Vest Responder

Did you know when you make a report on https://www.firstresponderviolence.com/ you have the option to be directly linked to a peer support contact? Lets be honest - being involved in a workplace violence incident can be one of the most traumatic calls you will run in your career. We have seen stabbing, shooting, TBI, and everything in between. That needs to be discussed and you should absolutely get help for your mental health. The Missouri Firefighters Critical Illness Pool has done an amazing job of establishing peer support contact through out the state of Missouri. You can be directly linked to a peer support member after making a report with just a few clicks. You're not alone. Report it. Help yourself. Help others. See less

In 2019, Congress recognized what healthcare workers and first responders have known for years: workplace violence is a serious occupational hazard.

H.R. 1309 – The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives with bipartisan support (251–158). The bill would have required OSHA to establish a national workplace violence prevention standard, including prevention plans, employee training, incident investigations, recordkeeping, and protections against retaliation for reporting violence.

Unfortunately, after passing the House, the bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and never received a Senate vote before the 116th Congress ended, so it expired. Some point to lack of data already reported as to why this may have failed.

One thing everyone can agree on, good policy requires good data. Every violent encounter that goes unreported makes it harder to demonstrate the true scope of the problem and advocate for stronger protections for healthcare workers and first responders.

If we want meaningful change, we need meaningful reporting.

Question: Have you ever seen a police officer be involved in a violent encounter and not press charges and seek consequences?

No?

Then why do Fire and EMS tolerate violent encounters and not report them? Weakness? Culture? Takes too long?

Here is the solution.

Article written by one of our own instructors! Check it out!

Outdated funding and reimbursement systems continue to reward transports over outcomes. Full article: https://trib.al/fJMm1bF

Happy 250 America!

To all those in uniform today, navy blue or scrubs, thank you. Stay safe brothers and sisters!

First VEST class in Iowa was a huge success!!

Thank you Lewis Township Fire and Rescue for having Vest Responder to your agency for the Level I course. A lot of great information covered and great feedback. Looking forward to returning to expand on these skills in Level II class!

Over the past few weeks, VEST has been talking with several members of the Georgia EMS Association to get the VEST Responder curriculum across the state.

WE cannot express how supportive and helpful they have been. They have already reached out to state fire and EMS conferences to roll our program out state-wide.

VEST can now award CEU hours across the state! Thank you GEMSA!!!

If you are in Georgia, we have two certified instructors ready to roll the program out to your agency.

Message us for details!

Thank you to Valley Park FPD for always welcoming VEST to continue to level up!

Just finished Level III and a lot of lessons learned through real-world scenarios to mimic violent encounters.

Thank you for having us!!

The first step in identifying what we all know is happening to our healthcare workers, is by reporting it.

Time after time, incidents are pushed under the rug by those in power or providers feel so helpless that anything will happen, that what is happening becomes under reported.

This website brings an end to that.

The next time you experience a violent encounter, fill out this short survey so we have the data to make the changes!

https://www.firstresponderviolence.com/