Association Between Call Volume and Perceptions of Stress and Recovery in Active-Duty Firefighters

Abstract

Firefighting is a physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding occupation. These demands are exacerbated by an increase in workload, resulting in an increase in stress and a decrease in recovery. While researchers have examined the influence of workload on stress perceptions, little is known about firefighter perceptions of recovery generally, and no research investigating perceptions of holistic recovery (i.e., physical, mental, and emotional) exists. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between acute workload (i.e., call volume) and firefighter perceptions of stress and recovery from pre-shift to post-shift. Sixteen active-duty firefighters completed the Short Recovery and Stress Scale pre- and post-shift and reported call volume after every shift (N = 156 total shifts). Repeated measures correlations were used to examine the common intraindividual associations between pre- to post-shift perceptions of recovery and stress and call volume. Results indicated that as call volume increased, firefighters perceived themselves to be significantly less recovered overall [r_rm (139) = −0.22, p < 0.001], physically [r_rm (139) = −0.31, p < 0.001], mentally [r_rm (139) = −0.26, p < 0.001], and emotionally [r_rm (139) = −0.27, p < 0.005] and significantly more stressed overall [r_rm (139) = 0.28, p < 0.001], mentally [r_rm (139) = 0.25, p < 0.005], and emotionally [r_rm (139) = 0.21, p = 0.012] post-shift compared to pre-shift. These findings suggest that to optimize firefighter health and well-being, practitioners should monitor call volume and implement appropriate physical, mental, and/or emotional recovery interventions.

1. Introduction

Inherent dangers within the firefighting occupation mean firefighters are regularly exposed to stressors that affect their physical, psychological, and emotional health and well-being [1,2], while often being unable or unwilling to engage in recovery experiences that reduce the symptoms of those stressors [3,4]. Within the context of the current study, occupational stress is defined as a work-related experience that is appraised in a negative way [5], whereas occupational recovery is defined as the process of eliminating negative psychophysiological stress symptoms (e.g., fatigue, annoyance, amotivation) and restoring homeostasis back to pre-stress levels [6]. Researchers [7,8] have suggested that an increase in workload is accompanied by an increase in stress and a decrease in recovery.

Workload is frequently described as consisting of two components: external workload and internal workload. External workload is an objective measure of work completed by an individual [9], while internal workload is an objective (e.g., heart rate) or subjective (e.g., perceptual measure) intrinsic response to the external workload [10]. Within a firefighter population, internal workload could include any physical, mental, or emotional response to the external demand of a particular emergency call. As such, call volume could be considered a common measure of acute external workload across all firefighters that impacts their internal responses of physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being. The number of calls per 24 h shift for each fire station depends on the location of the fire station, the population of the area, and other factors, such as the time of the year [2]. Each call, whether it be a medical call or a fire call, is associated with a different physical, mental, and/or emotional stressor, which may impact a firefighter’s perceptions of recovery. A greater stress reaction and a reduced ability to recover could be a response to a higher call volume. Recently, Marciniak et al. [11] reported that fire suppression and auto-extrication calls are six times more perceptually and physiologically demanding than medical calls, thus lending support to the concept that there may be specific internal responses to an external workload within firefighters. To date, however, researchers have not investigated the influence of call volume on the holistic (i.e., physical, mental, and emotional) stress and recovery internal response within firefighters.

Research examining the influence of call volume on stress and recovery is important to consider because an increase in stress concurrent with a decrease in recovery could elicit dire consequences, such as a decrease in workplace safety and an increase in fatalities, both of the firefighter and of community members [12,13]. Physical demand or stress is defined as muscular exhaustion or soreness [14] and for a firefighter this might arise during tasks related to fire suppression, victim rescue, carrying and lifting heavy objects and equipment, and forced door entries [15,16]. Mental demand or stress is defined as a reduced ability to concentrate, be receptive to information, or think clearly [14] and might occur during fast changing situations, having a lack of knowledge about a rescue environment, working within time-restrained conditions, work–family conflict, or insufficient sleep [7,17]. Finally, emotional demand or stress is defined as feeling upset or emotionally fatigued, which might occur when witnessing disturbing sights such as badly injured people or individuals who are highly distraught, deceased children, or general emotional exhaustion and burnout from job duties [18,19].

