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On this episode of\xa0Inside EMS,\xa0co-hosts\xa0Chris Cebollero\xa0and\xa0Kelly\xa0Grayson\xa0are joined by Dan Phillips, national director of Responder Health, who speaks with the co-hosts about first responder mental health\xa0and how to make a difference.\xa0\n\nAs most are aware, 2020 was an immensely difficult year for many people, particularly\xa0first\xa0responders, who were on the frontlines and exposed to the devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. From risking exposure to the disease\xa0to responding to crisis situations exacerbated by nearly a year of isolation, first\xa0responders are experiencing unprecedented levels of stress and trauma. And, unfortunately, many don\u2019t have the tools to deal with these extreme emotions in a\xa0healthy way.\n\n\u201cAfter 28 years as a first\xa0responder, and as someone who battled PTSD, the one thing I believe that all first\xa0responders have in common is that they are more focused on helping others rather than taking care of themselves,\u201d Phillips said. \u201cIn the midst of this pandemic, our first\xa0responders need to be making sure that they are taking care of themselves and the other first\xa0responders around them. If they aren\u2019t, they cannot effectively help those they are serving.\u201d\n\nPhillips says intervention from a colleague led to him finally seeking treatment after\xa0experiencing severe PTSD stemming from his response as a first responder to the Pentagon after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11.\xa0Now, Phillips\xa0hopes to pay it forward and serve as a mentor for others, as his colleague did for him.