b'O P E R A T I O N S F ire fighters put their own lives at risk to help protect and B E H A V I O R A L H E A LT Hsave the lives of others, often in high-risk environments. As such, it is important for them to have a strong sense of psychological and emotional well-being so they can do their job to the best of their abilities. Fire fighter behavioral health is defined as the state of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social well-being that allows fire fighters to perform their job duties safely and effectively. It includes aspects such as stress management, communication skills, self-care practices, resilience building and healthy lifestyle habits.Fire fighters are constantly exposed to stressful and potentially traumatic situations that can take a toll on their behavioral health. It is therefore essential for them and their departments to prioritize behavioral health to remain effective in their job. Fire fighters experience physical, emotional and psychological stress due to the hazardous environments they work in and the difficult tasks they must perform. They also may be affected by traumatic events, such as significant fires, large-scale accidents, multiple-casualty events, and other natural and man-made disasters. As a result of these experiences, its not uncommon for fire fighters to suffer from depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse problems or other behavioral health issues, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, 2018). It is important for fire departments to understand the behavioral health risks associated with these events and take steps to promote fire fighter behavioral health wellness at all stages of the career lifespan.Promoting behavioral health is an important practice that is being increasingly embraced by fire departments all around the world. It involves promoting mental, spiritual, emotional, social and physical health among fire fighters to ensure their overall well-being, both on and off the job. This proactive approach helps reduce the impact of negative behavioral health outcomes. Ultimately, it serves to help keep fire fighters safe and healthy so they can continue doing the important work they do every day. Taking care of ones behavioral and physical health is essential to living a balanced life and can be achieved through activities such as learning about behavioral health issues, mindfulness, stress BEHAVIORALmanagement, consuming nutritious meals, engaging in regular physical activity, fostering healthy social relationships and practicing healthy self-care activities. This is what is becoming known as resiliency training. By implementing these strategies into their lives, fire fighters can better manage the stressors they HEALTH face on the job while also improving their overall quality of life.While encouraging and developing resiliency, fire fighters, officers, members of administration and their fire departments need to be aware of the signs that indicate someone may be progressing toward a behavioral health crisis. Early identification of these signs can help prevent more serious issues from A focus on physical, mental, emotional, spiritualarising, while also ensuring that the individual has access to the necessary resources for successful recovery. It is essential to and social well-being provides a balancedunderstand the importance of being proactive in recognizing these signs and providing fire fighters with appropriate resources approach to fire fighter wellness and support to maintain good behavioral health.30'