While many of these stressors are often uncontrollable, given the nature of the firefighting occupation, recovery can be implemented into a firefighters’ daily routine as a method to offset the negative symptoms accrued as a result of these occupational stressors. Firefighter recovery is highly individual [17,20], but according to seminal recovery research [21], the recovery sources or strategies should be matched to a firefighter’s physical, mental, and emotional stressors. For example, physical recovery strategies could include engaging in light activity on off-shift days, foam rolling, or stretching. Mental recovery strategies could include talking with friends and family members, mastering new skills, and relaxing. Emotional recovery strategies could include engagement in activities that bring happiness to the firefighter as a way to detach from work.

Furthermore, examining the influence of an external workload, such as call volume, on a firefighter’s internal response of physical, mental, and emotional stress and recovery is also consistent with occupational theories of stress and recovery. Meijman and Mulder [6] conceptualized the effort–recovery (E-R) model to explain how an increase in mental or physical work demands leads to psychological and physiological reactions such as fatigue and individuals must reverse those symptoms of fatigue by engaging in recovery-enhancing activities. Within this model, fatigue is characterized by low energy levels, high irritability, and lack of motivation [22], while recovery is characterized as the process of eliminating fatigue symptoms in order to improve energy levels [6]. According to the E-R model, an individual will accept new tasks if they feel energized enough to complete the demands required of the task. If fatigue remains high due to an unwillingness or inability to engage in the recovery process, the individual is in a reduced capacity to work [23]. This theory is consistent with prior research [24,25] indicating that firefighters who are at high-call-volume stations (i.e., responding to 10 calls or more in a 24 h shift) are at an increased risk of feeling fatigued, exhausted, and unprepared for duty. As such, it could be necessary for firefighters who respond to a high volume of calls to engage in recovery processes in order to reduce the internal response to the workload and feel prepared for duty.

A second theory that can be used to conceptualize how call volume influences occupational stress and recovery is the job demands–resources (JD-R) theory [26]. Job demands are described as the physical, cognitive, and emotional aspects of an occupation that require sustained physical, cognitive, and/or emotional effort which may have adverse psychological and physiological consequences [26]. Job resources, however, are described as the physical, cognitive, and/or emotional aspects of an occupation that are motivational to an individual, thereby allowing the individual to feel purposeful at work and thus stimulate personal and professional growth [27]. Within the context of the proposed study, responding to medical and fire calls certainly places physical, mental, and/or emotional demand on a firefighter (e.g., fire suppression, fast-changing situations, witnessing disturbing scenes), yet responding to calls might also be personally fulfilling and motivating to a firefighter. As such, firefighters might find work engaging and have a more positive feedback loop in response to attending to calls [28]. It is, however, important to note that if an individual is feeling chronically burned out, depressed, or has persistent injuries and illnesses, it is more difficult to appraise demanding work as being satisfying [28], even if the occupation, such as firefighting, is inherently rewarding. Taken together, the E-R model and the JD-R theory are two frameworks that can be utilized to conceptualize how a firefighter’s stress and recovery perceptions could be related to acute external workload such as call volume.

Study Purpose

Given that limited research to date has been conducted on the effect of workload on a firefighter’s perceptions of stress and recovery, the purpose of the current research study was to examine how acute external workload, as specifically measured by call volume, is associated with firefighter perceptions of recovery and stress from pre- to post-shift. Previous research has not explicitly examined the internal response of stress and recovery concurrent with the external workload measure of call volume within the firefighter population. The frameworks described by the E-R model and the JD-R theory suggest that the demands of a higher call volume will lead firefighters to feel less physically, mentally, and emotionally recovered and more physically, mentally, and emotionally stressed post-shift as compared to pre-shift. Results of the current study add to the growing body of literature on firefighter occupational health by considering the extent to which call volume may be related to a firefighter’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Upon understanding how firefighters may be impacted by call volume, practitioners and researchers can monitor call volume and implement appropriate physical, mental, and/or emotional recovery interventions. The results of the current study may also contribute to the broader field of occupational health psychology for other first responders, such as law enforcement officers and emergency medical personnel, who experience work demands akin to call volume and may benefit from similar physical, mental, and/or emotional recovery interventions.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Participants

Prior to data collection, approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board at the senior author’s affiliate university. Sixteen active-duty firefighters (14 male, 2 female) from a large fire department in a metropolitan, midwestern city in the United States volunteered to participate in the study (mean ± SD; age = 35.3 ± 8.0 years; height (m) = 1.79 ± 0.06; weight (kg) = 93.0 ± 17.0; rank = 62.5% Firefighter, 12.5% Lieutenant, 25% Heavy Equipment Operator). Participants were randomly recruited from the department as part of a larger study examining autonomic nervous system response in firefighters and to be eligible for participation, all firefighters were required to meet the following criteria: (a) cleared by the department for full, active duty in order to experience a typical on-duty shift and (b) no pre-existing cardiovascular, pulmonary, blood, renal, or metabolic disorders as these conditions may influence perceptions of stress and/or recovery. Demographic characteristics of the sample are displayed in

Table 1. Demographic characteristics.

