The Auburn Fire Department has been awarded a $30,000 grant by the New York State Office of Mental Health to enhance the mental health and wellness of its firefighters.
Announced by Fire Chief Mark Fritz at a recent City Council meeting, the department is among 13 recipients of the 2024-2025 NY CARES UP (Changing the conversation, Awareness, Resilience, Empower peers, Skills building/suicide prevention for Uniformed Personnel) grant. This funding is dedicated to addressing the mental demands faced by firefighters, providing training and resources, including materials related to the 988 suicide prevention hotline.
This grant, which is part of a program now in its second year, focuses on improving mental health support for uniformed personnel and veterans. The Office of Mental Health notes that first responders face a higher risk of suicide than death in the line of duty.
Auburn’s fire department is the only fire department among this year’s grant recipients, which include ten first responder organizations and three veteran-serving organizations. The two-year grant, commencing next year, does not require any monetary contribution from the city. Additional details on the implementation of the program will be provided by Chief Fritz in the future.
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