Retired Santa Barbara Police Sgt. Mike McGrew, co‑founder and CEO of 911 At Ease International (911AEI), can speak powerfully to the unseen toll California’s fires are taking on law enforcement, firefighters, and their families—and the urgent need for trauma‑informed support during and long after the flames are out.

Trauma Lingers for First Responders After LA Fires

Sgt. Mike McGrew is quoted in a Los Angeles Times feature about the emotional toll of the recent L.A. County wildfires, highlighted on the 911 At Ease International site under the title “Trauma Lingers for First Responders After LA Fires.” In that piece, he describes how frontline trauma from fires like the Eaton Fire can stay with first responders long after the flames are out, and why confidential counseling and trusted support are critical for those who “are good in the fight” but struggle once they get home.​​

Santa Barbara, CA – As California marks the devastating one-year anniversary of the 2025 LA-area wildfires—including the deadly Eaton, Palisades, and Hurst blazes that claimed 31 lives and razed over 16,000 structures—retired Sgt. Mike McGrew, founder of 911 At Ease International (911AEI), reveals the hidden mental health crisis still gripping first responders. Despite their heroism in battling infernos with 7,500+ personnel amid delayed evacuations and federal aid battles, firefighters, deputies, and EMS workers face soaring PTSD, suicides, and family strains—issues McGrew combats daily through free, confidential counseling.​

In an exclusive for your audience, Sgt. McGrew shares raw frontline stories: responders who lost homes yet saved lives, now haunted by “cumulative trauma” that lingers long after flames die. 911AEI deployed clinicians to Rose Bowl base camps, staffed peer support, and hosted Harmony Ranch music retreats—delivering thousands of no-cost therapy hours to all agencies without stigma or red tape. “These heroes ran into hell; now we’re pulling them from its shadows,” says McGrew, whose nonprofit—launched post-Montecito debris flow—stands alone in trauma-informed care for California’s fire warriors.​

Retired Santa Barbara Police Sgt. Mike McGrew spent 31 years on the front lines of California’s worst crises—and now he’s sounding the alarm about what happens to first responders after the cameras leave the fire lines. As co‑founder and CEO of 911 At Ease International, a Santa Barbara–based nonprofit providing free, confidential, trauma‑informed counseling to first responders and their families, McGrew warns that the emotional damage from this season’s California fires will “linger long after the wildfires are out.”​

A third‑generation first responder whose family has logged more than 300 years of combined service in policing and fire, McGrew has personally watched colleagues go from “good in the fight” on the fire line to struggling in silence with depression, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts once they return home. In recent Los Angeles County wildfires, thousands of first responders faced death, destruction, and the fear of losing their own homes while evacuations were underway, even as they stayed on duty to protect others.​

Through 911 At Ease International, McGrew’s team connects police, firefighters, dispatchers, EMTs and their immediate families with professional, trauma‑informed clinicians—at no cost, with no red tape, and with strict confidentiality—to help them process “the fight after the fight.” From California to additional states now served by 911AEI, he is pushing for communities, policymakers, and departments to normalize mental health care as routine safety equipment for first responders, just like turnout gear and bulletproof vests.​

• • Timely Hook: One-year mark amplifies urgency amid state probes into response failures and ongoing insurance nightmares for victims.
  • Proven Storyteller: Featured on CBS LA, LA Times, KEYT; ex-cop who gets responder culture inside-out.
  • Actionable Insights: Exposes gaps in state programs, spotlights solutions like FIRESCOPE integration and peer networks.
  • Visuals Ready: Fire camp footage, retreat clips, responder testimonials available.