All Blog Posts Tagged 'suicide' (13)

YOU matter more than you know!



Many national and local resources available, but here's a great start:

http://www.ffbha.org/resources/clinician-resources/



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To see more Drawn By Fire cartoons or to purchase prints,…

Are you a firefighter who is secretly struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?  A firefighter can be exposed to many terrifying images and events that can trigger PTSD. Unfortunately, many firefighters suffer in silence without getting the proper treatment to overcome PTSD.

As a result, here are some helpful tips on how to help a fellow firefighter who is struggling with this fear related disorder.

Learn As Much As You Can…

By: Stan Popovich

You are a firefighter and you are the end of your rope, and you can't take it any much longer. You are suffering from anxiety, depression, guilt or some other fear related issue and you feel there is no hope. Although things may seem difficult suicide is not the answer to your personal struggles.

Here are six reasons why suicide is not the solution to your problems.

Things Change Over…

When someone says the word hero, we automatically start thinking about things like courage, nobility, and over-the-top achievements. Heroes go above and beyond the call of duty to help people without giving it a second thought.  They don’t give up no matter how afraid they may be. They’re the kind of people who inspire us to achieve great things in our own lives.

It’s this image that we have of heroes that…

There is a common understanding among the firefighter and EMT community that there are lives that can’t be saved or rescued. It’s a fact of life, and death. Usually those lives are lost due to circumstances beyond our perceived control, and most of us have come to grips with this certainty so we can focus on the next savable life. Understanding doesn’t make it…

We’ve got to do better than this.

It is with a heavy heart that I find myself mourning another brother as I write this blog post. A brother who was the epitome of dedication and passion, and who was loved by all who had the fortune to know him, or be the target of his shameless wit and humor. He loved the fire service, he loved teaching, but something…

The fire service is great at remembering anniversaries.  We celebrate when organizations were founded, when we got hired, when we got promoted and when one of our own dies in the line of duty.  It’s a day to reflect and a day to remember.

Yesterday was an anniversary.  Not a good one though.  Yesterday marks three years since I witnessed firsthand a firefighter suicide.  Other guys remembered too.  It caused me to…

The First Twenty is being put to the test. 

The program is being studied in two federally funded research projects.  The first is funded by FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighter Grant’s Research and Development mechanism and is…

Recognizing Suicide Warning Signs in Firefighters and EMTs

Behavioral health is a key component of an overall firefighter health and wellness program. Unfortunately, it is a difficult subject to discuss – many factors affect a firefighter’s ability to understand when a fellow brother or sister is suffering, but that does not make it any less critical an issue.

By far, the number one comment…

Recently, I have been reading articles on this subject with much uneasiness.

In fact; I hesitate to call suicide a “subject”, because for many; suicide is real and has impacted them. It has reached out and grabbed them in some way. It is someone very close to them, someone they know or someone famous, whose career they have followed.

And, are loved ones LEFT to make “sense…

Put aside the emotion when considering adding to a number we try to lower each year

The topic of firefighter suicides is one that gets raised once or twice a year and is full of intense but quiet emotion. Quiet because the subject of suicide is one that people do not like to discuss; intense because when it is discussed some people make the mistake of passionately identifying these deaths as part of the sacrificial duty of a firefighter and consider them…

It’s going to happen so you might as well get it out on the table now

I should admit I’ve never seen a complete episode of Rescue Me, ever. I’ve seen bits and pieces at the firehouse, but I have never intentionally sat down to see one episode from start to finish. I’m not much of a television person but I understand the gist of the show and its borderline…

Hard to believe it's been four years since I lost my friend and mentor. It took a few years after his death to put my feelings into an editorial cartoon and I desperately hope this message will help others out there!



Listen and be involved in their lives - be there for them!



R.I.P., my…