Behind the Line Support

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Behind the Line Support

Supporting those on the line & the ones at home supporting them

08/10/2025

THIS! This is why the page got started. Hoping to share stories and information that people can relate to and not feel alone.

We don’t always share the funny stuff or get the likes the funny stuff does, but it’s our goal to make sure we share things that may just help one person. Making just one person feel they are not alone in their struggles and provide them with information that may just change their direction.

Don’t be afraid to share your stories with others. Rather than looking at them like wounds, picture them as battle scars. Our uncomfortable conversation may just be the story that saves someone else!

“Scars remind us that the past is real”

08/05/2025

Whats your thought reading this?
What makes us different from “normal” people?

Psychology has proven that we are all born typically with the same patterns and the same neurological processes. Why do we run towards danger and not flee like everyone else?

As the bodies fight or flight system activates, cortisol is being dumped into our bodies to keep us safe, raising our heart rates, respiration rates, getting the body ready for survival. Yet we choose not to flee and to advance. Our safety becomes their safety, our survival becomes ensuring the survival of others.

What instincts do we have as the post suggests that can totally rewrite our mental mindsets and our neurological backgrounds?

Can we say it comes from experience? past experience? training? education? stupidity?

I do believe our response is based off the conceieved threat from our previous experiences. We know the possibility of a postive outcome, we know from training and experience that we can probably handle the situation, we have been here before and we know what to do. Rewiring our brains and our neurological system.

Don’t think past experiences play a major role? then why does a person with experience act totally different than a person with limited or
none? 20 years on the job is much different than doing the job for 20 years for the first time.

Remember, we’re not superheroes and we do have changes to our neurological systems especially as it pertains to PTSD. Take care of yourself, maybe we aren’t as normal as we think.

08/03/2025

A huge thank you to M&M resin works for the awesome job on our mental health “thinking man”!

This peice was made custom with the mental health awareness green bottom and the man deep in his thoughts. Hopefully you can see the small bubbles throughout his body representing the hundreds of thoughts that can bottle up inside us weighing us down. Such an impressive peice and made right near here in New Bedford!

Make sure to check them out and order one to help show your support of mental health awareness!

Love to hear your thoughts on it! Comment below and let us know!

07/29/2025

When you look back at pictures of you new on the job do you see someone else?

Looking at pictures from 24 years ago, its hard to see the person thats in the mirror everyday. We all see the memes of first responders at age 20 looking 60 and laugh, but the job not only ages you, but mentally changes you.

Looking at the young firefighter I can see the careless, wild, excited, passionate, dedicated, and happy guy. That changed drastically. The last few years were spent looking miserable, defeated, alone, depressed, and possibly intoxicated.

Years on the job seeing what life is really about will take its toll. You don’t get to live in a fantasy world and unfortunately you see life for what it really is. You sometimes see the up’s but typically witness the down’s for people. Seeing tragedy, death, blood and gore. Seeing the ugly side of society, the violence, abuse, and neglect.

If you look in the mirror and see someone you don’t like, you don’t recognize, or someone who looks lost and alone, it doesn’t have to be that way. There’s resources that can “turn that frown upside down” and ways to getting back to the life you want. You just have to be willing to do the work.

Never settle for this is how I need to be. Ask and seek the resources. Don’t know where, send us a message. Remember, you never have to be alone. Just like a car, sometimes we just need tune up to get back running at idle rather than in the red zone.

***de

07/28/2025

Did this stop your scrolling and get your attention?

Thats what happens. Suicides will stop you in your tracks and make your mind start going crazy while processing.

Now instead of it being a random sign, imagine it being a post of your family member, coworker, or friend.

This has happened to me 5 different times.

Now the shock kicks in, the mind starts replaying your last conversations, you look at their texts, you check there social media, you start wondering why, how come, when, and how.

You text your mutual friends, your emotions are
peaked. How could this ever happen?, why didn’t they reach out?, what else could I have done?, is this real?

The fact about su***de is that no one can be ready and we will never have the answers that we want. If you have a suspicion that someone isn’t doing ok, do what you can to get them help. Remember, they may not want the help and there is only so much you can do.

Always be the person that promotes its ok not to be ok. Its ok that we struggle and be the strong support person that people can turn to without fear of judgement. If you have struggled, be honest, you never know how that might make someone else feel when they themselves go through something.

The worst feeling is feeling alone even when your not.

If and when the time comes don’t wish you did something then. Be the person you’d want there for you now.

***de ***de

07/24/2025

To Love a First Responder

To love a first responder is to live with a quiet kind of courage.

It’s understanding that some nights, they’ll come home with more than just exhaustion — they carry the weight of things they can’t speak about. You’ll see it in their eyes, hear it in the way they fall silent mid-sentence, feel it in the long pauses between breaths.

To love a first responder is to let go of normal. Holidays may be spent alone. Birthdays might be missed. Texts go unanswered for hours — not because they don’t care, but because someone else’s worst day became their responsibility.

