International Association of Fire Fighters Local 18   /   Vancouver Fire Rescue Services 

​VANFIRE Wellness


​​​What To Do After a Tough Call

If you're feeling off after a call, this is for you.
You might feel wired, shut down, angry, numb, jumpy, flat, or spaced out. Maybe you can’t stop replaying what happened. Maybe you feel nothing at all. Either way, you’re not broken. You’re reacting like a human being to something that is not meant to be seen or carried alone.

This page is built for firefighters and first responders to quickly access tools that work. Whether you’re home, stuck in the rig, or trying to sleep at the hall, these are real, science-backed ways to take care of yourself in the first few days after a critical incident. Use what works. Leave what doesn’t. The key is doing something to help your system reset.

What’s Going On In Your Body

After a major call, your brain and body shift into survival mode. You may not notice it at first. Adrenaline and cortisol spike. Your nervous system ramps up or crashes down. You're either stuck in high alert or feel totally disconnected.


Here’s what’s actually happening:

  • Adrenaline surges to keep you alive, then dumps hard
  • Cortisol floods your system, suppressing digestion, immune function, and sleep
  • Memory processing slows down, especially emotional memory
  • Heart rate variability drops, making it harder to calm down
  • Deep sleep and REM sleep get disrupted
  • Your brain’s ability to make sense of events goes offline


This is all normal. But if you do nothing, it can get stuck there.

Tools to Reset in the First 24 to 96 Hours
These are actions you can take whether you’re at the hall, at home, or on your way in

Cold and Heat Exposure
Cold water or sauna use can lower cortisol and help bring you out of that wired or shut down state.

  • End your regular shower with 60 seconds of cold water
  • If you have access to a sauna, sit for 15 to 30 minutes and follow with water and rest
  • Always rehydrate after either one


Breathing That Calms the System
Controlled breathing can calm your nervous system and stop that fight or flight loop.

  • Box breathing: Inhale 4 seconds, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4
  • Physiological sigh: Two short inhales through the nose, then a long full exhale
  • Do for just 3 to 5 minutes wherever you can get space


Movement That Shakes It Off
Movement helps burn off stress hormones and loosen the physical tension that trauma leaves behind.

  • Walk 20 minutes with no phone or noise
  • Light circuit: pushups, squats, pullups, and stretches
  • Even 5 minutes of pacing outside or around the bay helps


Get Outside or See Daylight
Natural light tells your brain the world is safe and helps reset stress chemistry.

  • Step outside in daylight for 10 minutes
  • Sit by a window if you can’t leave the hall
  • Best before noon, but anytime helps


Talk It Out, Or Just Sit With Someone
Sometimes you don’t need to say much. Just being with someone helps. But when you do talk, it can move things out of your system.

  • Say what’s bugging you to a crewmate, partner, or peer
  • Not ready to talk? Write out your thoughts or use a voice memo on your phone
  • What matters is getting it out of your head


Fuel and Water
Your brain and body recover better with real fuel. Sugar, caffeine, and alcohol can make the lows worse.

  • Eat real food within 2 hours of the call
  • Cut sugar and caffeine for a day or two
  • Drink more water than usual. Add electrolytes if needed


Sleep Smarter
Your sleep may be broken for a night or two. That is expected. But you can still support recovery.

  • Nap when you can. Even 20 minutes helps
  • Use calming audio, white noise, or breathing apps
  • Limit screen time before bed. Use a cold cloth over the eyes to help settle


Get Grounded
Stress and trauma pull you out of the moment. Grounding brings you back in.

  • Run your hands under cold water
  • Hold a piece of ice and feel it melt
  • Use this technique: five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, one you can taste


Transition Back to Real Life
Create a ritual to help your brain shift from incident mode back to baseline.

  • Change clothes after a rough call
  • Take a five minute walk before heading home
  • Use the same playlist on the drive back
  • Do something familiar like making coffee or organizing your gear


Hold Off On Big Life Decisions
Your judgment is not at its best when you are dysregulated. Give it time.

  • Wait at least 72 hours before making big choices
  • Don’t send the email, make the phone call, or have the argument
  • Let your brain reset before acting on emotion


When to Get Extra Help
If any of this sticks around for more than three to five days, that is a sign to get support. Reach out if you notice:

  • Flashbacks or disturbing thoughts you can’t shake
  • Ongoing nightmares or sleep problems
  • Feeling detached or totally numb
  • Unusual anger or irritability
  • Increase in drinking, drug use, or risk taking
  • Feeling hopeless or like nothing matters
  • Thinking about death or self harm


Talk to someone. Peer Support, a counselor, a family doc. Getting help is not weakness. It is strategy.

If You Are a Crew Officer
If someone is off, say something. That simple check can stop a problem from growing.

  • wow that one was not a typical call hey? You good after that?
  • Need a minute before we jump back into calls?
  • Want to take a lap and just reset for a few?


That is leadership. That is brotherhood and sisterhood. We look out for each other.


Videos and Resources

Breathing and Grounding Techniques

Tactical Breathing for First Responders
https://www.ems1.com/mental-health/tactical-breathing-for-first-responders

Integral Breathwork for First Responders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm3hb_xJYc4

4-7-8 Breathing for Trauma Recovery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccxMJyKI8cQ

Vagus Nerve Reset Exercises
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bBOgmc45Cs

Mental Health Tools and Peer Support 5. Mental Health Playlist for First Responders
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO_pmEKewuDZldEgnXD5mVdscOwe--x0R

IAFF Behavioral Health Video Library
https://www.iaff.org/behavioral-health/video-resources/

Trauma and Resiliency for First Responders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6OIcoxiFSM

Firefighter Stories and Recovery 8. Lessons from One Critical Incident
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5vqU3sxjiw

Firefighters and Mental Wellness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfLu1mUNL7Y

Behavioral Health in the Fire Service
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y62v7S6WNI


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THIS DOESNT WORK I NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE!

Connection to Care: (on call counselling)
Monday-Friday 7am - 10pm

778-247-2273 (CARE)

​​​​The Connection to Care service is a free and confidential phone support line available to municipal workers in BC. This service connects individuals with trained mental health professionals who have completed the FireFighter Occupational Awareness Program, ensuring they understand the unique challenges and pressures associated with firefighting. You call this service to help with any stress or situation you may be facing, you dont have to be struggling to call.

​This service is not meant for crisis situations, so you don’t need to be in a crisis to reach out. You can call simply for advice or to navigate challenging life events and everyday stresses.


Theyre closed, this is way worse than anything can help me!
We hear you, we see you, and we care about you.  We WANT you to get help. Fight and Call this number.



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