EDC to Collaborate on National Public Safety Summit with FirstNet, Built with AT&T
Education Development Center (EDC) has received an award from FirstNet®, Built with AT&T, to advance key priorities of its FirstNet Health and Wellness Coalition (the Coalition). Made up of over 24 organizations representing public safety, academia, and industry, the Coalition is dedicated to enhancing first responder health and wellness across the United States.
On December 5–6 in Dallas, Texas, EDC will host and facilitate the FirstNet Health and Wellness First Responders Summit. During the summit, leading experts—including Coalition members, first responders, EDC specialists, and representatives of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention—will discuss the white paper Helping the Helpers, which provides a road map to proactively and systematically improve the well-being of emergency responders and frontline health care personnel.
Following the summit, EDC will propel the development of strategic action plans to advance the white paper’s key recommendations:
- Engage leadership
- Integrate wellness into training
- Allocate funding and resources
- Establish standards
- Communication
Nationwide, first responders experience high levels of stress and related mental health issues due to their work. This white paper spotlights the vital role of communities in promoting the mental health of these courageous professionals charged with citizen safety and health. The summit will advance its recommendations and unify first responder communities and their supporters around health and wellness priorities.
“We are honored to support FirstNet and the Coalition with this timely and crucial national summit,” said EDC project leader Jennifer Myers. “We look forward to helping chart a course to tap the power of communities to sustain first-responders’ well-being.”
“This collaboration with EDC will take the FirstNet Health and Wellness Coalition to the next level,” said Dr. Anna Fitch Courie, DNP, RN, director, Responder Wellness, FirstNet Program at AT&T. “By working with EDC experts and industry leaders, we will be able to advance the health and wellness needs of emergency responders to create meaningful change through policy and legislative advocacy.”