Characteristic	N	Percent by Category (N = 16)
Gender
Male	14	87.5%
Female	2	12.5%
Rank
Firefighter	10	62.5%
Heavy Equipment Operator	2	12.5%
Lieutenant	4	25%
Age
18–24 years	3	18.8%
25–34 years	3	18.8%
35–44 years	9	56.2%
45–54 years	1	6.2%

.

2.2. Procedures

This research utilized a longitudinal study design involving repeated observations of firefighter perceptions of stress and recovery before and after shifts. Participants were informed that they could withdraw from the study at any time without consequences from the research team or the fire department. After providing their informed consent, all participants completed the measures described below via the online platform Qualtrics (Provo, UT). Data collection for all 16 participants was carried out across six months; the personalized Qualtrics link was texted to each participant at the beginning and at the end of each shift (M = 9.75 shifts/participant). Most participants worked on different shifts and were on different crews. Participants typically worked a 24 h shift followed by 48 h off-duty, but due to shift trades made, vacations, and mandated hours, these shift patterns could vary, resulting in some longer shifts (i.e., 48 h on duty) and some longer periods of time between shifts (i.e., >48 h off duty).

2.3. Measures

Perceived Stress and Recovery

To assess firefighter perceptions of current stress and recovery, the Short Recovery and Stress Scale (SRSS) [14] was administered to the participants at the start of each 24 h shift and immediately following each shift. The SRSS is an 8-item survey, and all items are scored on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (does not apply at all) to 6 (fully applies). The items on the SRSS are divided into two constructs and ask participants to rate how they feel right now in relation to their best ever recovery state (Short Recovery Scale; SRS) and highest ever stress state (Short Stress Scale; SSS). Specifically, the four items on the SRS encompass Physical Performance Capability (e.g., feeling strong, energetic), Mental Performance Capability (e.g., feeling mentally alert, attentive), Emotional Balance (e.g., feeling pleased, in a good mood), and Overall Recovery (e.g., feeling rested, recovered). The four items on the SSS encompass Muscular Stress (e.g., muscular exhaustion, soreness), Lack of Activation (e.g., unmotivated, sluggish), Negative Emotional State (e.g., feeling stressed, annoyed), and Overall Stress (e.g., tired, worn-out). The reliability and validity of the SRSS for use in the adult population has been established in previous research [29]. While the SRSS has not previously been used within a firefighter population, there is currently no firefighter-specific subjective measure of stress and recovery [30]; therefore, the current study uses the current best validated measure developed to explore mental, emotional, and physical perceptions of both stress and recovery. It is assumed that if a traumatic or particularly difficult call occurred while the participants were on-duty, the stress items would be higher and the recovery items would be lower post-shift as compared to pre-shift, thus confirming internal workload increasing as a result of external workload.

2.4. Statistical Analysis

Self-reported total call volume over each 24 h shift was solicited from every participant post-shift (i.e., participants recorded each time they responded to a call). The rmcorr package [31] of the R 4.4.0 statistical software was used to determine the association between pre- to post-shift perceptions of recovery and stress and call volume. A repeated measures correlation is a robust statistical method for determining the common intraindividual relationship between two measures assessed on two or more occasions for multiple participants [31,32]. Furthermore, this statistical analysis provides the best linear fit for each participant using parallel regression lines with varying intercepts. As such, a repeated measures correlation was chosen, given that each firefighter in the current study had multiple shifts (and therefore multiple points of data collection) across the data collection time period. Because repeated measure correlations take into account the non-independence of data, power is significantly greater than in simple correlations and, furthermore, it increases when either the number of repeated observations or the total number of unique participants increases [31]. Bakdash and colleagues [31] indicate that power may be calculated using a Pearson correlation but substituting the appropriate degrees of freedom for repeated measure correlations. As such, a post hoc power analysis using G*Power 3.1 indicated that for the 16 participants, 39 degrees of freedom, and 156 total shift observations included in this analysis, a power of 96% was achieved for the current study.

