Podcast Interview with Patrick Dugan from College Station (TX) Professional Firefighters Association

"With regular turnover the way we’ve seen it, there’s a shortage statewide and nationwide of people going into the industry, and to be competitive we need to address that people want to feel supported and they want to feel like they’re valued and one of the aspects of that is going to be pay and compensation… Having those additional stresses of constantly having to deal with turnover or having to struggle to figure out what does my family need to be able to keep up with inflation and things like that… is definitely going to add to the mental health aspect.”

In this NEP "On Location" episode, Jim Aleski talks with Patrick Dugan from the College Station Professional Firefighters Association at the 2023 NEP "We Need to Talk" mental and behavioral health conference in Las Vegas. Patrick discusses some steps his union and fire department have taken to get mental health support programs off the ground. He also talks about how constant department turnover and staffing shortages contribute to their members' mental health challenges.

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Jim Aleski is a more than 25-year fire service veteran and career engine company Lieutenant in the Philadelphia metro area. Jim serves as a Branding and Content Specialist at NEP Services and formerly served as the Communications/Social Media Director for the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey (PFANJ), the state affiliate of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). Prior to becoming a career firefighter, Jim responded as a volunteer while working for more than a decade as a media producer. Jim was involved in the production of hundreds of national TV commercials, network branding campaigns, music videos, and corporate communication projects. Jim holds a BS in Mass Communications from Emerson College and earned a MS in Fire and Emergency Management Administration from Oklahoma State University.