There is a major problem within the fire service, one that we can overlook no longer. Several firefighters from all over the American fire service have now directly been affected by another firefighter’s suicide. Although not included in line-of-duty death reports, the data and research shows that more firefighters die each year by suicide than they do any other way documented within the fire service. Data from the U.S. Fire Administration shows that approximately 100 firefighters commit suicide each year. What a disturbing piece of information: More firefighters take their own lives each year than die in the line of duty. Something has to change, and although we can’t solve this problem through words alone, I believe that there are steps we can individually take to decrease the number of firefighter suicides.
- Postvention Can Become Suicide Prevention
- Reactive vs. Proactive Mental Wellness in the Fire Service
- Help is Not Help, Unless it’s Helpful
The Stigma
Traditionally, there has been a stigma surrounding mental health, specifically suicide, not only in the fire service but also in wider society. Those days must end now. We must take a stand, united, in the fight against firefighter suicide. The first step is addressing the elephant in the room: firefighters are killing themselves. As elementary as that may seem, if we do not identify that fact, we have a problem this will continue to be ignored.
“You can not change what you cannot define.” —Pastor Craig Groeschel
This can and will happen to your fire department if we do not take a proactive approach. I get it; as firefighters, we all feel like we can do everything on our own and don’t need assistance to get through the hardships of life. What must happen before we admit that this is not true? We are all problem solvers and feel like that when an issue comes up, it is up to us to solve it. This is a preconceived notion that does no good for us in the long run. We have to make talking about our problems normal. Although I am all for regular department-run mental health assessments, there are things we can do individually and as crews to address these issues.
Self-Assessment
First, we must perform a self-assessment. Are we taking care of our mental and physical health the way we should? Do we have a core inner circle that we can go to and talk about the difficulties of life, on and off the job? Do we have healthy outlets that allow us to offload some of the things we deal with on a daily basis?
Before we can even begin to appropriately care for others, we must ensure that our mental health is where it needs to be. As discussed previously, I know it can be difficult to talk to others about our problems, but one of the healthiest ways to deal with things is simply talking about them. Therapists are not only for when we are going through issues. Many highly successful people see a therapist regularly to keep their mental health in top shape. Just like going to the gym to improve physical health, regular therapy sessions can help us maintain and strengthen our mental well-being. Daily exercise is a small step we can all take to assist in improving mental health. Among other things, when we exercise dopamine and other “feel good” chemicals are released in the brain, which can help with making us feel joyful and reduce stress and anxiety. Additionally, exercise can increase blood flow to your brain that allows more oxygen and glucose to the brain which helps with brain function and cognitive abilities. Something as small as a daily walk somewhere in the 45- or 60-minute range can drastically change our approach for the day.
Tribe
We are influenced most by those closest to us. This stresses the importance of picking a good tribe to do life with. Having a positive circle of influence can impact your life in so many ways that many may not even recognize its impact. One of the most important things about having a tribe to walk through life with is the ability to have daily “size-ups.” When we size-up a structure fire we typically start with the actual structure and what it looks like, more or less. Then we move on to what is showing or not showing from that structure. We can do the same things with those closest to us. What does our friend look like? What is their body language saying? How is their attitude compared with how they typically respond? Then: What is showing or not showing? What is their tone? What are they saying? Usually, we’ve known our inner circle for a while, allowing us to have a baseline understanding of who our friends truly are. By practicing daily size-ups with our inner circle and being intentional with our words and conversations, we can help someone who might be having a tough day or going through a rough time shift their mindset, making a positive impact on their day.
Healthy Outlets
I’m not sure where it started, but there’s a story that circulates through my fire department about the burdens we all carry from the challenges of the job. Throughout your career—and likely even before your career—you have been adding “rocks” to your backpack. Some of these rocks are as small as pebbles; occasionally, some may be as big as boulders. Eventually that backpack will get too heavy to carry and we get stuck. We can no longer proceed any further until we offload some of those rocks.
Having healthy ways to deal with the burdens of the job is essential for our mental health and continual progress throughout our career. For some people, a simple walk or run can bring our brains back to baseline. For others, it may require a tough workout. There are many options out there that can help us offload some of our rocks. How you accomplish this is strictly up to you; there is no protocol to follow.
I could not write this section without telling you what works for me. While I love a good run or lift to work through some frustrations or emotions that have been weighing me down, I personally get the greatest relief after spending time in prayer with God. Many times throughout the Bible it says to cast your burdens on Him. Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” While my intentions are not to convert you into believing what I believe, I can’t begin to explain what it means to believe in something greater than anything in this world. When my flesh fails me, He is there. When my friends fail me, He is there. When this job fails me, He is there. I can turn to Him for anything, from the smallest issues to the biggest challenges in my life. He can handle it.
The heartbreaking truth is that firefighters are taking their own lives every day. For many, this crisis may not feel real until it impacts them personally. But at the current rate, if suicide hasn’t already touched your life, it likely will. We can’t afford to stand by; we must take action. As I mentioned earlier, words alone won’t solve this problem. We must be proactive. Take care of yourself, find a community to do life with, and establish healthy outlets for facing the challenges of the job. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please don’t face this alone. There are resources ready to help, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Next Rung, and the IAFF Center of Excellence. Reach out, help is available.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-TALK
Next Rung – 1-833-NXT-RUNG
IAFF Center of Excellence – 301-358-0192
John Velez is a tailboard firefighter with the Longview Fire Department in East Texas. His passion for the fire service drives him to continually improve his skills and add value to those around him. As the host of the Tailboard Misfits Podcast, John challenges fellow firefighters to challenge the status quo and commit themselves to be the firefighter the fire service needs. Through mentorship and a dedication to learning, he aims to inspire positive change within the fire service and strengthen the community he serves.