It’s knowing that their mind might still be on the call they just left, even while they’re sitting beside you. It’s holding space for them without needing all the details. It’s choosing patience over panic, support over questions.

To love a first responder is to accept that fear will live quietly beside you — fear of that one call that changes everything. But it’s also pride. Immense pride. For who they are, what they stand for, and what they endure.

You love them not because of the uniform, but because of the heart that beats beneath it — the one strong enough to save strangers and soft enough to need saving, too.

And loving them means being that safe place they can return to, again and again — no matter what the day brings.

-VitalShotsLV

07/17/2025

If this photo doesn't describe the dedication and response by the men and women of the Fall River Fire Department, I don't know what else would.

As a first responder of over 20 years, I can say there is no preparation that can provide you the mindset to arrive to what all these first responders did. We train, we practice, we talk extreme scenarios, but when it's in your face, it slaps you. Hard.

Our brains are incredible with how they work, but our brains cannot properly handle an overload such as this one. Within seconds on arrival to a scene we send more information than it can handle. Yet it does. All while shutting down the very systems designed to keep us safe that make most people run away.

When the call is said and done, the physical exhaustion sets in along with the mental drain. Every firefighter turns into a storyteller going over the event. Why? the more we talk the more our brains are able to try and process what we just did.

Promote the conversations, promote the discussions. Promote sitting around the kitchen table or apparatus floor talking and telling stories. The more we talk the better we feel. Don't leave out the emotions, show them. As a senior member of the department, it's your job to show the newer members that it's ok to show how you actually feel.

Your honesty about your feelings may literally save someone's life since they know you're a trustworthy source for them. If your honest about them, they can trust you. They won't worry about you judging them or making fun of them because you put yourself out there. Be the change.

07/15/2025

To the family members and spouses of Fall Rivers first responders,

The upcoming days, weeks, and months may be challenging and just might be some of the toughest times for you and your loved one. Its not your responsibility to understand exactly what your loved one went through, its just important that they know your their when they are ready to talk.

They may not open up to you about what they did, what they saw, or what they are thinking. Especially in the upcoming days, their brains are trying to process the horrific events that they witnessed with all the emotions put together. They may not know what to say or what to think. Don’t take it personal!

Open up to a friend or family member, don’t let yourself become bottled up to the point your in a bad situation. As much as they need support and to talk, so do you! Don’t have someone your comfortable with, reach out to us!

Its natural to want to be the helper or problem solver for there problems. It hurts to see them going through something, but its important to let them process how they need (as long as its healthy and not detrimental to their health).

To often, we forget to address the loved ones at home while constantly supporting those who were at the scene. Its equally important to make sure that were checking in on the spouses and family members. Making sure they are ok, do they need resources, do they just need to talk, but most importantly to know they are equally as supported and will not be alone.

If you seek resources or just need an ear to listen to you, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

07/14/2025

To our brothers and sisters in Fall River, this morning is a somber day for all of you. Take a deep breath, try and relax, hopefully you catch up on some sleep.

We listened to the radio last night, unbelievable circumstances and power shown by all involved, that's all we will discuss about it.

Now is the time to focus on today, tomorrow, and the days to come. Ensure that you're checking in on each other and promote that upset feelings are completely normal especially with what took place and what you were faced with.

Losing a life carries the weight of the world on the shoulders of the first responders involved. Loosing 9 people, plus the multiple rescues, and dramatic images you all faced is nothing to try and push to the back. Now is the time to come together and be a true family.

If you or someone you know is struggling, reach out for resources. Seeking help when your struggling is a sign of strength and not a weakness. Its ok not to be ok.

You never have to be alone.

City of Fall River Police Department
City of Fall River Emergency Medical Services
City of Fall River Fire Department

07/13/2025

How often do we check our equipment to ensure its reliable? Whats the consequences if we leave it in service without addressing it?

Why don’t we do the samething when we look in the mirror everyday?

We are great at masking the issues yet;
- We never want to sit inside our own thoughts
- We seek mood enhancers (alcohol) to smile
- We constantly work to stay busy
- We always say, “I’m good”

Whats the most important thing on the fire ground? US! If we are not mentally doing ok, are we reliable or should we fix the issue so no one has to worry that something may go wrong.

Don’t be afraid to take yourself out of service for a little while to make the necessary repairs you need. There are repair facilities out there that focus on fixing us, all you need to do is recognize your issue and be willing to fix it.

07/11/2025

Some swag seen out in the wild in New Hampshire!

Help spread the word on first responder mental health awareness by checking out our online store at www.btlsupport.net

07/09/2025

Tonight is our spouses and family members group in Marion and they are in need of some helping hands!

They decided to purchase journals, which will be customized with motivational messages and maybe a personal touch, then be delivered to On-Site Academy and given to first responders that are going through there healing journey.

Any spouse or family member that is available to come tonight and help put the 20+ journals together, the help would greatly be appreciated!

Not to mention, you get to see what our spouses and family group is all about! We hope to see you there!

Address

Marion, MA

Website

http://www.btlsupport.net/

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