Itasca, IL, October 3, 2025 – Darley, in partnership with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Fire Service Thought Leadership Essay Contest – Understanding the “Why” Behind Mental Health Challenges in the Fire Service. Now in its fourth year, this year’s initiative challenged firefighters nationwide to explore the critical yet often overlooked mental health issues within their ranks.

The purpose of this competition was to explore and uncover the underlying factors that shape mental health challenges in the fire service, beyond the obvious demands of a high-risk, life-saving profession. “Understanding the ‘why’ behind these challenges is crucial if we want to create meaningful, lasting solutions,” said Paul Darley, President & CE

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