
By Jared Vermeulen
It is no secret that mental health issues are plaguing our industry. Post traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and suicides are at an all-time high throughout fire departments. The average firefighter today is responsible for more specialized skills than ever before in the face of increasingly difficult and emotionally challenging situations. Under these conditions, we as firefighters are paying out “emotional currency” like never before. When we deal with tragic events, they have an effect on us, and it takes an emotional toll. That emotional toll can be likened to currency in a bank. If we keep withdrawing currency without making adequate deposits, we will go bankrupt. In the same way, if we keep allowing “emotional currency” to be unequally withdrawn from our “emotional bank,” we will go into crisis. This is where an officer can shine.
The officer’s front seat role goes far beyond the apparatus. We as officers must set the example when dealing with mental health issues, and it starts with honesty and awareness. The first step is to understand that you are not immune to the grim realities of our profession and the war it wages on our mental health. No one is immune, from the probationary firefighter to the chief of the department; everyone is at risk. As officers, we must understand that we are susceptible to mental health issues and realize that it is another hazard of the profession so that we can mitigate it to the best of our abilities for ourselves and our crew. Second, we must be willing to have vulnerable, honest, and open conversations following emotionally heightened emergencies and any other call that has affected our crews. What other ways can we fight the mental health crisis and effectively manage “emotional currency”? Customer service, crew member awareness, and training.
Customer service provided by the fire department is unlike any other. We get to dignify people in their most needed times, provide care for their families in their own private spaces, and even save their lives. But who benefits most from customer service? The customer? The community? The department’s reputation? Yes, the customer and community benefit from the service, and yes, this service reflects well on the department and those in it. However, over a 30-year career, customer service has helped the one providing it the most. How so?
After helping another human being, no one feels like they are a terrible person. In fact, we feel the opposite, and for good reason! As firefighters, we must always reflect on those truths and strive to make the care we give the best it can be. When we do, we put “emotional currency” back in our “emotional banks.” The care I am referring to is not for bragging rights. Customer service is meant to be reflected on by each one of us after we have had the privilege of providing it to the public so that it can help heal us from the atrocities and tragedies we mitigate during our careers.
As an officer, show your firefighters what excellent customer service is and how it benefits them to provide it. Help them reflect on the good that they have done for that person and encourage them to reflect on how THEY made that difference. Help them to make themselves whole again, even if they believe they already are. Again, this is not a bragging contest but a way to heal from the previous emergencies we have been involved in that weigh on us.
Another way we can limit our crew’s exposure to mental health risk factors is by knowing which risk factor may be a trigger for each of our crew members. As officers, we need to know each one of our crew members well. When we do, we will know certain truths about their backgrounds and histories. Very few people are without tragedy in their lives and, unfortunately, our crew is not immune. What issues have they faced? For example, if one of your firefighters lost a child and has just returned to work, what might happen if your crew responds to a pediatric emergency? Put a plan in place to mitigate that mental health trigger before it happens. Have a crucial conversation with that firefighter and let them know you are concerned for them and would like to put a plan in place in case that specific emergency arises. Perhaps you can have that firefighter stay outside the home or only scribe if there are enough resources available. Whatever the plan may be, communicate with that person so that all parties involved know the plan and that it is for everyone’s mental health benefit.
Lastly, limiting mistakes on calls through proper training can help your crews come back from some very gruesome incidents feeling like they could not have done it any better. No one wants to regret a failure, especially on an emotionally charged call. There is a level of solace in knowing you did your best, even when the outcome is heartbreaking. Train your crew to be able to do their best as a team and have as few regrets as possible. Always commend them for a job well done, no matter the outcome. Be honest about your feelings surrounding the call and encourage others to do so if they feel comfortable.
We are serving our communities during unprecedented times. Show your crew excellent customer service and how it benefits everyone mentally and emotionally. Be aware of the risk factors that affect each of your crew members and how you can mitigate them as much as possible. Train your team to do their best so they can be proud of the service given, no matter what the outcome of the incident. Be an officer who is acutely aware of the mental health realities facing firefighters today. Pair that with the ability to have crucial conversations to navigate your firefighters through a healthy 30-year career.
BIO:
Jared Vermeulen is a captain with Boca Raton (FL) Fire Rescue, where he has served for more than 15 years. He is a first-generation firefighter who entered the fire service in 2007 after working as a paramedic for a local ambulance company and hospital. He specializes in hazardous materials, rope rescue, trench rescue, confined space, and heavy extrication as a part of his department’s regional hazmat team for Boca Raton and Palm Beach County. He is the author of the book The Modern Fire Officer, which is intended to help officers create and motivate hardworking healthy crews and prepare for the many challenges they will face while providing top-notch internal and external customer service.