What We Do
Our peers work together with local agencies, service providers, and health professionals to coordinate and connect you to the most appropriate resources you need right now. We will work with you to figure out your most urgent needs, and will be there to support you along the way. We're here to listen without judgment, placing blame, or negating your feelings. Our services are confidential, and we do not report to your chain of command.
We provide support for active and retired members of all dispatch, EMS, fire, and law enforcement agencies in Isle of Wight. Our peer team members volunteer their time because they are dedicated to helping others. If you would like to become a part of our team, just connect with a peer.
Here are just some examples of how we support our peers:
"Check In" with peers that have experienced stressful situations
Help you work through difficult calls and life events
Offer peer-to-peer calls or texts to "just talk or listen"
Provide peer-to-peer in-person meetups
Connect you with a peer that has shared similar experiences
Perform after-action "hot wash" reviews
Facilitate group peer support meetings
Schedule therapy dog visits to help reduce stress and burnout
Remove barriers that prevent access to mental health resources
Recommend trusted mental health professionals
Coordinate peer support training
Teach the mental health awareness portion of firefighter and EMT curriculums
Curate a repository of additional mental health resources, tools and services
Maintain a list of trusted, first responder-friendly community services
What we don't do:
We don't provide clinical mental health counseling. We also don't report your interactions with us to your employer, agency, or chain of command. Your privacy and confidentiality are protected by laws governing peer support programs, except as required by some mandated reportable incidents.
Isle of Wight Peer Support Team is not directly affiliated with any particular agency, and our services are not a replacement for your agency's or employer's EAP offerings.