This week, on National First Responders Day, we announced the expansion of a lifesaving resource for our front-line heroes. Standing with Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, state Senator Jay Collins and Crisis Center of Tampa Bay President & CEO Clara Reynolds, we unveiled the expansion of the First Responder Hope Line to all 67 counties in Florida — to offer critical mental-health resources for law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs and other first responders across our great state.

The Hope Line provides 24/7 lifesaving assistance to first responders and officers struggling with PTSD and other mental-health challenges. These services are critical as more than 6.6% of first responders have attempted suicide — 10 times the national average. Since 2019, more than 80 first responders committed suicide, with 12 lives lost this year alone.

So often our officers silently carry the tremendous weight of their service and feel they have no one to help lighten their load. The two recent hurricanes that struck Florida may be compounding the stress and trauma first responders face — many abandoned their own properties and families to rescue others.

The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay created the Hope Line in 2020, originally covering only five counties. This expansion will help ensure all our heroes have access to lifesaving mental-health services no matter where they serve in Florida.

First responders or law enforcement officers facing mental-health challenges can reach the Hope Line by calling 1(866) 4FL-HERO.

For more information, including where to find service-specific resources, visit LastToAsk.com.

By supporting the mental health of our first responders who sacrifice so much to protect us, we can continue building a Stronger, Safer Florida.