An applied research project submitted to the National Fire Academy as part of the Executive Fire

2 This research attempted to identify the aspects of psychological stress, its causation, identification, treatment, reduction and resolution in a small suburban fire department. The research methods used were both historical and action oriented. Firefighter stress is the problem and it is prevalent in a number of fire departments, and it appears to be increasing. In fact, one study put the at-risk population of firefighters at 15 to 20 percent. Psychological stress is a complex phenomenon. Therefore, to identify all the potential sources was problematic. The purpose of this research was to investigate the psychological fitness and wellness of these firefighters and to make recommendations for a positive change. While the topic of firefighter stress is somewhat bleak, there have been some positive discoveries. Some positive information gathered included the collaboration of several organizations and individuals who together will be better able to explain this phenomenon and to offer new solutions. Using this research material, the following questions were addressed: 1) What psychological fitness and wellness standards currently exist at the national, state and local levels