December 2020 Edition Fraternal Order of Police Wellness Services 2020 National Fraternal Order of Police
In Memory Michael Violette 1946 2020 On October 16 the National Officer Wellness Committee lost a dedicated and honored member We will never forget his devotion to this Order or his dedication to the wellness of his brothers and sisters in blue
December 2020 Edition 701 Marriott Dr Nashville TN 37214 615 399 0900 or 800 451 2711 Fax 615 399 0400 Sherri Martin Director of Wellness Services SherriMartin fop net National Executive Board Patrick Yoes President Joe Gamaldi Vice President Jimmy Holderfield Secretary Tom Penoza Treasurer Les Neri 2nd Vice President Keith Turney Sgt at Arms Rob Pride Chairman of Trustees 701 Marriott Dr Wellness Committee Nashville TN Chair Sherri Martin 37214Bourret Darrin 615 Sean 399 0900 or Harper 800 451 2711 Corey Nooner Fax 615 399 0400 Mike Violette Ryan Schroerlucke Oleta Davis Robert Turner Even though this is a busy time of year it s more important than ever to remain focused on self care and wellness Wellness encompasses all aspects of emotional mental and physical wellbeing It is important to schedule time to rest and recharge even if it means delegating some holiday tasks so that you can enjoy and experience the season with friends and family www fop net
IN As the National Officer Wellness Committee builds the Power In Peers curriculum in law enforcement peer support we would like to hear from our members who will be served by this effort Let your voice be heard in this quick 4 question poll https www surveymonkey com r PowerInPeers www fop net
December 2020 Edition By Sherri Martin With so many things to do and keep track of during the busy time of year around the holidays it might seem like one more task to keep up with wellness However with just a few minutes of strategizing and planning we can give ourselves and our loved ones the gift that keeps on giving our health Consider these important priorities to keep going strong www fop net
December 2020 Edition Stay active while enjoying quality time with loved ones It s tough to make time for every task and all the friends and family in your life during this busy season However staying physically active while catching up with loved ones can often be combined Get together with a friend you haven t seen in awhile and go for a walk or a workout Send a simple holiday greeting or make a phone call to send well wishes while doing other mundane tasks around the house Engage the kids in a holiday activity that you enjoy you never know where new family holiday traditions might be built Practice self control when it comes to food and be mindful of your alcohol consumption There are so many delicious temptations during the holidays While it isn t easy leading a healthy lifestyle has to be a year round practice Indulge but be mindful and try one or two favorites instead of one of each item offered While attending holiday parties whether small pandemic family get togethers or virtual shindigs it can be easy to lose count of how many drinks we ve had Remember those spiked eggnogs pack on pounds If you drink alcoholic beverages remember that like other goodies and treats consuming in moderation is key Plan ahead and stick to your budget A little bit of planning goes a long way Make a list of those special people you want to give to this season and jot down an idea or two about what you would www fop net
December 2020 Edition like to get and how much you want to spend Having a plan in place will save time when you are shopping and money when you have the impulse to buy things not on your list Consider participating in gift exchanges so that fewer gifts need to be purchased For many time is more valuable than money The most valuable thing you can do may be scheduling your holiday tasks so that you can finish and spend more time with loved ones Try to get adequate sleep and prioritize me time Everyone needs time to rest and recharge even during busy times Schedule a regular time to do this once or twice a week Me time can be whatever you want whether it is time to go for a run do yoga sleep a few more hours work on a hobby or just collect your thoughts by writing or reading a good book Keep up traditions Some of the best things about the holidays are going back to special memories made with family and friends Making new traditions can be just as fun This year life during the pandemic has taught us a lot of new ways of doing everyday things seek one positive change that might become a new permanent tradition for your family Enjoy those things that we have always done too Take the family to see holiday lights make those favorite cookies and enjoy the sounds of holiday music Traditions bring us feelings of consistency and connectedness and keep us focused on what matters most during the holidays www fop net
Have you tried Burn Along I have Not just a site for workout programs Burn Along has programs for meditation healthy eating and more Check it out the first 30 days are free Sherri Martin FOP National Director of Wellness Services
December 2020 Edition Quick Wellness Gift Ideas www fop net
