Portage County CISM

03/08/2026

Long shifts, tough calls, interrupted sleep, and constant adrenaline can take a toll on both your mind and body. The reality is that most first responders don’t have hours to dedicate to self-care , but small habits can still make a difference.

Even just 10 minutes can help reset your stress response and above all support your mental wellness.

Simple things like:
⭐️Taking a short walk after shift
⭐️Practicing controlled breathing
⭐️Checking in with someone you trust
⭐️ Stretching tight muscles after a long day in gear ir for dispatchers, standing up for 10 mins every couple of hours or standing up to stretch makes a difference.
⭐️Taking a quick break from the phone and radio noise. Walk the room or a hallway for a few minutes

These small moments help your nervous system downshift from constant “go mode.”

Mental wellness doesn’t require a complete life overhaul. Sometimes it’s just about building small resets into your day.

Drop your go to reset it in the comments. Your idea just might help someone else. 👇

03/03/2026

May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month, a critical time to highlight the unique, high-stress, and often traumatic experiences faced by first responders. This month focuses on reducing the stigma, promoting wellness initiatives, and providing resources for PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

💙 Key Aspects of First Responder Mental Health
Unique Challenges: First responders face extreme, daily stress, leading to higher rates of PTSD and mental health issues than the general population.
Addressing Stigma: The movement aims to break the stigma surrounding seeking help, emphasizing that "it's okay not to be okay".

💛 Proactive Support: Agencies are encouraged to implement peer support programs, wellness training, and specialized counseling to support staff.

❤️ Resources: The 988 Lifeline offers free, confidential support 24/7 for anyone in distress.

💙💛❤️ Portage County First Responders...To activate the Portage County CISM team or to speak with a coordinator regarding a potential callout or peer to peer call 330-678-HELP(4357) or KSU Dispatch 330-672-2212

"Not all wounds are visible."

02/07/2026

💙💛❤️🤍💚 What if....

What if being supported to care for yourself
was part of your duty to serve?

What if care wasn’t positioned as something that happens off the clock?

Long-term service depends on whether people are allowed to acknowledge limits, tend to their capacity, and remain human while they’re still in the role.

Support isn’t about easing the work.
It’s about whether the environment allows people to tend to their own capacity without penalty.

These questions aren’t meant to challenge commitment.
They’re meant to examine what actually sustains it.

The Code 9 Project is here to support first responders and military personnel with wellness tools, training, resources and community.

📲 Visit code9project.org to learn more about how we can support your department or team

12/31/2025

From all of us to all of you, wishing you a very happy & healthy New Year!

12/25/2025

Wishing you and yours a happy holiday season and all the best for the New Year!

10/10/2025

Portage County CISM Coordinators getting ready for today's conference. In the other photo they are listening to AK Dozanti from the Life Saver Academy with AK Dozanti as she presents to the team during our annual fall conference & training.

Team Coordinators are Bob Walker from the Portage County Health District (retired Ravenna City Fire), Susie Forgacs from UH Portage & Rootstown Fire, Tricia Knoles who is a Sergeant at Kent State University & Rebecca Schneider a dispatcher with the City of Kent

More pictures to come

09/23/2025

Congratulations to Bob Walker, one of our CISM Coordinators, for being nominated for a Celebrate Portage Community Hero Award. Congratulations Bob, we appreciate you & your hard work and dedication to our CISM team, the community & our amazing first responders. ❤️🤍💙

09/15/2025

PC -CISM team members, our fall conference is fast approaching. October 10th will be here soon. Check yours emails for information & how to register. If you are new to the team, check the email account you provided on your ICISF form at the spring training.

Any questions, please reach out to Bob, Susie, Tricia or Rebecca.

09/08/2025

September is Su***de Prevention Month and Matthew Butchers family has launched a fundraiser for First H.E.L.P in honor of , Butcher’s life and work. He served 22 years as a police officer. His unit number was #234. They are challenging 234 people to donate $22 each to First H.E.L.P

💙❤️💛🤍Here’s why this matters:
Every time a first responder puts on the uniform—police, fire, EMS, dispatch, corrections —They protect their communities. They protect you!

But too often, they can't protect themselves from the trauma they carry. PTSD consumes them. The stigma silences them. Thoughts like: “I can’t ask for help. I’ll seem weak. I’ll be a burden. They’ll take my badge. I won’t be fit to serve.”
⭐️These fears can become overwhelming. And for too many, su***de feels like the only escape.

✨ Please help us and First H.E.L.P. light a path from darkness to hope.
Your donation supports:
* Mental health training for first responder agencies
* Resources and education to fight stigma
* Support for responders struggling in silence
* Families who’ve lost someone and are trying to heal

🧡 Donate here:

http://www.1sthelp.org/donate

💌 Or by check:
💙First H.E.L.P.💙PO Box 539
Auburn MA 01501

This mission is deeply personal to the Butcher family and to all of us who loved & worked with Matt.
💙Please help us end the silence. Help us shine a brighter light on our first responders.They care for us. It's time we care for them.
💙Thank you for your love, your support, and your voice. 💙❤️💛🤍

08/31/2025

Year to Date stats for Portage County CISM team.

08/31/2025

2024 Stats for Portage County CISM team.