Lt. Ryan Elwood;
Awareness, Counseling and Training for First Responders
RE;ACT Foundation NFP 501(c)(3)
For immediate and anonymous or emergency situations please call:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Available 24 hours 800-273-8255 or text 988
Illinois Fire Fighter Peer Support available 24/7 at (855)90-SUPPORT(78776)
Special thanks to Bill Coons and the Creative Dynamics Studio, Inc. Team along with the Illinois Fire Fighter Peer Support (ILFFPS) for making this video possible.
What is RE;ACT
RE;ACT is the Lt. Ryan Elwood; Awareness, Counseling and
Training Fund for First Responders in need of mental
health and emotional assistance. Lt. Ryan Elwood became
an EMT in 2006 then in 2009 became a Firefighter for two
firehouses, Hometown and North Palos. In 2012, he won
the medal of Valor for saving a woman from a house fire.
He was an absolute hero. Unfortunately in September
2015, we lost him to suicide. We can only imagine the
horrors that he and many other
First Responders see on the
job every day. Currently there is
no mandatory counseling or mental health screenings required to
deal with the day-to-day distress. We believe counseling can save
lives. RE;ACT is fighting for awareness of mental health issues in
such a proud profession, providing counseling to these heroes that
keep us safe and offering support of Ryan's passion for continued
training at the Illinois Fire Institute. We are raising funds in hopes
of bringing a better quality of life to those who save ours regularly.
Mission
RE;ACT celebrates the life of Lt. RYAN ELWOOD, strives to create AWARENESS for the battle he fought, campaigns for much needed COUNSELING to help his fellow Fire Fighters and First Responders who face the same challenges each day and funds TRAINING to benefit the profession for which he was so passionate.
The semicolon is included as it has come to represent hope and love for those who are struggling with depression, suicide, addiction and self-injury.
Supports:
Illinois Firefighter Peer Support, Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance, The Illinois Fire Service Institute at U of I and supports select Fire Dept. Training budgets. Additional funds raised are allocated to support awareness in the forms of videos, postcard mailings, posters and other support for changing the stigma and culture of silence that surrounds emotional well-being among Fire Fighters and First Responders.
Contact
For immediate or emergency situations please call:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish.
800-273-8255 or text 988
Or
Illinois Peer Support available 24/7
Questions? Comments? Donations? Please contact us using the form and we will try to get back to you within 24 hours.
We are available by phone for business inquiries at 708-79-REACT (708-797-3228)