December 2020 Edition We all know what comes after the holidays NEW YEAR S RESOLUTIONS Give your loved ones or yourself a jump start on heading into a healthier 2021 Here s a quick list of gift ideas geared toward wellness A pass to an exercise or dance class There might be a new way of being active that has not been explored Maybe ballroom dancing Maybe yoga Trying new things expands our range of possibilities engages our mind and helps us learn about ourselves while keeping our bodies active A win all the way around A massage or spa service Most spas are back open with updated safety and cleaning protocols in place Spa services are a treat that also contributes to relaxation Many of our ladies haven t had the chance to keep up with regular manicures or pedicures during the pandemic and would love to get back to that simple treat A basket of healthy snacks This is a perfect choice for a busy family that is always on the go Gifting some choices that are nourishing but quick may point toward a new favorite Most health food and vitamin stores now have a wide range of great tasting snacks that keep energy high without a lot of added sugar or calories www fop net
December 2020 Edition Something to encourage a hobby Know someone who loves to paint or work with wood Creative thinking keeps us flexible and people find a great deal of positive emotion in creating It s important to remember that play is not only for kids A new book on a wellness topic In previous editions of our monthly FOP Wellness newsletter we posted suggested books on various topics related to police wellness Gift one to a coworker or family member For suggestions on a range of great reads related to wellness reach out to the National Officer Wellness Committee at officerwellness fop net Wearable fitness tracker From FitBit to Apple Watch there are a range of options available Devices are becoming more advanced everyday and are suitable for the novice exerciser to the Olympic athlete Able to track heart rate sleep effectiveness weight body fat and more they make a great partner for keeping track of progress A simple journal Often just a chance to gather our thoughts by writing them down can be the greatest gift Journals can be used for pouring out emotions that may be difficult to show for planning future events for setting and tracking goals or for anything else that flows from our thoughts Just a few quiet moments spent each day jotting things down can bring calm www fop net
COVID 19 SURVEY The National Fraternal Order of Police is committed to listening to the voices of our members In recent months the COVID 19 pandemic has affected the working conditions of law enforcement officers across this country and the world Because we recognize this impact we ask that members share their experiences in the following survey of Police Officer Experiences During the COVID 19 Pandemic We hope that this brief survey will help us further understand your experiences during the pandemic and will enable us to find avenues for providing support to our members https www surveymonkey com r FOPCOVID 19
December 2020 Edition If you missed the live webinar on October 27th How to Prevent a Global Crisis from Becoming a Personal One Stress Management in High Stress Times a link to the recorded webinar will soon be available The FOP was proud to work with our CRI TAC partners to produce this webinar which was hosted by the National Sheriffs Association Now online Check out the Police Resilience Symposium that took place virtually September 22 24 Featuring 40 speakers from 7 countries the Resilience Symposium is packed with information on law enforcement wellness www resiliencesymposium org If you missed the webinar sessions presented November 17 22 by Transformations Treatment Center s Help For Our Heroes Program you have a second chance to view it here www fop net
December 2020 Edition The FOP National Officer Wellness Committee wishes all our brothers and sisters a safe happy and healthy holiday season www fop net
December 2020 Edition Steps to Reduce Police Fatigue Given the current circumstances in our profession the workload of officers is not apt to soon decrease However there are things that officers can do Officers can control how they choose to react to stressful incidents acknowledge that fatigue plays a direct role on personal stress levels Officers will react as they have been trained when they are properly rested and alert In addition law enforcement officers can 1 Plan meals and make healthy eating choices and stop eating high calorie fast food 2 Plan vacation and downtime Write it down and stick to it 3 See your doctor regularly for checkups 4 Share the workload and reduce the amount of overtime 5 Live within your means so that moonlighting that second job is not necessary 6 Create a realistic exercise program and form healthy habits 7 Create a Patrol Buddy program and make time to check on each other 8 Keep your civilian friends and get away from the job no shop talk on downtime www fop net
December 2020 Edition Chateau Recovery First Responder Resiliency Program Midway UT www chateau com firstresponders FHE Health Inc Shatterproof Program Deerfield Beach FL https fherehab com services first responders Transformations Treatment Center Help For Our Heroes Program Delray Beach FL https helpforourheroes com Warrior s Heart Bandera TX www warriorsheart com www fop net
December 2020 Edition Dr Kevin Gilmartin s Emotional Survival For Law Enforcement is an essential and classic read for police officers and their families From his explanation of the emotional rollercoaster often involved in doing the work of a first responder to an exploration of how work in law enforcement changes us this book makes clear what life in a law enforcement career is like Often the go to for many police wellness and training programs this book has changed the lives of many officers for the better www fop net
December 2020 Edition There is ALWAYS another option www fop net