VIDEO: A coalition of public safety agencies in Washington County is seeking state funding to expand a wellness program for first responders county-wide. Since 2022, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue has partnered with the Boulder Crest Foundation to offer “Struggle Well” training to its personnel.
The peer-based program, grounded in the science of post-traumatic growth, helps first responders transform job-related stress and trauma into personal development while providing coping mechanisms for emotional distress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Sammi Lundeby, a firefighter paramedic with TVF&R, completed the training in 2024 and now serves as a guide for her peers. She said the program builds resilience after difficult calls and helps responders transition from constant vigilance on duty to peace at home.
“That transition space, there’s friction there,” Lundeby said. “How do I go from living 24 hours in a station where I’m hyper vigilant about looking around me and what to do, to how do I transition into my home life where I’m not treating that like a fire station and barking at the people in my life?”
About 40% of TVF&R staff have completed the training. Now, leaders want to expand it department-wide and bring it to other first responder agencies across the county.
