ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida is no stranger to tragedy, and the people who protect us need protection, too.
But until now, help wasn’t always there for first responders facing the emotional toll of their work.
That changed this week as UCF RESTORES, a nationally recognized mental health program, unveiled its first-of-its-kind Resiliency Command Center at the University of Central Florida.
The mobile behavioral health unit is designed to bring trauma-informed care and mental health resources directly to first responders at the scenes of crises, including hurricanes, mass casualty incidents and other disasters.
“It’s long overdue. Because every day our first responders put themselves in dangerous situations to protect the rest of us, and we need to be there for them. So this unit allows us to go where we are most needed, when we are most needed, and help them in their time of recovery,” said Dr. Deborah Beidel, director of UCF RESTORES.
The program, supported by the Florida Legislature, the State Fire Marshal, Lockheed Martin and UCF, aims to fill a critical gap in emergency response. Until now, mental health support was often provided in makeshift spaces, lacking privacy and structure. The new command center features private consultation rooms for one-on-one counseling, staff quarters, and areas for first responders to rest and recover.
UCF RESTORES hopes the new unit will help more than 5,000 first responders across the state, providing critical support during and after disasters.
Lt. Dustin Hawkins of Indian River Fire Rescue, a veteran firefighter, called the center “a game changer.”
“That’s less folded flags, that’s less names on the memorial wall. That’s less families that just drift away because they lost their loved one, or succumb to a mental health crisis. So what would this have meant? Everything,” Hawkins said.
The Resiliency Command Center is ready to deploy for hurricane season, which begins June 1.
Leaders say it marks a significant step forward in ensuring Florida’s first responders no longer have to face the emotional aftermath of tragedy alone