Anonymous app for firefighters
Henrico County firefighters are now the first in the U.S. to receive a fully anonymous mental‑health support app tailored to first responders. [](https://www.12onyourside.com/2026/03/13/henrico-firefighters-get-anonymous-mental-health-app-first-country/) Officials say anonymity is key to encouraging crew members to seek help without career or peer stigma. [](https://www.12onyourside.com/2026/03/13/henrico-firefighters-get-anonymous-mental-health-app-first-country/)
The app is called Sound Off sound-off.com, and its founder-developer is William Negley, a former CIA officer who served in Afghanistan. bhnet.org Negley originally built the platform for veterans and U.S. Special Operations personnel before expanding into first‑responder communities. withum.com Henrico Division of Fire Chief Jackson Baynard said leadership moved to adopt the app after the department lost Lieutenant Michael O’Brien to suicide, a decision Baynard described as accelerating implementation. bhnet.org Negley has also cited the suicide of his brother‑in‑law, a former Navy SEAL who died 127 days after separating from service, as motivating the app’s anonymous model. bhnet.org Sound Off issues anonymous, permanent usernames and lets users pick from licensed clinicians or screened peer supporters, with voice calls over the app and end‑to‑end encrypted messaging. sound-off.com Henrico has tapped its Fire Care Team peer supporters — including outreach case manager Amber Harris — to staff support on the platform. trustedhealthguides.com The app’s listings on the Apple App Store and Google Play confirm repeat anonymous contact with clinicians and peers is available through the service. apps.apple.com
