Bridget Bender

Background

About Bridget Bender

For more than twenty years, I served the city of Minneapolis as a firefighter, fire captain, and EMT. I am passionate about improving the health and safety of other frontline workers, especially those who face work-related psychological injuries. That is why I also run a small, private psychotherapy practice, where I specialize in treating first responders and health care workers. In addition, I am the executive board president of FIRST, a non-profit membership organization that provides support, advocacy, and education for first responders and their families. Through FIRST, I collaborate with other professionals and academics in various fields, such as healthcare, higher education, research, and social work. I am also in my final year of a PhD program in environmental health sciences at the University of Minnesota, where I received a fellowship from the Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety to research firefighter sleep health and occupational injury prevention.