This week marks Mental Health Awareness Week, a highly important week in not just the fire safety industry, but across all industries from financial services, public health, construction and manufacturing.  

Mental Health Awareness Week, is set up by the Mental Health Foundation each year, and it aims to raise awareness about mental health issues, promote the need for open conversations and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health in today’s world. Let’s face it, when your mind is healthy and happy you can do great things, which makes this relevant and incredibly important. 

This year’s theme is ‘action’, and, as we all know it is more important to take positive steps to help reduce mental health stigma, promote open conversations and help people improve their mental health, as awareness is only half the battle. Real change only happens when awareness and action come together.  

Here are a few statistics to paint a picture of the issues we are facing as a society. 

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that in 2024/25:  

• There were 964,000 cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety.  
• Stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 52% of all work-related ill-health cases and 62% of all working days lost due to work-related ill-health.  
• The main factors cited as causing work-related stress, depression or anxiety include the demands of the job, lack of control, lack of information and support, work relationships, and roles and responsibilities. 

The FIA and Mates in Mind: Joining forces to make real life change 

The Fia and our partners Mates In Mind are working together to help employers across the fire industry develop the skills, resources and confidence to address mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. Through this continuing collaboration, FIA Members will have access to tools that allow them to: 

• Raise awareness and improve understanding of mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. 
• Implement effective support and preventative measures. 
• End the stigma around mental health by having open conversations. 
• Create and build a culture that supports mental wellbeing at all levels. 

How you can get involved 

There are many ways you can get involved in Mental Health Awareness Week, and you can participate as much as you want to. The main goal of the week is to encourage everyone from directors, team leaders to junior staff to raise awareness of the current mental health situation, how this can be resolved and how we can help people across the industry have a stronger, more resilient and healthier mental wellbeing. 

Firstly, our partners, Mates in Mind have a host of free resources - from infographics on how to spot the signs of someone struggling,  guides on how managers can better support their workforces and a mental health quiz allowing you to test your knowledge and see what areas you need to learn more on.  

Access resources here. 

Conclusion  

To learn more about how Mates In Mind supports mental health in the fire industry, visit the FIA partnership page – View link

During Mental Health Awareness Week, we encourage all members and partners to take a moment to reflect, talk and support each other. Together we can continue building an industry where mental health is treated with the same importance as physical safety.