Building First Responder Resiliency

08/12/2026

This past week has brought tremendous loss across Volusia County, throughout Florida, and within the greater first-responder community.

Different uniforms. One family. Volusia stands together.

To every first responder, dispatcher, veteran, colleague, and family member carrying the weight of these losses: you are not alone. It is okay to not be okay, and you do not have to carry it by yourself.

Building First Responder Resiliency is here to offer confidential peer support, connection, and resources; today and in the days ahead. Please reach out if you need someone to talk to or simply someone willing to listen.

We remember those we have lost, stand beside those who are grieving, and continue to carry one another through. 💙

Call 386-777-7337 ext 104 for more information

United by service, strengthened by one another.

08/05/2026

🌟 BFRR Staff Spotlight: Kayla Oakley-Senn 🌟

This week, we are proud to spotlight Kayla Oakley-Senn, the Program Lead for BFRR.

Over the last three years, Kayla has helped support the growth of the BFRR program, working to expand connection, outreach, and support for the first responder and veteran community.

Kayla brings a unique perspective to this work as the child of first responder parents. She understands the long hours, mandatory shifts, missed holidays, and the dinner table conversations that often came with hearing about difficult and gruesome calls. She also understands the emotional weight that first responders and their families can quietly carry.

After suddenly losing her father in 2023, Kayla made it her passion to support the first responder community in his name. Through BFRR, she works to honor his legacy by helping create a space where first responders, veterans, and their families feel seen, supported, and reminded that they do not have to carry it all alone.

Thank you, Kayla, for the heart, dedication, and purpose you bring to BFRR and to the community we serve. 💙

08/05/2026

In honor of Ronnie Huth, we invite those who knew and worked alongside him to join us for a gathering of comfort and connection.

This will be a safe, supportive space to come together, remember Ronnie, and support one another through this difficult loss. There is no expectation to speak, come as you are, stay for as long as you need, and simply be present with others who understand.

Support will be available from Building First Responder Resiliency Peer Support Team, along with the comforting presence of Pawfection Therapy Dogs.

Please share with anyone who may benefit from being surrounded by support during this time.

08/04/2026

07/31/2026

This week, Building First Responder Resiliency brought A Window Between Worlds back to the Deltona Fire Department for one of our quarterly creative wellness sessions.

This session, firefighters created faux stained glass. Each piece represented how difficult experiences can be transformed into something meaningful, and how every color, crack, and layer can become part of a larger story of strength, resilience, and hope.

A Window Between Worlds uses trauma-informed art activities to give participants a safe, creative way to process emotions, reduce stress, build connections, and express things that may be difficult to put into words. For first responders who regularly carry the weight of challenging calls and experiences, these sessions offer an opportunity to slow down, reflect, and focus on their own well-being.

We were also joined by Angel and Scout from Pawfection Therapy. Their presence brought a sense of calm to the room, and also brought out the pure excitement of little kids meeting puppies!

We are grateful to the Deltona Fire Department for continuing to prioritize the wellness of its firefighters.

Is your department or organization interested in hosting A Window Between Worlds? Email [email protected] for more information.

07/29/2026

🌟 BFRR Staff Spotlight: Liam Riden 🌟

This week, we are proud to spotlight Liam Riden, our newest BFRR peer specialist.

In his short time with BFRR, Liam has already become such an asset to our team and to the first responder and veteran community. Liam brings valuable experience as both prior law enforcement and a Marine veteran, allowing him to connect with participants through a deep understanding of service, transition, and the challenges that can come with both.

Liam excels at supporting his participants and brings a great deal of knowledge, compassion, and guidance, especially when helping veterans navigate the VA system and access the resources they need.

When Liam is not working as a peer, he is being an amazing father, running a mental health practice, and serving others as a life coach.

Thank you, Liam, for the dedication, insight, and support you bring to BFRR and to the people we serve. 💙

07/28/2026

Join Us Tomorrow!

Wednesdays are all about connection, conversation, and community with Building First Responder Resiliency.

☕ Common Grounds
Join us at 9:00 AM at Boston Coffee House, located at 1573 Saxon Blvd., Unit 105, Deltona. This casual coffee meetup is a space for first responders and veterans to connect, decompress, and spend time with others who understand.

💻 After the Call
Join us virtually at 5:30 PM for a confidential peer-support group for first responders and veterans. Come as you are—participate in the conversation or simply listen.

Zoom Meeting ID: 852 0324 9720

You do not have to navigate life after the call alone. We hope to see you tomorrow! 💙

07/22/2026

🌟 BFRR Staff Spotlight: Glenn East 🌟

This week, we are proud to spotlight Glenn East, one of our dedicated BFRR peer specialists and a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist.

Glenn is a retired Battalion Chief from Clay County and a veteran, bringing a powerful and unique perspective to his work with first responders and veterans. His experience as a Battalion Chief gives him a deep understanding of leadership, responsibility, and the emotional weight that can come with responding to difficult calls.

Glenn also understands the loneliness that can come from carrying those experiences, especially when leaders are expected to return to their unit and process the impact of those calls on their own. Through BFRR, he uses that lived experience to connect with others, offer support, and remind first responders and veterans that they do not have to carry it alone.

When Glenn is not serving as a peer, he is working at the state level to help create and strengthen Community Paramedicine programs, which greatly improve access to care and support within our communities.

Thank you, Glenn, for the leadership, compassion, and experience you bring to BFRR and to the first responder and veteran community. 💙

07/15/2026

🌟 BFRR Staff Spotlight: Candice O’Brien 🌟

This week, we are proud to spotlight Candice O’Brien, one of our dedicated BFRR peer specialists and a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist.

Candice brings a strong first responder background to her role. She began her career in nursing, but after realizing she wanted to move beyond the four walls of healthcare, she joined the fire service, where she served as a firefighter/medic. She also has experience working in corrections, giving her a well-rounded understanding of the unique challenges faced by first responders.

Candice shows immense empathy in everything she does. While she may no longer be putting out fires in the field, she excels at helping put out the fires in her participants’ lives. She has an extraordinary way of connecting with people, meeting them where they are, and being a beacon of light during some of their lowest moments.

When Candice is not doing peer work, she is an artist, working to merge the healing power of art with the first responder community.

Thank you, Candice, for the compassion, creativity, experience, and dedication you bring to BFRR and to the first responder and veteran community. 💙