About FireCare
FireCare is the Queensland Fire & Rescue Service’s staff counselling and support program designed specifically for staff and their immediate family. Unless otherwise stated, the term “staff” is inclusive of all QFRS permanent, part-time or casual employees and all Rural fire Service (RFS) employees and volunteers. A spouse/de facto and children are considered as “immediate family”.
FireCare’s goal is to promote staff well-being by helping QFRS staff and their immediate family deal with work-related and/or personal problems and assist RFS volunteers and their immediate family to deal with QFRS emergency work-related difficulties.
Why have FireCare?
Most people experience a range of emotional upsets, interpersonal conflicts and organisational pressures in their lives. Our staff are no different. They have chosen a career that is challenging, stimulating, motivating and often unique in terms of the demands and stressors they are required to face. When problems occur, not only can personal lives suffer, but work performance is often adversely affected.
FireCare helps by providing both personal and organisational benefits such as coping strategies and a better working environment.
What does FireCare provide?
- Peer Support Program – a team of specially selected and trained co-workers to help staff cope with personal and/or work-related difficulties
- Confidential Professional Counselling – an independent service available to staff at every level
- 24 Hour Telephone Crisis Counselling – Free Call 1800 805 980 – This service is pager operated and a FireCare Counsellor will return calls as soon as possible
- Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) – an opportunity to discuss the effects of an event of high emotional impact
- Training – information and seminars on issues such as stress management, effective communication skills and Critical Incident Stress Management
- Consultation with Management – the provision of tools for developing and promoting staff well-being
- CISM Disaster Response Teams – provide psychological and social support related to disasters
Peer Support Officers and workplaces in each region have a List of Peer Support Officers and List of FireCare Counsellors throughout Queensland.
For more information about FireCare, see Frequently Asked Questions
Last updated 06 March 2008
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