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Joliet Fire Department honored for community mental‑health EMS program
Summary
The City of Joliet received a national award recognizing its fire‑department‑led community mental‑health program, which trains first responders, links patients to rapid follow‑up care and uses city funds to cover services insurance won’t.
The Joliet City Council heard a presentation Tuesday recognizing the Joliet Fire Department with the 2025 Congressional Fire Services Institute and MASIMO Excellence in Fire Service‑Based EMS Award for its community mental‑health program.
The award, presented by Bill Webb of the Congressional Fire Services Institute and David Gelfin of MASIMO, honors fire departments that develop innovations in emergency medical services. The program, launched in 2022, trains paramedics and firefighters in crisis first aid, connects callers to rapid follow‑up care through partnerships with a local hospital and a counseling service, and uses a city fund to pay for services not covered by insurance, presenters said.
“This program … demonstrates a forward thinking fire department in addressing the mental health of its personnel and the citizens they have sworn to protect,” Bill Webb, executive director of the Congressional Fire Services Institute, said during the presentation. Webb told the council the selection committee included representatives of major national fire‑service organizations.
Fire Chief Jeff Carey described the program’s origins and on‑the‑street benefits, saying firefighters and paramedics are “not psychiatrists. They’re not mental health professionals. They’re just looking for the tools and resources to be able to help.” He said the program provides same‑day or next‑day connections to mental‑health providers in many cases and is expanding countywide.
The council and presenters credited the council’s financial support as a factor in the department’s selection for the national award. The presentation was made publicly and no formal council action was required.
The award will be formally presented in Washington, D.C., at CFSI’s national dinner; department leaders accepted the honor there in February and brought the recognition to the council meeting for local acknowledgement.
The council did not take action related to the award during the meeting, but city officials said the program will continue to expand partnerships and services for Joliet residents.
