Responder support

Trauma and wellbeing support for responders.

Search, rescue and emergency work exposes people to things most never see, and the effects can surface long after the job is done. The independent services below offer confidential trauma, mental health and wellbeing support to responders, volunteers and their families. Asking for help is a mark of professionalism, not weakness.

Immediate help

If you need support right now.

These services are available around the clock and are free and confidential.

Shout — Blue Light Crisis Text Line

Free, confidential, 24/7 text support for emergency responders and volunteers in crisis. Text BLUELIGHT to 85258.

Text BLUELIGHT to 85258

UK & Ireland

Samaritans

A listening service, day or night, for anyone struggling to cope. Free to call and completely confidential.

Call 116 123

Worldwide

Emergency help

If there is an immediate risk to life, contact the emergency services straight away — 999 in the UK, 112 across Europe, 911 in North America.

Urgent mental health help

Responder services

Specialist support for emergency personnel.

Charities and services that understand operational work, shift patterns and the nature of repeated exposure to traumatic incidents.

Blue Light Together (Mind)

Mental health information, peer support and a directory of confidential services for emergency responders, volunteers and their families.

Visit website

Lifelines Scotland

Evidence-based resilience and post-incident wellbeing resources written specifically for emergency services staff and volunteer search and rescue teams.

Visit website

The Fire Fighters Charity

Psychological, physical and social wellbeing support for the fire and rescue community, including technical rescue personnel and their families.

Visit website

TASC — The Ambulance Staff Charity

Mental health support, trauma therapy and bereavement services for ambulance staff, volunteers and their loved ones.

Visit website

Police Care UK

Specialist trauma treatment and mental health support for serving and veteran police officers and staff, including search advisers.

Visit website

The Laura Hyde Foundation

Independent mental health support and signposting for emergency and medical frontline personnel.

Visit website

PTSD UK

Clear guidance on post-traumatic stress, secondary trauma and evidence-based treatments such as EMDR and trauma-focused CBT.

Visit website

International organisations

Support and guidance beyond the UK.

For our members deployed internationally, and for those working outside the UK, these organisations provide trauma support, psychological first aid and critical incident frameworks used worldwide.

International

ICISF — International Critical Incident Stress Foundation

The global reference point for critical incident stress management, structured peer support and post-incident debriefing for emergency personnel.

Visit website

International

Responder Alliance

Stress injury awareness, prevention and recovery resources built for wilderness search and rescue, expedition and disaster response workers.

Visit website

International

IFRC Psychosocial Centre

Mental health and psychosocial support guidance, psychological first aid training and field tools used by responders worldwide.

Visit website

USA

First Responder Support Network

Peer-supported residential retreats and recovery programmes for responders and their families affected by operational trauma.

Visit website

Australia

Fortem Australia

Mental health, wellbeing and family support services for first responders and emergency service volunteers across Australia.

Visit website

International

World Health Organization — MHPSS in emergencies

International guidance on mental health and psychosocial support for populations and responders in emergencies and disasters.

Visit website

The Institute lists these services for information only. We are not a clinical provider and do not deliver treatment or crisis care. If you know of a service that should appear here, please let us know.