When analyzing data from the current study, the eight independent SRSS items were transformed into change scores to establish one score that compared how recovery and stress items, respectively, changed from pre-shift to post-shift. For example, a positive change score for the recovery items would reflect that mental, physical, emotional, and/or overall recovery had increased post-shift compared to pre-shift; thus, firefighters felt more recovered after their shift. Conversely, a positive change score for the stress items would reflect that mental, physical, emotional, and/or overall stress had increased post-shift compared to pre-shift; thus, firefighters felt more stressed after their shift. Following the creation of pre- to post-shift change scores for the SRSS items, eight separate repeated measure correlations were conducted to examine the relationship between each of the eight SRSS items and call volume.

3. Results

A total of 156 24 h shifts were completed across the 16 participants, resulting in a total of 1357 calls (M = 8.69 [±4.58] calls per shift). The results of the separate repeated measures correlations indicated significant relationships between pre- to post-shift recovery and call volume for all four recovery variables and between pre- to post-shift stress and call volume for three of the four stress variables. Specifically, as call volume increased, Physical Performance Capability [r_rm (139) = −0.31, p < 0.001], Mental Performance Capability [r_rm (139) = −0.26, p < 0.001], Emotional Balance [r_rm (139) = −0.27, p < 0.005], and Overall Recovery [r_rm (139) = −0.22, p < 0.001] significantly decreased. Figure 1 displays the repeated measures correlations between call volume and pre-shift to post-shift change scores for Overall Recovery. Conversely, as call volume increased, Lack of Activation [r_rm (139) = 0.25, p < 0.005], Negative Emotional State [r_rm (139) = 0.21, p = 0.012], and Overall Stress [r_rm (139) = 0.28, p < 0.001] significantly increased. There was no significant relationship between call volume and Muscular Stress. Figure 2 displays the repeated measures correlations between call volume and pre-shift to post-shift change scores for Overall Stress.

Table 2. Pre-shift to post-shift changes in recovery and stress. Note: Values are means (SD). * p < 0.01. Items are scored from 0 (does not apply at all) to 6 (fully applies). For items 1–4, higher scores represent higher perceptions of recovery; for items 5–8, higher scores represent higher perceptions of stress.

SRSS Item	Pre-Shift	Post-Shift	Pre- to Post- Shift Change Score Δ
1. Physical Performance Capability	4.70 (0.96)	3.88 (1.34)	−0.81 (1.29) *
2. Mental Performance Capability	4.64 (0.99)	3.80 (1.50)	−0.84 (1.47) *
3. Emotional Balance	4.74 (1.15)	4.00 (1.52)	−0.74 (1.51) *
4. Overall Recovery	4.54 (1.09)	3.78 (1.53)	−0.76 (1.56) *
5. Muscular Stress	2.54 (1.59)	2.76 (1.46)	0.22 (1.66)
6. Lack of Activation	2.26 (1.57)	2.63 (1.58)	0.37 (1.61) *
7. Negative Emotional State	1.87 (1.63)	2.21 (1.70)	0.34 (1.59) *
8. Overall Stress	2.17 (1.55)	2.67 (1.72)	0.51 (1.73) *

displays the pre-shift to post-shift changes in recovery and stress for each of the eight SRSS items.

4. Discussion

The purpose of the current study was to examine how acute external workload, as measured by call volume, relates to firefighter perceptions of both stress and recovery after completing a 24 h shift. Results indicated a significant relationship between call volume and change in perception from pre- to post-shift for recovery and stress. As call volume increased over a 24 h shift, firefighters felt significantly less recovered and significantly more stressed post-shift compared to their pre-shift start. Specifically, and according to the verbiage used on the scale items, these data suggest that firefighters felt significantly less relaxed, rested, strong, energetic, attentive, and pleased, as well as significantly more tired, unmotivated, and unenthusiastic due to the occupational demands of responding to higher call volumes. These findings are consistent with the research of Blackwell et al. [24] and Watkins et al. [25], who suggested that high call volume might increase a firefighter’s physical and emotional fatigue, as well as decrease their mental alertness. From a real-life standpoint, this makes sense because as call volume increases, the propensity for firefighters to be more physically, mentally, and emotionally under-recovered and more stressed also increases due to the continuous stimulation of activity. This explanation also fits within the frameworks of the E-R model [6] and the JD-R theory [26], both of which posit that an increase in mental or physical demands (i.e., an increase in call volume) will lead to adverse psychological and physiological symptoms (e.g., an increase in fatigue, annoyance, stress).

