Connections Create Magic for Health and Wellness

By Alicia Ekman

Three months after I started as health and safety manager for the Milwaukee Fire Department (MFD), we lost one of our own. This created a painful pause in our department. The tragedy made us deal with difficulties we weren’t prepared for, even as we continued to care for our community and each other. 

It was a test of my ability, as a new civilian employee. I needed to manage parts of the situation, and help the members navigate a difficult time. I had personal experience with this kind of loss, but never with a family that was over 700 strong. 

In this horrible situation, I saw the power of a family coming together in response to an unthinkable loss. Egos were checked at the door, and everyone was present and fully listening to one another. In this chaotic storm, there was a sense of calm. That moment is when I truly understood and believed we have the power to change for the better.  

Although I was new to the department, my history with the City of Milwaukee started 10 years ago at the City’s health and wellness vendor. In that role, I believed what we were offering was meaningful and making a difference in the fire service and beyond. As soon as I became a part of the department, I quickly realized we never really heard its voice or understood the culture. 

Working on Health and Wellness

Health and wellness services cannot be generic and meaningful at the same time. We weren’t supporting them in the areas that were needed. This lit a fire in me to change it and find new ways to make members feel like health and wellness is not a tick-the-boxes program.  

This kind of change does not happen overnight. Everyone in the organization needs to work together to change how we think about and approach health and wellness.

 A crucial piece to successfully moving forward has been to find colleagues who are trusted and respected in the department. They are not necessarily the formal leaders by title, but the individuals members naturally go to for guidance. It has never been about using them to relay the messages we wanted. Instead, we wanted to collaborate with them to decide what to say and who should say it. High impact is the result when the messages come from members.  

I was fortunate to come to the department when the administration, union, and city officials were aligned better than they had been in a long time. We have leaders who are willing to be present and vulnerable, and who fight for resources and support. 

Chief Aaron Lipski and many other leaders often say, “It is time to take care of our members, so they can take care of everyone else.” When you hear our leaders speak, it is clear these statements are not for show, they are promises.

Those words have always resonated with me. As the new health and safety manager, I had the opportunity to fulfill those promises in new and unique ways. Over the past year, we have established a rhythm for inspiring our members to prioritize their well-being. 

Building a Network

In March, more than a dozen chiefs, and many other members from our department, participated in the Fight for Air Stair Climb in Milwaukee. Other fire departments stopped us to acknowledge how amazing it was to see so many chiefs representing the MFD and supporting the American Lung Association. Our chiefs are leading from the front and doing the work to take care of themselves, and the field is starting to notice. 

During Mental Health Awareness Month in May, Ignite the Spirit – Milwaukee helped connect our members to mental-health resources. Thanks to the organization’s generosity and support, our members now have easier access to mental health professionals who understand first responders. Appointments with a professional are at no cost to the members. Since launching the services in May, we’ve received positive feedback from members who are using or are thinking about using them. 

Ignite the Spirit – Milwaukee helps firefighters in times of need by providing financial aid, emotional support, and physical assistance. Partnering with other similar organizations could help departments find new ways to serve its members.

The Trail Endurance Challenge

We kept that momentum going, and in that same month, the MFD hosted the first-ever Trail Endurance Challenge. With more than 100 people in attendance, this event brought together cadets, active members, families, friends, partners, and retirees. 

Participants could choose their own adventure by walking, hiking, or running for two, four, six or eight hours on the trails. It was an opportunity to heal in nature, challenge ourselves, and for family members to be active together. 

Many ended their day exhausted, happy, and asking for more. The event motivated our members, who received support with their nutrition, gait analysis, and fitness plans. We also learned events like this give the department a positive goal to rally around.    

Changing the culture around health and wellness in the fire service takes time, patience, partnership, action, and trust. Not all change has to be big. You can take risks by trying activities or events that make sense to your department. 

Assistant Chief David Hensley says, “I do not think that what we have going for us currently can be put into a blueprint because it is unique. In my opinion, everyone should strive to have the relationships that we currently have.” 

This story isn’t about one particular person driving initiatives. It’s about the entire department coming together to have a unified approach and message. That is when the magic happens.