Supporting Isle of Palms Public Safety

LENS Foundation Highlights Community Support for First Responder Wellness on Isle of Palms

Isle of Palms, SC — Recent news coverage across the Lowcountry has brought renewed attention to the mental health challenges facing firefighters and other first responders. A recent report noted that six current, retired, or former Charleston firefighters have died by suicide since 2020 — a sobering reminder of the invisible burdens carried by those who dedicate their lives to protecting others.

At the LENS Foundation (Law Enforcement Neighborhood Support), supporting the well-being of Isle of Palms Police and Fire personnel is at the heart of our mission.

About eighteen months ago, Isle of Palms Fire Chief Craig Oliverius approached LENS with a request for help launching a health and resilience initiative for firefighters. Recognizing the importance of providing proactive support, LENS partnered with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to help establish a program focused on firefighter health, wellness, and long-term resilience.

The program provides resources and tools to help first responders manage the cumulative stress of the profession — including exposure to traumatic incidents, demanding schedules, time away from family, and the everyday pressures that often go unseen by the public.

Since its launch, the program has already demonstrated meaningful benefits. After reviewing its success, the City of Isle of Palms has since incorporated the initiative into its departmental budget, allowing the program to continue serving firefighters moving forward.

Isle of Palms Fire Chief Craig Oliverius says the partnership with LENS has been critical.

“LENS has been a tremendous help to our wellness initiatives. Those kinds of programs are greatly needed in our department, and our city simply didn’t have funds available to launch them at the time. Knowing there is a mechanism like LENS to support us is a huge asset and truly a blessing to our firefighters.”

The conversation around first responder mental health has grown louder in recent years, but community involvement remains essential to ensuring departments have access to meaningful support programs.

LENS Advisory Board member and “Big Cheese” fundraising contestant Lexi Kinsaul emphasized the importance of community support:

“Our law enforcement officers stand on the front lines of humanity’s hardest days, bearing burdens that the human soul was never meant to carry alone. To honor their sacrifice, we must move beyond mere gratitude and take collective action. As a community, it is our sacred duty to ensure that those who protect us day in and day out have every mental health resource, every ounce of support, and every bridge to healing they deserve.”

One of the primary ways the LENS Foundation funds programs like the MUSC wellness partnership is through its annual LENS Public Safety Awards Banquet — the theme for the 2026 banquet is “The Cheese Ball.” The event celebrates the dedication of Isle of Palms Police and Fire personnel while raising critical funds for programs that support first responders and their families.

This year’s banquet will also feature the inaugural “Big Cheese” fundraising competition, where 11 local community members and businesses are competing to raise the most “cheddar” (donations) for the cause. The winner will be crowned live during the banquet. All proceeds from the event go directly toward supporting Isle of Palms first responders — including programs like the MUSC mental health initiative.

The LENS Foundation encourages residents, businesses, and community members to attend the banquet, sponsor the event, or contribute to the Big Cheese competition to help strengthen support for those who serve the island community every day.

To register for the LENS Annual Public Safety Awards Banquet, sponsor the event, or learn more, visit: LENSIOP.org/cheese-ball.

Because when a community stands behind its first responders, everyone is stronger.

Reference: “Firefighters demand mental health changes after six suicides since 2020,” ABC News 4 (WCIV), March 4, 2026.