Firefighter - 2020 - 9

9

2020 FLORIDA FIREFIGHTER

Having served as a firefighter for
nearly four decades, I know this line of
work is one that's fueled by personal
passion. Firefighters dedicate their lives
to helping and saving others, often putting
their own lives at risk in the process. To
this point, I also know something that
isn't often taught in firefighter minimum
standards training. When I started as a
firefighter/paramedic with the Maitland
Fire Rescue Department, there was
never any mention of how the job could
impact me mentally or emotionally. We
knew we could get burned. We knew we
would see people die. But there was no
discussion on how we could feel after
responding to those incidents. 

on-the-job trauma. There's no helmet
you can put on to protect yourself from
emotional trauma, and with 90% of
first responders reporting having been
exposed to trauma, we need to be
talking about this.
That's why nearly one year into my
retirement, I'm dedicated to working
alongside a passionate team at UCF
RESTORES® - a leading clinical research
center - to find new ways to combat
trauma and PTSD, helping those who are
suffering to regain control of their lives.
While we have developed an extremely
successful treatment program - one
that is available at no cost to all Florida
residents - the battle for post-traumatic

starts. It isn't always the well-known
incidents (like those involving children,
MCI, death of a co-worker, etc.); it may
be a call that reminds you of something
"close to home," like attending to
wounded or deceased citizens that carry
similarities to loved ones. 
As firefighters, we rarely talk about
emotions on the job. We're told we'll see
some tough stuff, and if we can't handle it,
we're not equipped for this line of work.
Ask any firefighter how they process the
terrible situations they encounter, and
you'll likely hear something along the lines
of "it was just another day - I filed it
away." But the truth is, "filing it away" can
be isolating and dangerous, and it's simply

We knew we could get burned. We knew we would see people die. But there
was no discussion on how we could feel after responding to those incidents.
We rush into fires and deal with
the worst injuries - it's our job and
what we're trained to do. But we're also
human, and sometimes our brains simply
aren't equipped to handle the horrible
things we see. We need to learn how to
take care of our mental health because
tragedy is inevitable. The types of trauma
to which we are exposed can lead to the
manifestation of post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD). If left untreated, PTSD
can lead to emotional distress, feeling
helpless, or like we'll never be able to
lead a "normal" life - one that includes
the job we cherish so dearly - again. 
It is imperative that we approach the
risk for mental health in the same way
we do the potential for physical injury. In
the same way firefighters are trained to
handle equipment and run a call, they
must be properly equipped to encounter

healing starts with understanding and
being able to talk about mental health. 
In this article, I'm honored to have
the opportunity to describe what trauma
looks like for those in the firefighter
community, the treatment resources
available to those suffering, and the
inspiring network of PEER support
rapidly expanding across our state.

TRAUMA IN THE LINE OF DUTY

In the firefighter community, I often
liken the buildup of on-the-job trauma
to a "mental trash can." The can is full of
incidents and traumas experienced, both
on and off the job, and is continuously
being filled with new "emotional trash."
You can keep pushing all the trash
down, but eventually, with one incident
or a buildup of many, it'll get too full and
overflow - that's when the problem

not possible for all of those memories to
be filed away as "another day on the job."
Left to their own devices, the thoughts
and stress that can stem from trauma
have the power to debilitate you, rendering you unable to do what you want to do
best - putting others first. 
When trauma manifests as PTSD,
the event is re-experienced later through
disturbing dreams, thoughts, or flashbacks.
Common signs of PTSD may include
avoidance of activities, places, or people
that are reminders of the event, and
feelings of loneliness and detachment
from others. Other signs may include
difficulty sleeping, irritability and anger,
hypervigilance, or an exaggerated startle
response. Not everyone that experiences
post-traumatic stress will develop a
disorder, but everyone that does can
be helped.
Firefighter - 2020

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