Dena Ali returns: Mental health starts with leadership

Better Every Shift · May 7, 2026 · 47m

“We have to rethink it.” That’s the challenge Battalion Chief Dena Ali brings to our latest conversation on firefighter mental health, not because the fire service hasn’t made significant strides but because too many firefighters are still struggling in silence. In her return to Better Every Shift, Ali explains why leadership, sleep and psychological safety are deeply tied to firefighter wellness, and how peer support programs tap into the “magic” of the brotherhood and sisterhood. Ali also shares the leadership mistakes she’s learned from herself, including finding balance between empathy…