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SPOKANE VALLEY FIRE LAUNCHES NEW CORDICO APP FOR FIREFIGHTERS HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Apr 28, 2020

For Immediate Release: 

April 28, 2020

Contact:

Julie Happy

Community Affairs Manager

Spokane Valley Fire

509.892.4155

SPOKANE VALLEY FIRE LAUNCHES NEW CORDICO APP FOR FIREFIGHTERS HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) Fire Chief, Bryan Collins, announced today at a media briefing, plans to provide the Spokane Valley Fire Department with a Firefighter wellness App to support their mental health and well-being. The wellness tool will be an App installed on phones to help Spokane Valley Firefighters with their personal health and wellness needs. Many Firefighters experience PTSD after years of service in traumatic situations.

“Our firefighters face tremendous mental and physical stressors, pressures, and demands throughout the course of their careers,” said Spokane Valley Fire Department Fire Chief, Bryan Collins.  “We need to make sure that they are healthy and well, and always present for our communities when called to serve.”

The Cordico App is a tool that allows Firefighters a place to leave their work at work, go home and be present there, and most importantly have a chance at that work-life balance.

“Sometimes Firefighters can’t unsee or unhear some of those 911 calls they go on.  Some of them are heart wrenching.  Some of them are painful.  All of them become memories that as a Firefighter, we have to manage and set aside to meet each new day’s emergency call,” said Firefighter and Local 876 President, Shawn Pichette. “This Wellness App provides First Responders confidential access to therapists, peer support, help with emotional stress, stress management, PTSD and other needs.”

The Wellness App provides access to therapists, peer support, and the leading Firefighter wellness solution available nationwide offering confidential, in-hand, on-demand 24/7 access to 30+ modules on topics such as alcohol, depression, emotional health, family support, financial fitness, mindfulness, psychological first aid, sleep optimization, and stress management.

“First responders tend to build walls in order to separate themselves from the harsh reality of their job,” said SVFD Fire Commissioner, Mike Kester. “In doing so, some take it home and keep up those walls with their loved ones. There’s no way to decompress as it were.”

Dr. David Black, CEO of Cordico emphasized, “No one should ever feel blocked from accessing help at times of need due to their schedule or location or concerns about confidentiality, and that is especially true for our public safety personnel who dedicate their professional lives to responding to others’ emergencies.”

About Cordico

Cordico proudly serves hundreds of public service agencies as the trusted provider of psychological services and innovative wellness programs. Cordico’s mobile wellness apps are aimed at strengthening workforce retention, resilience and well-being. The CordicoFire Wellness Solution provides 24/7/365 confidential support for Firefighters. CordicoFire places the most comprehensive and trusted wellness resources directly into the hands of Firefighters so that high-quality, customized wellness support is available on-demand, at the push of a button.

Learn more at https://www.cordico.com/fire/.

Cordico Media contact:

Kevin Dacy

Phone: 844-CORDICO (1-844-267-3426)

 About Spokane Valley Fire Department
Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) serves a population of 125,000, including the cities of Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake and Millwood, as well as surrounding unincorporated areas within the 75-square miles of Spokane County Fire District 1. In 2019, SVFD firefighter crews, including its paramedics and EMTs, responded to more than 18,326 emergency calls.

Established eighty years ago in 1940, SVFD is committed to pursuing excellence and is distinguished as an Accredited Agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and by the fire district’s ISO Class 2 rating from the Washington Survey and Rating Bureau.

Connect with SVFD at: spokanevalleyfire.com. For department news, safety information, and timely updates, find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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Media Contact

  • Julie Happy
  • 509-892-4155

Commissioner Patrick Burch

Board Member Since: July 18, 2016
Current term expires: December 31, 2025

Commissioner Burch was appointed to the Board of Fire Commissioners in July 2016 to fill an unexpired term and has served continuously since that time. He became a volunteer member of the Department’s CERT Team in 2008 and later served as a team leader/member of Fire Corps.

