports are made available through the department to officers, offering them assistance.
The City Council urged Lakewood residents to recognize and actively support our local first responders who sacrifice so much for our safety. Read the proclamation.
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