Firefighters are exposed to traumatic and life-threatening situations on a regular basis as part of their jobs. The nature of this particular career choice is highly stressful and has additional elements of long working hours, broken sleep patterns, the possibility of losing a colleague, and of course encountering tragedies on a day to day basis. It has been suggested that firefighters are experiencing PTSD at similar rates to combat veterans. Although the trauma they experience is different from the horrors of a warzone, they are no less damaging to a firefighter's mental state.
The Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA) estimates that only 40% of firefighter suicides are actually reported. That means that if this estimate is accurate, the number of suicides among firefighters in 2017 would have been approximately 257 - more than double the number of firefighters who died in the line of duty!
- It has been suggested that anywhere between 7% and 37% of firefighters meet the current criteria for a PTSD diagnosis.
- One study shows that female firefighters are particularly at risk with 20% suffering from PTSD and 30% admitting to suicidal ideation.
- 80% of the firefighters who responded to a University of Phoenix study said that they had been exposed to a traumatic event in the line of duty.
Just Call...Immediately After Any Traumatic Event
Responders 1st Call® provides in-the-moment, informal, telephonic support with credentialed Behavioral Health Clinicians experienced with critical stress debriefing after traumatic events.
- 100% confidential
- 24/7 telephonic consult from anywhere
- Mentally & physically compartmentalize the experience
Providing First Responders With:
- Psychological first aid for behavioral & psychological reactions
- Psycho-educational resources for resilience & recovery
- Supplemental support to peer support teams & departments
