Firefighters put others’ lives before their own and are considered heroes, but they say it’s time to open up a dialogue.
Charlotte, North Carolina — Every year, dozens of firefighters die in the line of duty and thousands more are injured.But many suffer from invisible scars PTSD Or mental health issues.
To improve mental health, the Charlotte Fire Department has developed an internal behavioral health program to build mental health into its employees.
Firefighters put others’ lives before their own and are considered heroes, but they say it’s time to open up a dialogue.
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“We’re going home. We’re human too,” said CFD captain Andre Fuller.
For Fuller, he remembers the day when it became unbearable.
“I’ve done CPR on a kid my son’s age, so just seeing it made a huge impact,” Fuller said.
He found solace in the fire department’s peer support team.
“Another firefighter has been through the same thing as me and he can talk about what I see. I can get it off my chest and not feel judged.” It destroys the stigma of feeling weak for feeling a certain way. Fuller said.
First responders are more likely to die by suicide, according to the CDC, but stigma can also be a barrier to getting treatment.
If you or a loved one is facing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, there is help readily available. Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 988 or Chat with them online. North Carolina also has resources available here and in South Carolina Available here.
Now, CFD is taking another step in prioritizing mental health by recently hiring behavioral health expert Nicole Burg. She is available her 24/7.
“Having someone embedded in the system is very important because there is a lot of trust for first responders,” Burg.
Berg said it’s time for the heroes to take care of themselves too.
“Just because you’re struggling with something doesn’t mean you can’t work. It doesn’t mean you can’t keep helping people,” Berg said.
The fire department also has therapy dogs for firefighters.
They are used to comfort and calm firefighters in stressful and traumatic situations.
CFD Fire Inspector and K9 Handler Rick Dunton explained the importance of the department’s first therapy dog named Cat.
“We actually work with our peer support team to do the debriefing. Some people feel like they don’t want to talk about it because it’s too graphic, but that’s what she’s for,” Danton said.
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