Lone Star Grit: Supporting Plano Firefighters

In Texas, grit isn’t just a word. It’s a way of life.

You see it in the way they work. The way they train. The way they show up for their community and for each other.

And in Plano, Texas, it runs deep through the ranks of a fire department that serves one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, answering more than 34,000 calls for service each year.

But some of their most important work happens after the calls are over.

This October, Fire Department Coffee is proud to support Plano Fire-Rescue and the department’s growing Peer Support Team, mental health and emotional support for firefighters, their families, and surrounding departments.

For every subscription or one-time purchase from the Fire Department Coffee Club, $2 will be donated, and for every Fire Department Shirt Club, $5 will be donated to support the firefighters of Plano Fire-Rescue.

It’s a chance to back the firefighters who are always ready to go where they’re needed.

That includes their July deployment to Central Texas following deadly, devastating floods. Eighteen Plano firefighters supported rescue and recovery efforts, providing EMS coverage, search operations, and coordination with state and national task forces. It was grueling, emotionally demanding work.

But back in Plano, the Peer Support Team was already checking in.

“We stayed in constant communication with the crews deployed,” firefighter and public affairs officer Allison Smith said shortly after the six deployed. “We were making sure they’re OK. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.”

That kind of care — quiet, consistent, behind the scenes — is exactly what your support helps make possible.

A Department That Shows Up

Plano Fire-Rescue protects a city of nearly 300,000 people across 72 square miles. They operate out of 13 fire stations with a fleet that includes 13 engines, 10 ambulances, 5 ladder trucks, and specialized units for wildland, hazardous materials, community paramedicine, and technical rescue.

With a team of 413 sworn personnel and 12 civilian staff, they operate their own advanced life support EMS. They also provide assistance to neighboring cities and state task forces during disasters. The department is investing in new facilities, including a dedicated Fire Training Center and Logistics Warehouse, and will soon add Station 14.

They’re one of the most decorated departments in the state — one of only 14 in Texas to be CFAI-accredited, one of just 12 to hold CAAS accreditation, and the first department in Texas to earn an ISO-1 rating. In fact, Plano Fire-Rescue is the only agency in the state to hold all three.

But behind the certifications and credentials is something even more important: a culture that cares.

The Peer Support Team launched two years ago after the department recognized a gap between traditional city-provided mental health services and the real needs of firefighters.

“The city’s mental health resources weren’t really geared toward the kind of trauma we face on the job,” Smith said. “We needed people who understood what we were going through.”

Now 33 members strong, the team includes representatives from all three shifts and the administrative staff. These volunteers are trained to offer emotional support, connect members with counseling, and provide guidance during difficult life events — whether it’s stress after a call, a divorce, or other personal issues.

They organize annual resiliency training for the entire department, featuring guest speakers and trauma-informed clinicians. Sessions have addressed alcohol abuse, sleep recovery, stress and trauma responses, anxiety, depression, and evidence-based treatment options like EMDR.

In the most recent training, instructors walked members through the difference between acute and chronic stress, how trauma affects the body, and how to recognize when it’s time to seek help.

“We want everyone to understand that it’s OK to not be OK,” Smith said. “This team is here to help people get the right kind of care.”

The Peer Support Team also helps coordinate time off for members who need it, steps in after major calls to check on crews, and supports the families of firefighters. Their outreach even extends beyond Plano to surrounding departments and local law enforcement agencies.

“We’re not just here for our own,” she said. “If someone calls and says they need help, we’re going to be there.”

Strength Backed by Support

In the aftermath of a recent fatal multi-vehicle crash on one of Plano’s highways — an incident that involved multiple victims, including children — the Peer Support Team reached out to every firefighter on scene.

Some wanted to talk. Others needed time. Some simply appreciated knowing someone was there.

“In the past, you just pushed through and went back to work,” Smith said. “But we’re starting to realize that maybe that’s not the best option.”

Today, officers have the flexibility to let crews take time after difficult calls. Peer Support members check in and help crews decompress. Sometimes just long enough to regroup, sometimes for much longer.

They’re also involved in the department’s broader wellness push, which now includes a gradual shift to a “24 hours on, 72 hours off” schedule to improve recovery between shifts. The city council recently approved the change. The department plans to hire 22 new firefighters each year over the next five years to full support the effort.

“It’s about taking care of the whole firefighter — physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally,” Smith said. “We take care of everyone else. We’re finally learning how to take care of ourselves.”

The funds raised through this collaboration will help Plano Fire-Rescue continue building this culture of care.

Your purchases of the Fire Department Clubs will help train Peer Support volunteers, fund mental health treatment, bring in expert speakers for department-wide training, and support the firefighters and families who need it most.

Big Texas Style, Bold Texas Taste

The design we’ve created for this month’s shirt and coffee bag captures the true Texan spirit. A cowboy firefighter stands waist-up in bunker gear, swinging a fire hose like a lasso beneath the Southwestern sky. His hat bears a firefighter’s shield. His axe hangs at the hip. Behind him, the state flag fills the outline of the state of Texas.

So you know you’ll look good when you wear this shirt. But if you also go for the Coffee Club roast, you’ll experience a coffee that’s as strong and bold as Texas itself.

It’s an incredible dark roast, crafted from Nicaraguan and Ugandan coffee beans. The first sip reveals rich notes of dark chocolate and molasses. The satisfying finish will have you thinking about your next cup before you’ve even finished the first.

The shirt and the coffee bag are anchored by one line, in a gritty Western font, bringing it all together.

Lone Star Grit.

It defies simple definition. It’s about courage and strength and fortitude. Inside and out.

Because strength isn’t about being unshakable.

It’s about standing tall — and knowing who you can lean on.

This October, let the firefighters of Plano, Texas, know they can lean on all of us.