When more closely examining the literature on firefighters, several explanations support the results of the current study. Previous research [33] has demonstrated that tones sounding while firefighters sleep negatively impact readiness for duty and firefighter health and wellness. Physical and mental stimulation at night would then interrupt the firefighters’ ability to rest and feel fully recovered in the morning (i.e., at the end of their shift). The importance of quality sleep on mood and mental and physical fatigue has been well documented in the literature [34,35,36]. Within the general literature on occupational recovery, Sonnentag and colleagues [37] found that poor sleep quality—including interrupted sleep—resulted in an individual feeling more tense and distressed as well as less alert and active in the morning. As data in the current study were collected in the morning, it could be presumed that some of the perceptions of reduced recovery could be a result of a poor night of sleep. Furthermore, and regardless of whether a firefighter’s sleep was interrupted or not, researchers have found that there is an autonomic nervous system response to the fire station’s tones sounding [38,39]. The aforementioned research, in conjunction with the wording of the SRSS, may explain why firefighters in the current study felt significantly less recovered overall, physically, mentally, and emotionally, yet not significantly more physically stressed (i.e., Muscular Stress). Because the firefighters in the current study responded to more medical calls than fire calls, the autonomic nervous system response to the tones left them feeling mentally and emotionally under-recovered, yet not sore or muscularly exhausted as they are when responding to fire calls where physical exertion is more inherent.

It is worth noting that perceptions of recovery were impacted as much as—and, given the significant data, arguably more than—perceptions of stress as call volume increased across a 24 h shift. An abundance of research exists that explores psychological stress in firefighters [12,16,40]; yet to date, only one study has examined psychological recovery in firefighters [17]. The stressors that firefighters often experience are debatably uncontrollable (e.g., disturbing scenes, sleep disruptions), whereas methods of facilitating perceptions of recovery are controllable. Sawhney and colleagues [17] examined on-duty strategies to improve recovery among firefighters, with key suggestions that include exercising, engaging in recreational hobbies or activities, spending informal time with coworkers or supervisors, and engaging in peer-support discussions. Resilience, akin to recovery, is the ability to bounce back from challenging situations or stressors experienced [41]. Exercising, mindfulness, and social support are three strategies that were found to increase resilience among firefighters within Holland-Winkler and colleagues’ [42] study, thus also suggesting that recovery might be improved with engagement in these resilience strategies. As such, and consistent with theories of occupational stress and recovery [43], practical application should emphasize improving recovery strategies as opposed to reducing potentially uncontrollable stress. Moreover, the specific mental and physical recovery activities that a firefighter engages in might be helpful in understanding the mechanisms leading to overall recovery.

Finally—and equally interesting—experiencing a low call volume was not without stress and recovery implications. It is possible that firefighters who experienced a low call volume during their shift were not continuously stimulated throughout the 24 h and instead had periodic bouts of response efforts, thus perceiving themselves to be under-recovered post-shift. Within the miliary setting, these experiences are informally called “hurry up and wait” situations, whereby periods of less stimulating tasks are punctuated by intense and often dangerous moments of action [44]. Mental fatigue has been reported as a byproduct of these hurry up and wait situations due to the occupational need to be “on” and ready at any moment [44]. Similarly to members of the military, firefighters understand that maximal effort may be required at any time during these periods of downtime, thus reducing their overall perceptions of post-shift recovery no matter how few calls they eventually respond to during a shift. This explanation could also extend to the broader occupational health field, whereby law enforcement officers and other emergency medical personnel experience moments of downtime and may perceive themselves to be mentally and emotionally fatigued as a result of their heightened readiness.

Limitations and Directions for Future Research

Results of the current study add to the previous literature on firefighter stress and call volume and, arguably more importantly, emphasize controllable firefighter recovery. However, several limitations should be addressed and used to inform future research. First, although the number of observations (N = 156 shifts) in the current study generated enough power for a repeated measures correlation [31], there were only 16 total participants, with some participants overlapping in shift schedule as well as being on the same fire crew. To diversify the stress and recovery perceptions that firefighters might have as a result of various on-duty experiences, future research should include a larger sample size. Furthermore, a sample size of 16 participants is not large enough to generate power for a confirmatory factor analysis or reliability analysis in order to test the validity and reliability of the SRSS in the current study. Future researchers should consider assessing the psychometric properties of the SRSS within a firefighter population.

