July 15, 2020

Bulletin 26-20

GROWING UP IN A FIRE FAMILY

Tune into the next Webinar on July 23rd at (7 pm)

& Welcome our new Behavioral Health Team Members

 

To Our Members and Our Families:

 

As many of you know, UFLAC and the LAFD jointly conducted the very first Family Webinar on April 14, 2020. Together, the Union President and the Fire Chief began this conversation. Based upon the comments that we received, we realize the need to continue the conversation. The focus of the next webinar, “Growing Up In A Fire Family,” came about through your feedback and we thank you and look forward to receiving your input for additional topics that you are interested in learning more about from the behavioral health field.

 

Also, UFLAC is thrilled to announce the expansion of our Behavioral Health Staff. UFLAC has hired a Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Samantha Tamburro, to work alongside Dr. Steve and we have brought on board a recent graduate from USC, Vera Rodriguez, who has joined our staff as our Behavioral Health Intern. Recognizing that the fire service is a unique workplace, we knew that we did not just want to find good, competent clinicians, but we sought professionals who also had knowledge of the fire service culture. It is widely recognized today that cultural competency is important for a clinician to be effective in the fire service environment.

 

We are excited to be able to share with you that both clinicians, Dr. Sami Tamburro and Vera Rodriguez, meet that standard. Sami is not only a Clinical Psychologist, but she is also a mother of three and married to a Glendale Firefighter. Vera comes from a fire family herself. Her dad is a Captain with the LACoFD and can help us better understand some of the issues that kids face growing up within the fire service since she brings both her higher education as well as her personal experience of the unique dynamics present in a fire family. Vera will take the lead in the upcoming discussion and Sami will guide the next Webinar, which will focus on the dynamics of being married to a Firefighter.

 

In this Webinar a variety of topics will be addressed from stress, anxiety, developmental growth, and as a parent, how to assist your child from a fire family perspective. There is an unpredictable and spontaneous element at the center of this profession which many of the challenges may derive from.  However, the Webinar will also highlight the strength and resiliency that come innately to fire families that may be beneficial in sharing with your loved ones.

 

We hope you can join us on Thursday, July 23^rd for this discussion!

 

WEBINAR DETAILS:

DATE:   THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2020

TIME:   7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

 

RSVP to Maria Rendon, UFLAC Behavioral Health Program Administrator, at [email protected].

Please click HERE to register.