The Final Call: Why Firefighters Commit Suicide | Fault Lines
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- Опубликовано: 22 фев 2016
- Suicide rates are on the increase among firefighters in the United States.
They are three times more likely to die by suicide than in line of duty, according to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), an organisation chartered by Congress to honour and provide support to the families of firefighters killed on the job.
They routinely witness traumatic events as they are called to the scenes of mass shootings, homicides, suicides, road accidents, and instances of child abuse, among myriad other incidents.
While researching this story, Fault Lines spoke at length to Tim Casey, a former firefighter-paramedic who posted videos online about his traumatic memories and his struggle with trauma and depression.
Three weeks before we were set to interview Casey on camera, he killed himself.
What is behind the high number of first responder suicides in the US? And why isn't more done to address depression and PTSD?
Through the story of Casey and other firefighters like him, Fault Lines investigates this hidden epidemic and asks who is ultimately responsible for addressing depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide in America's fire service.
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I watched a father and daughter's car explode in an accident, and others in the same accident be horribly hurt. We airlifted one out with a crushed head. It happened in front of me as we were working on the scene of another call on the other side of the highway. My wife has recently told me she thinks its bothering me more than I think - that I get RAGE-filled at drivers making minor mistakes, and generally seem depressed. I've agreed to talk to someone -- if anyone else is experiencing the same, give it shot.
I understand this. I too have battled this, as a firefighter for 2 decades. I have battled with PTSD for 3 decades. I is a horrible battle that most will never understand. The faces that are embedded, the way they died, the what ifs we question ourselves with. Be strong my brothers and sisters get help even if it is away from the job.
I served in the UK fires services for over 25 years and yes, seven of my friends and colleagues took their own lives BUT, to the best of my knowledge none of them was directly work related i.e. affected enough by one or a series of traumatic incidents. Could it be that we are sensitive, caring people and perhaps therefore more emotional than other people. The divorce rate is high in all of our emergency services due to the pressure of long shifts and poor pay and this too has its effects. I really don't think the suicide rate has any direct correlation with a particular side of firefighting but more an accumulation of circumstances and events in the job as a whole.
Tasted the barrel and was squeezing, couldn’t leave my kids without their dad.
It’s worse when it’s a kid. It’s hard to sleep with it.
Retired firefighter/paramedic for 2 months now. Was in the service for 20+ yrs, things I see and experience still haunts me and gives me nightmares. I had to choose retirement for my mental health, my ptsd was so bad that I couldn’t step foot inside the firehouse. What I’m glad for is my loved ones pushed me to see a therapist. It’s helping a little bit but the nightmares is still there and still haunts me a little bit. But I can bare it a little better.
It's being a paramedic that puts 85% of the stress into the job.
Recently involved in a training accident involving a ladder truck evolution. Once in a lifetime accident. I almost lost my brother on the end of the ladder. I was operating the pump and it was my hand that pressed the button that set off the chain reaction. It was deemed "not operator error," but rather a massive mechanical failure. I've been on 6 years in the largest and busiest department in western Canada, I've seen my share so far in regards to calls. But to be involved in an accident where I thought I killed my fellow brother has been really hard to deal with. Fortunately our department is backing me in seeking help. I don't think the general public really knows what we deal with on a regular basis. May God bless all of you brothers and sisters. Please reach out before it's too late.
We do it because no one understands or cares.
Idk why people can't understand why so many first responders commit suicide, they see things that nobody should ever see over and over again. You see mangled bodies, tell someone the person the life revolves around isn't there anymore. You truly see the worst side if the world all the time like it's normal. That will make anyone not want to be living in it.
I have such respect and admiration for EMTS and Paramedics.
All military And first responders should have some type of safety net to fall back on as we all experience things that we don't talk about that stick in our mind for life, even after we leave the job or retire. Most police and fireman leave and are forgotten about in no time..but we don't forget.
This makes me want to start a program to spread awareness about these men and women are in the medical and firefighters field who desperately need help. I feel inspired to become a part of that that is absolutely Horrendous and unacceptable that there is only one man taking care of that data
I'm not a firefighter. But having served in the military and seen some things similar, I know what this feels like. It saddens me to see this today and remember the time I wanted to do something, too :(
My mom is going through this right now. She's retired going crazy a fifteen year veteran forced into retirement due to injury now she's going stir crazy. She's diagnosed with everything from A to Z on loads of pills. But she's retired and forgotten. Its sad.
In ‘97 i was called onto duty for a trailer fire. And after waiting 20 minutes for the others to arrive, Chief said go ahead and get the truck started, its just us. We arrived and we struggled for a good hour and a half to put it out. We hadn’t been given enough information to know what the cause was, and so we had to keep our distance. After the Fire had been put out, I was given to clear to enter, And i’ll never forget what i had To do that day. Having to pull a little girl out of that mess, Seeing her in the condition she was in and knowing she suffered in her death. Ive always felt guilty and responsible for it. If i hadn’t obeyed protocol and jumped in anyways, I could’ve possibly saved her. Having to see her mothers face, That moment when they realize what’s happened. Having to be the person that shows them the reality of the situation. Of course many people blamed us and scolded us for not jumping in, saying everything i had basically already realized i could’ve done differently .That’s a situation you never get used to, And one that unfortunately many of us face quite commonly. Ive faced many worse fires in my career, but its never been the fires that are the worst part of the job, its the human lives and casualties you’ve been entrusted with saving and protecting. Because you’re only human, and you cant be expected to save them all, even though thats the basis of your job.
🌷💛💚🌷have so much appreciation and respect for firemen. There's simply not enough compensation for what they do. Definitely a need for continuous ptsd counseling and support ❤️
Thank you so much for posting
PLEASE REACH OUT !!
Honestly, this strikes way way way to close to home. Words fail, fall flat, and do injustice to the impact this job has on all of us. I found this video after searching suicides and firefighters. There's no way I know how...to...emote all I've seen, and been impacted by, to my wife. This sucks. Trapped is a good word.