Second, call volume was self-reported and could be inaccurate if stressed or under-recovered firefighters were unable to recall the number of calls. While researchers in the current study attempted to address this limitation by encouraging firefighters to tally each call as they responded to them, researchers in future studies involving call volume should utilize official department call logs to collect accurate reports.

Third, the current study did not include whether the calls were medical- or fire-related, information which could impact firefighter perceptions of recovery and stress. Indeed, in 2021 only 3.7% of calls fire departments responded to were for actual fires, while 71.8% of the calls were medical [45]. Given the results of Marciniak and colleagues’ [39] research, which revealed different physiological responses to fire and medical tones, firefighters may have different perceptual responses to fire and medical tones as well. Anecdotally, firefighters often report that medical calls are more mentally and emotionally stressful compared to fire calls, which might be more physically stressful. As such, future researchers could examine how differences in call type might influence firefighter perceptions of stress and recovery. Figure 1 and Figure 2 demonstrate the individual variability in the perception of stress and recovery. Future research should explore measures that might differentiate firefighters, such as specific recovery activities, rank, or even fitness and health status.

Additionally, information related to the recovery activities firefighters might have engaged in while on-duty was not collected in the present study. Sawhney and colleagues [17] explored the recovery strategies that firefighters engage in while on-duty, such as work-related talks, exercise, and recreational activities, and concluded that firefighters who engage in work recovery strategies feel less occupational stress than firefighters who do not engage in these strategies. For the present study, firefighters who had the time or desire to engage in recovery activities while on-duty (e.g., table tennis, basketball, watching TV) might have perceived feeling less stressed and/or more recovered post-shift compared to pre-shift, thereby perceiving themselves be feel better mentally, emotionally, and physically despite possibly encountering a high call volume throughout the shift. Taken together, future research should consider both on- and off-duty recovery activities as a strategy to reduce stress and improve recovery in firefighters, particularly at high-call-volume departments.

Lastly, inherent within any research study using subjective measures is the risk for reporting biases, specifically social desirability bias within the current study. Although participants were informed that their individual data would be kept confidential, it is possible that they may not have wanted to truthfully report their levels of stress or recovery given possible repercussions from administration and/or perceptions of how the research team might interpret individual results.

As an additional note, it is possible that the stress and recovery perceptions of firefighters within the current study may not be accurately represented given the utilization of a non-firefighter-specific measure. This prompts the need for a firefighter-specific measure of recovery and stress as the terminology in the currently published assessments do not capture the experiences of a firefighter (e.g., traumatic events, sleep disturbances, etc.) and thus may not be the best tool to use for this population.

5. Conclusions

The current research addressed the paucity of research surrounding occupational recovery and stress among firefighters. As an increase in stress concurrent with a decrease in recovery could elicit negative consequences for both firefighters and for community members, it is essential to explore this area further and to provide proactive solutions. Practitioners working with firefighters and fire administration should monitor call volume and understand that despite the physical, mental, or emotional stressors a firefighter might experience on the job, they might not perceive themselves to be more stressed post-shift. However, firefighters do perceive themselves to be less recovered post-shift, no matter the volume of calls experienced. Although call volume is an uncontrollable stressor, these findings highlight the importance of providing firefighters with brief strategies that can be implemented between calls, a potentially more controllable time period, to improve mental, emotional, and physical recovery. For example, firefighters might perform 30 s of deep breathing upon exiting the apparatus after a call, journal two sentences to mentally detach and “release” the thoughts of the last call, meditate, engage in foam rolling/stretching, fuel with nutrient-dense foods, hydrate adequately, debrief with crew members, or reach out to a friend or family member. With the understanding that working with a practitioner might not be possible and/or a barrier to improve recovery due to personal discomfort, administration could consider posting these brief strategies in the communal space within each fire station as part of a post-call holistic recovery protocol. Another possible solution might be to carry out a brief holistic “check-in” questionnaire following calls. Questions like “on a scale of 1–10, how mentally stressed (e.g., mentally overloaded, drained, unmotivated) am I feeling right now?”, accompanied by a variety of on- and off-duty strategies that target specific mental, emotional, and physical stressors. The results of this study demonstrate the need for future research on firefighter recovery, which in turn may translate to other first responders and continue to add to the growing body of occupational health psychology research.