“I admire the Spokane Valley Fire Department’s focus on continuous improvement. Our dedication to the community, fiscal responsibility and the fact that we are one of the few accredited fire departments in the State of Washington all make SVFD great!”

Note: As the individual appointed to this non-partisan position, Commissioner Burch was elected by voters in November 2017.

Commissioner Mike Kester

Board Member Since: January 1, 2020
Current six year term expires: December 31, 2025

Commissioner Mike Kester was elected to the Board of Fire Commissioners in November, 2019.

Commissioner Kester grew up in the Spokane area and has a deep appreciation for just how fortunate we all are to live in this beautiful area. He believes that being involved in this community is not something to take lightly.

His background includes joining the United States Coast Guard (U.S.C.G) after high school and serving on a port firefighting boat doing search and rescue in Portland, Oregon.  After the Coast Guard, he attended the University of Montana earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Resource Management.  He then went on to work for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, serving in their Parks Department.

Spokane was the next step in his career. He  went to work for the Burlington Santa Fe Railroad and the next 22 years was spent as a conductor moving freight. Commissioner Kester  retired in 2010 after a workplace injury and now,  he and his wife enjoy making meals for World War II Veterans, helping out at the YMCA ,and providing meals for those in need.

“In the 25 years of being a resident of the Spokane Valley the professionalism of the SVFD has inspired me to take an active part in bettering our community. We have one of the best fire departments in the whole Pacific Northwest. My wife and I have 3 children and 5 grandchildren. I have dedicated my life to keeping them safe.  I want to apply that dedication to our community.  Keeping us all safe is a goal we should all aspire to in one way or another. Communication within the department and with the public is, and always will be one of my primary goals.”

Commissioner John Guarisco

Board Member since: August 27, 2018
Current six year term expires: December 31, 2027

Commissioner Guarisco was appointed to the Board of Fire Commissioners in August 2018 to fill an unexpired term and has served continuously since that time. Commissioner Guarisco founded Marjoni Marketing in 2004 and in 2010 merged with MDI marketing. He then pursued Real Estate, earning his license and now, currently serves the greater Spokane area as a licensed Realtor. He has long been active in the community and has won numerous awards during his career including the Volunteer of the Year (2014) and the Community Caring Award (2010) from the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce.  He is a member of the Greater Spokane Valley Rotary Club and holds an AA degree from Spokane Falls Community College.

Note: As the individual appointed to this non-partisan position, Commissioner Guarisco was elected by voters in November 2019.

Commissioner Bill Anderson

Board Member since: January 1, 2000
Current six year term expires: December 31, 2023

Commissioner Anderson served our community as a Spokane Valley Fire Department firefighter for 29 years. Throughout his career, he worked as a firefighter, dispatcher and engineer before he was promoted and became an officer. He was Station Captain of Millwood Station 2 when he retired in 1999. During his years as firefighter, he was an active leader of Spokane Valley Firefighters Local 876 and served as a trustee on the Washington State Council of Firefighters for 25 years.

“It’s important to me that we continue the good service we’ve always given the people. We’ve accomplished a lot and are pulling in the same direction to get better. I’m very proud of the Spokane Valley Fire Department.”

Commissioner Brian Asmus

Board Member Since: June 14, 2021
Current term expires: 

Commissioner Brian Asmus was appointed to the Spokane Valley Fire Department Board of Fire Commissioners in 2021.

Commissioner Asmus is the former Liberty Lake Police Chief and current Director of Safety and Security at Central Valley School District (CVSD).

“Brian Asmus brings extensive Public Safety leadership experience, and a long history of being actively engaged in his community to his new role as a SVFD Commissioner,” said SVFD Fire Chief, Bryan Collins. “During his time as a Police Chief, Brian interacted with SVFD firefighters and administrators on a regular basis, making him very familiar with our structure, standing within our communities, as well as with many of our current SVFD board members and personnel. Brian’s experience working and collaborating on regional issues aligns nicely with SVFD’s philosophy and will help us continue to be a catalyst for local and regional excellence and innovation.”