
Get your bell rung.
Dead to the world.
Out like a light.
Out cold.
Enter Sandman.
We have so many ways to say it, and we love to use them. Reality is, it’s a major injury with long-lasting, if not permanent, effects. Those effects can be debilitating and devastating.
Miami Dolphins Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa recently found himself on the turf yet again. Not just “on the turf,” but laying there after another hit to his head, posturing.
Anyone faintly acquainted with medical terms or services understands what that means. In case you aren’t familiar, posturing is basically the body and brain’s involuntary reaction to a head injury. The hands and fingers curl, arms are sometimes drawn in tightly to the chest or extended out rigidly from the body. It is a sign of the severity of the brain injury.x
How Much is Enough?
One of these injuries is frightening.
In Tua’s case, he has postured on the field at least twice in under three seasons. The first instance occurred back in 2022, one week after collapsing on the field with an initial concussion. By the end of the 2022 season, we saw Tua suffer three concussions. From all appearances, all three were major injuries.
Here we are again. One more concussion to add to his resume. When—as a player, as a human, as a husband, and as a father—does he say, “Enough is enough”?
At what point does he, his team, and the NFL step up to say his brain is more valuable than the game he plays?
There are innumerable factors that play into that answer—as a matter of fact, it’s scary how many. Here’s the kicker, most times the answer doesn’t revolve around what’s best for the player, his family, or his brain.
Football to Firefighting
Just about now, you’re wondering, “What does this have to do with firefighting?” I know … I’ll get to the point.
My initial thought when I saw the latest injury to Tua’s brain was the similarities between the two professions: football and firefighting. Obviously, firefighters aren’t signing or playing for multi-million-dollar contracts. That’s reserved for a game that normally has no life-or-death outcome. That’s an entirely different subject though.
Here’s how I see it
We see Tua and his injuries. We see the injuries as they occur. We see the immediate effect of the injuries. We react in various ways to the injuries, but my hope is we’re aghast and troubled by them.
Yet we still expect these players to come back, don the uniform, and risk more injury—all because it’s entertaining and profitable.
Invisible Injuries
Now imagine a sport where the injuries aren’t visible. There isn’t that physical manifestation such as posturing to highlight the injury. Do you even admit there’s an injury let alone make sure there’s a recovery before suiting up again?
The answer is no. In many departments not only is the answer no, but the question isn’t even asked.
Trauma and PTSD are brain injuries. We experience numerous brain injuries nearly every shift. Some are relatively minor, but others are major. I’ll offer up a few examples.
Remember that Thanksgiving meal you attended unexpectedly when Grandpa’s heart stopped? You and your crew performed CPR and made heroic efforts to save him as his wife, kids, and grandchildren all looked on. The screams and cries imploring you to do more are stuck in your brain.
Remember that voice of the woman screaming for help, “Don’t let me die,” as fire impinged on the passenger compartment of the car that she was trapped in? You and your crew worked feverishly to gain access and get her out as flames crept closer.
Remember any call involving a baby? It could be CPR, a fire, or an accident—you name it.
These are injuries and they need to be treated as such.
Don’t Ignore Your Injuries
I’ll compare fire chiefs and battalion chiefs to NFL owners and coaches. It’s in their best interest that we “play.” If your chief or department admits there’s an injury, that’s going to cost them money—short term money, if they grant you some time off to process and rehab, and long term money if the injury becomes a disability.
It’s in their interest to keep you on the field. You don’t even get to come to the sideline to be evaluated by a team doctor. You get to mark-up “ready” and take the next call as it comes, which can be as traumatic as the last one or even worse.
We need a commonsense approach to these injuries. The NFL has decided to “allow” players to protect themselves a little more. Players can choose to wear a Guardian Cap to add a layer for brain protection. That is fantastic idea unless peers, media, former players, and others ridicule you for it.
“I wouldn’t wear it” is the same thing as the salty engineer not just refusing to talk but calling others out for being weak. We’ve all heard it before, “This job isn’t for everyone.”
Protect Yourself
When faced with the prospect of an injury, we need to protect ourselves. Find our proverbial “Guardian Cap” through proactive measures such as meditation, sleep, diet, exercise, and the list goes on. Realize when you need a break or need to talk to someone. Find the resources in your area or department and get familiar and comfortable with them. These things will help set you up for success.
Fire chiefs and battalion chiefs need to recognize when personnel experience a traumatic call. This involves knowing and being involved with crews. Realize how the new mother or father would feel after running a pediatric code. Realize how a firefighter may react after cutting a dead body out of a mangled car. Bring in a relief crew. Allow affected crews to take injury leave.
But, don’t stop there. Ensure that care or therapy is sought and used. This isn’t about free time off, but it is about caring for an injury and making sure it isn’t compounded by further injury.
Don’t Sacrifice Your Health
You must take advantage of every resource and not worry if some keyboard warrior or salty dog thinks it’s weak. It’s your brain and your life. Both are more important than the job and its effects.
Both are more important than critics and their opinions.
Don’t exchange your life and the quality of it to simply seem tough or unfazed.
Don’t be that salty dog continuing the ridiculous stigma that asking for help is weak. Trust me, it’s the strongest and toughest thing you can do.
FTS
Bio
Brendan “Stack” Stackpole is the creator and host of the podcast The Things We All Carry (TTWAC). He spent 11 years as a firefighter in Northern Virginia after joining the fire service as a second career. His fire resume includes aerial operator, technical rescue technician, heavy rescue, swift water, and all-around instigator.
Stack created The Objectionables podcast after bringing attention to issues within the fire service. His focus shifted to mental health and the effect the fire service can have on mental health. TTWAC was born out of tragedy when five firefighters in the DC region committed suicide in the span of one calendar year. Stack’s mission is to call attention to the fact no one is alone. Your trauma is unique, but your story is universal. The more we talk and share our stories the more people we can reach and help.